Trojan Tribune Issue 15 2013-14

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WAYZATA HIGH SCHOOL

trojan tribune VOLUME 32, ISSUE 15

MAY 9, 2014

TROJAN SEX SURVEY PAGE 8

Alcohol a major influence in sexual decisions

By MEREDITH JOHNSON & SOPHIE MILSTIEN F E AT U R E S E D I T O R & S E N I O R S TA F F

@mere_johnson19 & @sophandsuch

“I don’t kiss and tell” is the motto of a previous generation. Stories of drunken hookups are common enough to raise important questions about the relationship between alcohol use and sexual decision making among WHS students.

The Trojan Tribune circulated a questionnaire among 200 seniors to examine the degree of correlation between alcohol consumption and sexual behavior. The survey questionnaire was taken in several MoPro classes in the week of May 1.

Baseline information for the design of this survey was taken from the triennial Minnesota Student Survey’s Hennepin County tables. Due to recent format and sampling changes, the most recent comparable MSS data is from 2010.

(2013 MSS sampling changed the oldest cohort from seniors to juniors.)

According to the survey, alcohol use had a significant effect on the sexual decision making of seniors. Among the 54% of seniors who were sexually active, nearly 40% said that alcohol use had had an effect on their sexual decision making at least once. Not surprisingly, women were less likely to report that alcohol had affected their sexual decisions.

Continued on page 8

Host families bid “Auf Wiedersehen” to their German students Dusseldorf students head home after a three week exchange program

By JARED KAUFMAN COP Y EDITOR

@jaredography For 38 years, Wayzata High School has participated in an exchange program with students from Humboldt Gymnasium, a high school in Dusseldorf, Germany. This year’s German exchange students were at Wayzata a couple weeks ago, and several were hosted by students in the German 4/AP German class.

The students from Germany were here for a few weeks to experience American culture.

“Through the Wayzata exchange I had the opportunity to get to know another

Continued on page 2

OPENING UP Wayzata students come clean about their sexual experiences, and the effect alcohol has made on their decision to have sex.

SEVEN INJURED IN BUS CRASH Seven Wayzata High School @k_talerico students suffered minor injuries in a school bus accident Tuesday afternoon. The First Student bus was hit by a pickup truck towing a fifth-wheel trailer at the intersection of Highway 101 and 19th Avenue North near Oakwood Elementary School and Kreatz Lake in Plymouth.

The students suffered minor bumps and bruises. Three of those injured were transported to North Memorial in Robbinsdale, and four were sent to North in Maple Grove by ambulance, the release said. 19 students were aboard the bus at the time of the accident.

Investigators say the bus was traveling westbound on 19th and crossing Hwy 101 when it was struck by a one-ton pickup truck. At press time the incident is still under police investigation.

Blaize DePass (12) said, “The truck didn’t come out of nowhere. It was there and apparently he [the bus driver] didn’t look closely enough.”

“The bus driver didn’t look for traffic,” said bus-rider Jakob Cornell (11), who was sitting in the back and left side of the bus, where the truck hit.

The bus’s usual driver, Phil, has been gone for “at least a month,” said DePass.

“We were all sitting and talking like

By KATIE TALERICO EDITOR IN CHIEF

usual, and out of nowhere there’s a scream from the side of the bus,” said DePass. “I heard the scream and looked and then, bam, we’ve been hit.”

“The bus driver wanted us to stay on the bus,” said DePass. “I saw that the truck was smoking, and proceeded to leave the bus,” said DePass. “Two or three people got off and then the doors were shut.

Some people left through the emergency

door. Ever since elementary we have been instructed to do that, so that’s what we did.”

DePass said many students walked home because their houses were nearby.

“Those of us who were under 18 were strongly urged to go to the hospital,” said Cornell. “So I went, but there was nothing bad. I think one person had a cut on his head.”

Photo by Jakob Cornell

First Student Wayzata High School Bus 366 was crossing Hwy 101 Tuesday afternoon when it was struck by an oncoming pick-up truck. Seven of the 19 students on the bus were treated for minor injuries.

MC policy: in or out of season Minor consumption @MsAnnaLuisa violations are treated differently by different organizations and clubs, and in different seasons, according to interviews with sponsors, administrators, and students.

Chemical Health Coordinator Judy Hanson said, “MCs have to be reported by law to schools. The Minnesota State High School League has a set of consequences that schools can use or they can go stricter.”

“Anything more strict is up to the individual club or team or advisor,” said Assistant Activities Director Barb Beise.

“The policy doesn’t change from sport to sport or club to club. What differs is that sports teams and clubs might decide, as a team, to have stricter consequences. If a violation occurs during the season, members might be dismissed from the team such as in football, volleyball, lacrosse and so on,” said Hanson.

By ANNA RODRIGUEZ JUNIOR NEWS EDITOR

Boys Varsity Tennis chose to be more strict with minor consumption violations, said captain Steele Kowalczyk (11). “There is a zero tolerance policy in season. Out of season means suspension,” said Kowalczyk.

“The tennis team strives to be one of the more straight-edged teams in the school.

That’s thanks to Coach Prondzinski,” said tennis player Austin Zhang (11).

“People normally cover it up more, but they don’t stop,” said one female winter athlete. “Out of season, they don’t care about covering it up as much.”

Student Council enforces severe repercussions for minor consumptions, according to Senate member Tiffany Haas (11). “You are kicked off the council immediately and the next year you can’t run for the Senate but you can run for House,” said Haas.

According the Minnesota High School League Handbook, students who receive a minor consumption “shall lose eligibility for the next two interscholastic contests or two weeks of a season in which the student

is a participant, whichever is greater.” Consequences become increasingly severe, leading to dismissal upon the third offense.

“Many teams, such as Cross Country and Track and Field, choose to use the MHSL guidelines,” said Andrew Quirk (11).

“You don’t want to do it because you don’t want your coaches or other people to look at you like that,” said a female fall athlete.

“School-related consequences are the suspension of parking permits for 5 weeks if they have one and participation in an educational program and/or other agreed upon services with the parents,” said Hanson.

“Out of season situations fall back to what the High School League [MHSL] rules are.We understand that in the off-season and in summer, kids are going to be in situations where they can make bad decisions because they are less influenced of the coach, advisor, or teammates,” said Beise.

“Some years teams choose to have a stricter policy; other years they decide not to,” said Beise.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

NEWS 2

Germans encounter new traditions during American exchange trip Continued from page 1

“Through the Wayzata exchange I had the opportunity to get to know another culture.

It surprised me how completely different not only the food and impressions of the city were, but also the openness and friendliness of the people. I am very happy that I got to experience all of it and can only recommend taking part in the exchange,’ wrote one German student in a post-exchange survey.

However, students from Wayzata also came away with more cultural understanding and new perspectives on how America appears to people from other countries.

One of the differences between Germany and America that soon became clear to the host families from Wayzata is how we get around.

“They use a lot of public transportation in Germany, like the Strassenbahn, the tram.

They rarely use cars except when they need to go long distances. They were surprised at how much we drive cars, because it’s not very ecofriendly,” said WHS AP German student Mikaela Kendall (12), who has hosted German exchange students for several years, and travelled to Germany with this exchange program last year.

“They were even second-guessing if they wanted to drive with us at all! They were worried about us driving because in Germany they don’t get their licenses until age 18,” said WHS German 4 student Adam Grooms (11).

Food-eating customs were also a point of contrast.

“They didn’t really eat breakfast; they had six small meals throughout the day,” said Grooms.

“They eat a lot of bread, cheese and meat.

They also didn’t eat school lunch.They thought it was gross,” said WHS German 4 student Rachel Gessner (11), who has also been to Germany on this exchange program.

Kendall explained that food in Germany is a lot fresher than it is here.

“There are little bakeries on every corner.

When I was in Germany, on my way to school, we would say, ‘let’s just grab some croissants!’” she said.

Everything in Germany is a lot smaller and a lot closer, Gessner explained.

This also means that Germans have a different conception of personal space.

“They tend to stand and sit very close to each other, and it’s not weird for them,” Grooms said. They hold hands, sit on each other – everything is just really close.”

“Germans are also a lot more direct,” said Kendall. “Minnesota can be so passive-aggressive. But they just say it like it is, and they don’t intend to be mean.”

However, Wayzata students did notice some similarities between Minnesotans and Germans.

“We listen to the same music; they listen to a lot of American bands. Also, we watch similar movies – they had seen Frozen, but they bought it in English because the songs don’t sound the same in German” said WHS German 4 student Heidi Brown (11).

“They have the same sense of humor; they’re very sarcastic,” said Kendall.

These Wayzata students have been taking German for many years. How do their language skills stack up?

“I think our German is good enough to talk to them, but it’s just a confidence thing. They learn English from such an early age, that they do Shakespeare in high school English too, just like us. They’re so outgoing and don’t understand why we might be worried about speaking in German,” said Grooms.

“I loved speaking German with my exchange student – but she wanted to learn English! So sometimes I would ask questions in German and she would answer me in English,” said Kendall.

“You get to be a lot closer with someone in three weeks than you would expect,” said Kendall.

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

Taekwondo national champ at age 16 Alexandru (Alex) Felea (11) is en- coach passed away in 2011,” Felea said. joying a high profile in the demandFelea said he loves the sport because its a way for him to escape his JUNIOR EDITOR IN CHIEF ing arena of international Taekwondo normal life. He loves being in the spotlight when he fights. “Many @HanaKassem competition. people crack under pressure, but I thrive under it. While I am in the Alex, who is 16, broke into the na- ring, with that rush of adrenaline I am able to let myself go and just tional rankings in his 63 kg weight class by securing a spot on the focus on my match.” Felea describes it as his way of escaping from USA Junior Taekwondo team in January. his daily life. “Not to mention the sport itself is unique. Everyone “To make the team, I just had to defeat each opponent, and I did can play sports such as soccer, basketball, etc. However, when you for two days at separate trials. For Youth Olympic Team trials, I fell have to spar someone else for a sport, I guarantee most people won’t short in the finals and made the B-team. even want to try.”

I redeemed myself at team trials for the Felea’s goal is to make World Championships.” Felea has held it to the 2020 and 2024 this ranking for four months now, and Olympics and bring back had to beat the top athletes from all over a medal for the country. the country.

He sees the sport takBorn in Romania, Felea moved here ing him into the record with his parents in 2001. He grew up in books. “When it’s all Chicago, and takes a lot of pride in his over, I hope to leave a hometown. “Taekwondo basically gave legacy that many would me a way to stand up for myself. I used to aspire to follow in my always be that kid that got bullied. Then footsteps,” said Felea.

I learned how to fight. Ever since, life’s World travel has been been smooth-sailing.” a huge perk of the sport, Felea has been involved in Taekwondo says Felea. This year, he for almost eight years now, and he has represented the U.S. in been fighting at the top level for almost Taiwan for the Junior three years. “Training is tough,” said FeWorld Championships lea, “but that is what it takes to be one and in Colombia for an of the best. We get the same injuries that international open and Submitted Photo keep athletes out for weeks and months, camp. “It is so much fun but we’re always back training within a Alex Felea (left, on second-place podium) at the 2014 US Open Taekwon- to make friends and have couple of days.” Felea said he trains for do Championships in Las Vegas. Felea placed second against an interconnections all over the national field including winner Luciano Vasquez of Argentina, Matias two to four hours each day. country and world. There Felea’s said his parents were the ones Palacios of Guatemala (t-3rd), and Emil Sorenson of Denmark (t-3rd). is no better feeling than that signed him up. He said he was on the representing the U.S. on verge of quitting before one of his former coaches got him involved the world stage,” Felea said. in Olympic-style sparring. “I can talk about what motivates me for Felea will be leaving for Innsbruck, Austria at the end of May to hours on end, but what motivates me the most is when that same compete in the Austrian Open.

By HANA KASSEM

Orchestra program increases sections, enters “brave new world” Increased enroll- serve our string players the same way the choir nique that may have been lost in the class size ment in the orches- program serves our vocalists in a really healthy of the middle school setting. tra program has re- way.”

Though it is rumored that band instructor @k_talerico vealed the need for When Gitch held auditions for the orchestra Daniel Tiwalt will be teaching the new sectwo new orchestra program in March, he realized that many of his tions of orchestra, Gitch said that when asked classes and a new teacher. During registration, ninth graders had yet to develop the skills that if he’d be interested in the job, he preferred to 175 students enrolled in the orchestra program, would allow them to play with the indepen- stay in band. including incoming freshmen, an increase of dence and caliber of the current string orchesGitch has team-taught with Tiwalt in recent 31 over the 2013-2014 school year. tra. This encouraged him to start thinking of a years. “He’s awesome at it—a great orchestra “Ten years ago we had 97 string players. The new band to put those students in. teacher—but as a team teacher. He can teach orchestra program has nearly doubled in the “Symphonia is a new sophomore-only or- rehearsals and run-throughs but his role is not last decade. The school has grown in size but it chestra for players developing independent to teach the technique. It’s the same way that I certainly hasn’t doubled in size,” said orchestra skills at an intermediate level,” Gitch said. Cur- can go into choir and make suggestions but I director Mark Gitch. rently many of the ninth grade members lack can’t give them the techniques. In and out, I’m Currently, students are evenly balanced across confidence in their skill level, and although good at that role. But I’m not a good choir difour orchestras: a ninth grade orchestra; Cama- their drive for success is there, they must devel- rector,” said Gitch. rata, new this year for advanced 9th and 10th op that independence before they can advance Gitch said that job listings will be posted graders; String orchestra for grades 10-12; and onto Strings, Gitch said. within the week and interviews will proceed Chamber, the fastest-paced and most indepen“Maybe that’s when they choose another from there. They will have a new teacher within dent ensemble. path, and Symphonia becomes a grade 10,11 a few weeks of school’s end.

“With 144 students this year, four “In twenty plus years, I’ve never shared sections worked out,” said Gitch. “But a program,” said Gitch. “It’s new ground with 30 more coming we need at least for me, a brave new world! But I have one more group. But for reasons of great role models—the band program, scheduling and facilities and teaching the choir program.” new students in a healthy way? We As far as funding goes, Gitch said, “So need six.” far, so good!”

Ninth graders will be split up into “Getting the six orchestras was easy, blue and gold orchestras based on but not the teacher,” said Gitch. “Addinstrument: one for basses and cellos, ing two more orchestras to my schedthe other for violas and violins. ule would have been a stressor for me.”

“With violin and viola, the technique Gitch also teaches Music Theory and is virtually the same. While the bass Music History. Were he to drop those and cello are two very different instruclasses in order to teach more orchestra ments, there are some things about sections, it would “have affected four them that are similar,” said Gitch. other teachers in the department.”

Because they are meeting opposite Thus far, the retention rate for students days, the ninth grade orchestras will continuing from 9th to 10th grade ornot combine. They will perform only chestra are “somewhere in the upper 80 in their registers. to lower 90 percents,” said Gitch.

Photo by Katie Talerico “We’ll be focusing the instruction Next year every rehearsal hall in the on the specific voice needs of those music wing will be in use every block Orchestra director Mark Gitch conducts Strings before their upcoming of every day. In past years the band instruments,” said Gitch.

“The choir program is serving as a concert. Next year the orchestra will be home to not four, but six, orchestras. room was unused during first block. model for us in many ways. As far as There will also be a new teacher.

“Odds are, we will add students next I know, we’re the only orchestra proyear in the orchestra program, but gram that will be teaching [with a I don’t think we’ll add an orchestra. voice approach].” class. That remains to be seen,” said Gitch.

We’ll just have to make them fit. We’ll have “Right now, half of the incoming ninth grad“We start orchestra students a year or two to wait until a year from now when we have ers aren’t ready for a level of independence that later than our peer districts. Our students start the new band room, which is going in with involves four-part work. They need one part at a disadvantage,” said Gitch. Gitch hopes that the new renovations to the school,” said Gitch. and two part work,” said Gitch. “It’s really an these new orchestras will give these students “We will have two groups meeting at once. We experiment. I want to see if this model can careful, methodical guidance and build tech- haven’t been able to do that in the past.”

By KATIE TALERICO EDITOR IN CHIEF

Four teachers bid farewell to the district

By NICOLE STEPHAN J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

WHS teachers tell us how they’re going to spend their time after June 6th

Ms. Knutson

Ms. Anderson

Mr. Larsen

Mr. Spurgeon

Knutson has been a communications teacher here for nine years, and the relationships made in the classroom and kids will be the hardest thing to leave behind.

One of the most impactful moments for Knutson was when reading Of Mice and Men, a girl said she would rather stay home than hear the sad ending.“I thought it was the sweetest thing ever that she was so moved by the story,” said Knutson.

After the final bell on June 6th, Knutson will be relishing her newfound free time and opportunities. “My future is quite open right now. We have lived overseas a number of times and are open to doing that again. I might sub, be a guardian ad litem...or play piano and tennis again,” said Knutson. If they do move overseas, Knutson said her dream location would be South Africa or South America, so she could use her high school Spanish again. “It’s kind of exciting, but I’ll be sad leaving. I’m enjoying the time I have left..I’m most looking forward to being able to do what I want when I want and never grading another essay,” said Knutson.

Social studies teacher Bootsie Anderson started her career wanting to make a difference. “I wanted to be known as the one that helped bridge the racial gap,” said Anderson, “I have 4 biracial children. Racism is alive and well.

Many students at Wayzata have never had the opportunity to meet or get to know a black person. I have tried to break that unknown factor for many students and staff.”

Throughout the years, Anderson has learned many things through teaching, like the value of listening and forgiveness. “I have several memories of both the school and staff...It feels ver y strange. I have worked so long that I simply can’t imagine not working,” said Anderson.

Anderson said she will miss the students the most when she retires, but being able to wake up later than 5:00 in the morning is definitely a perk.

Economics teacher Todd Larsen will be leaving the district this year for the opportunity of a lifetime. Larsen and his wife will be working at an international school in India for two years.

“We like the idea that it will be an interesting culture, and there’s so much to see in India that will be totally different,” said Larsen. Larsen will continue teaching economics there as a regular class, AP class, and IB class.

“The thing I’m most looking forward to is immersing into a different culture, and getting a better understanding of the world, myself, and of the U.S,” said Larsen.

This opportunity will allow Larsen to continue to impact society and give him a challenging career, both of which are reasons why he got into teaching in the first place. Yet, saying good-bye to Wayzata will be bittersweet after over three years of teaching here. “It wasn’t an easy decision,” said Larsen, “I think that this is a great place with great people and great students.”

Keith Spurgeon is moving on for a special reason: his grandchild.

“My wife and I never lived near our parents after we had our kids, so we’re thrilled to be moving close to our first grandchild.

He will possibly be the most spoiled kid in history,” said Spurgeon.

He feels that the end of the school year is coming too soon, and he will miss the social opportunities found at the high school, and his students. “When I know that a student has, for the first time, come to a full understanding of some concept or idea...However it shows up, it is special for them, but even more special for me. I’ll remember those moments for a long time,” said Spurgeon.“I have been struck by the unique personality of each class group. These complex communities have truly differentiated personalities, abilities, and rhythms and it is fun to interact with them differently every day.”

Spurgeon taught because he wanted to give back and help others grow and have a curiosity about the world. “I hope that drawing on my experiences before teaching have helped to challenge students to look outside of our houses, our school, our communities, and our country,” said Spurgeon.

Communications

World History

Economics

Social Studies

College, airport, or high school?

Most students get the same reaction when they tell others they go to Wayzata- “Wow, that’s such a big school. It’s like a small college.”

Wayzata definitely has the and NICOLE STEPHAN size to live up to JUNIOR NEWS WRITER this reputation at approximately 3,300 students. To put this in perspective, our school has more students than St. Ben’s, St. John’s, St. Olaf, and Macalester, according to collegeprowler.com.

Other than that, Wayzata is really what you make it to be. College preparedness will be determined by the classes you take in high school.

“Wayzata did an amazing job giving me the skills I needed to be successful. I would say APUSH, AP Lit, and MoPro were just some of classes that were a bit more rigorous than their college counterparts, at least at the U,” said Wayzata graduate and U of M student Claire Egan.

“I believe Wayzata’s rigor is not as far from the college workload. Friends who came from other high schools are overwhelmed and struggle to keep up,” said Wayzata graduate and student at University of Northern Iowa Lauren Donoho.

It is important to add that these students took multiple AP classes at Wayzata, while other graduates, like Nick Murray at University of MN Carlson, offer a different

By ANNA RODRIGUEZ JUNIOR NEWS EDITOR

view.

“College is a large step up from Wayzata.

You can’t compare the two because they are so different in the way they teach and test you,” said Murray, “I only took one AP class, but I would highly suggest it to anyone they are easier to take in high school and then you can focus more on classes at college that pertain to your potential major or career path.”

“For one thing, there’s generally not a classroom; it’s usually either a massive lecture hall or a discussion/lab room of more high school-like size. In a lecture, the professor is on autopilot and leaves at the end of the allotted time. You will never talk to your professor unless you go out of your way to do so, and they will most likely never know your name,” said Mizzou student Chris Orzeske.

“It [MoPro] really does help you with writing detailed and organized papers which you’ll definitely need to do a lot of in college. Yes it is a lot of work, but it’s saved my butt quite a few times in college already,” said Donoho.

In 2012, Wayzata’s average ACT score was 26 with 95% of graduates planning to continue their education the following fall.

Eden Prairie’s average ACT score was 25.3,

Minnetonka’s was 26.3, and Minnesota’s average was 21.1.

“It [standardized testing] can help determine what type of colleges you should apply to and get a better feel for how you will rank, but I by no means believe that your test scores determine your success in college,” said Egan.

“Your score won’t be the end of the world if it’s bad, but good scores have perks. Outside of scholarships, however, those perks are generally limited to the first couple of semesters. Past that, personal merit shines through,” said Orzeske.

“Standardized testing didn’t help at all for college. Not even the formats for test taking are the same,” said U of M Twin Cities student Daphne Yuan.

Teacher Allison Jakucki and counselor Mark Elias say that ACTs and SATs are simply a factor in the college admissions process and not a make or break indicator of success in college.

“It is completely up to you how well you want to do in college because it really is all about the work. I’ve seen kids who got 30+ ACT scores go a little crazy and party a little too much when they got there, and soon enough they are weeks behind and scrambling before finals. I also know people who

aren’t as good at standardized tests who are killing it in all their classes and have perfect GPAs,” said Egan.

According to Becca Thiemann at Loyola Chicago, the stress level in college is greater than in high school, especially during the first year, but the freedom is great.

“Social life in college is different because it’s much more independent; if you want to hang out with your friends until 3am on the floor lounge you can. Because of that it’s also all on you to make sure your social life doesn’t interfere with your academics,” said Thiemann.

“Social life and academic life are more or less the two scales of college life. You have to find a good balance between the two.

The biggest problem is procrastination. You don’t have set deadlines, so it’s tempting to just put off studying until the night before,” said Orzeske, “There’s a saying: in college, you have three options; sleep, social life, and grades. You get to pick two of those.”

“In terms of stress, it’s funny. I have significantly less work in college, but I’m more stressed than I ever was in high school.

The thing is, it’s a whole different game in college. These lessons are going to directly apply to your future. There’s a lot more at stake,” said Orzeske.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

NEWS 4

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

f a long

o the beginning

P I H S D N FRE

Peter Hallberg, senior (left) and Jordan Yasmineh, senior (right) skating in the Overpass.

Downtown Wayzata and Plymouth @Johnson47M are piled high with restaurants and parks designed to draw in the community, all of which are approved by the local government. However, one spot in particular that used to live in vacancy was seized by a group of locals.

Back in 2008, Peter Hallberg (12), Jordan Yasmineh (12), Trinity Davison, and William and James Lawson founded the Overpass.The Frendship is what these guys call themselves, and serves as the title for this skater group. Located on the corner of Wayzata Boulevard and Gleason Lake Road underneath the bridge of Highway 12, the Overpass was nothing but a litter yard for the highway. When a few Wayzata students needed a place to skateboard without getting in trouble with civilians or the police, the Overpass quickly became a safe zone from everyone.

“The Overpass is our Sandlot, without the balls and bats.,” said Yasmineh. The boys even brought a trash bag to help clear the area and keep the space open.

“It is a nice place to go to and do whatever you want to without any concern of being kicked out,” said Davison.

It started with the simplest of skating ramps, a box. What was most important though was that the bridge covered the skating spot from rain and snow and was empty of all pedestrians.

“We’ve been there in negative degree weather because it is covered by the bridge,” said Hallberg. “It is worth it for us to bundle up and skate as long as the ground is cleared.”

As more time was spent skating there, more frustration arose in the Frendship from people stealing their rails and boxes. Without any approval from the city they wanted a more permanent area to skate. Davison and Lawson built the ledge. Simply comprised of cinderblocks and homemixed cement, the ledge was permanently placed to avoid from being stolen. Without any complaint from pedestrians, they started thinking of what else they could add. Soon other skaters in the local area were discovering what the Frendship had turned the Overpass into.

“Most of the kids that go there are

By MATT JOHNSON

S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

younger than us and it feels good to know that we built a place that will help these kids skate in peace,” said Frendship member Jake Rittler.

The rail that currently centers the Overpass was salvaged from an abandoned parking lot, and the next permanent mark was even more impressive. Although it is still in progress, the boys are constructing a quarter pipe out of the same material as the ledge, but with chicken wire underneath. Production was cut short however, when the police caught onto what they were doing from a complaint.

“The hard thing is making people understand that we aren’t hurting anyone. People already have this bad perception of skateboarders and some of them don’t believe that we aren’t doing anything wrong,” said Trinity Davison.

The police told them that unless they get approval from the city that they would have to demolish what they had built.

“It is in the city’s best interest. We are staying out of their way and still trying to benefit other skaters, it is the best alternative,” said Hallberg.

At this point the Overpass has expanded across the skater community in Wayzata. It is an easy location to get to for people without a car or license and the nearest skate park is close to 5 miles away.

“We started going there before we started driving and we could meet up there,” said Mavrik Joos (12). “There isn’t a lot of skate scene in Wayzata so it’s convenient to be able to skate and walk around Wayzata.”

For now, the Overpass is still free to skate but construction is delayed until they can get approval from the city of Wayzata.

“It does help that over the years we have become familiar with the officers,” said Yasmineh, “but nonetheless the Wayzata Police Department has been extremely patient with us and has treated us very respectfully” Until then, the Overpass still means more to these group of skaters than anyone could imagine. Started as a way to keep peace with pedestrians and stay away from trouble, it has evolved as a meeting ground for this group of friends.

“We built it with our own mind and our own creativity,” said Hallberg. “The dream would be to come back in several years and see people skating there.”

FRIDAY, MAY 9TH, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

OPINION 5

PROM DRESS

HORROR

STORIES

By TAYLOR CRANFIELD A DV ERT I S I N G M A NAG ER

DINNER

CORSAGE

$25

t h e

c o s t

o f

p r o m

$25

TICKETS

$48

Prom is, arguably, the most anticipated event of high school. Not only is it the most anticipated, but it’s also the most expensive. From makeup and hair to shoes and corsages, the three hour dance can cost a couple hundred dollars in a second. The biggest investment for most girls, though, is the dress.

The elusive prom dress: sequins, rhinestones, bright colors, you name it. It’s all there. The combination of all three can run most girls anywhere from $100 to $600 and that doesn’t even include alterations.The steep prices, however, come at an even steeper cost: the fact that most dresses cannot be returned after purchase.

At GLITZ!, a popular store for prom and quinceanera dresses, “all sales are final”, according to their website. Some dresses at the store cost towards $400, which means that once girls buy the dress, they have it forever. It isn’t a big deal if you find it in the store, but online? That’s where the danger starts.

“I didn’t know where to go try on prom dresses, and I felt there was more to pick from online,” said Megan Olmscheid (11). Though prices may be cheaper online, that doesn’t guarantee quality.

“Don’t buy from Etsy ‘cause it’s not reliable’,” said Gracie Lewis (12), whose dress arrived and looked different than she expected. “It had mesh on the back and around the sides,

when in the picture it didn’t look like [that] at all,” said Lewis.

“Some of the things I saw in stores were tacky and way too “out there” for me,” said Julie Rodriguez (12), who bought her dress online for this year’s prom.

“There’s a part in the back that is uneven, but can’t be fixed,” said Rodriguez, who ordered her dress from dreamprom.com.

Rodriguez’s dress turned out to be too long and she had to get alterations done. “Thankfully, one of my sisters-in-law is good with sewing and she said she can trim it up and try to adjust a few things.”

If you are concerned about ordering online, take some advice from retailers. If the site offers custom-made dresses, allows you to pick any color for your dress and offers hundreds of dollars off the retail price of the dress, it’s probably not a reliable site. TopPromWebsites.com offers a list of sites that are reliable - and sites that are notorious for selling knock-offs.

Use your intuition: if the site looks sketchy, it probably is.

It’s better to spend a little more in store than risk giving away hundreds of dollars for a dress you may not like.

Bridal Aisle sells prom dresses at 40-60% off of the retail price. We have over 300 dresses to choose from and personalized service to help you find the prom dress that works best for you. Our fun and inviting atmosphere welcomes you! We also offer tuxedo rental starting as low as $89.95 for the entire tuxedo. After your big, bring your dress back to Bridal Aisle and we will resell it for you to help recoup your cost of prom.

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T THAT AWKWARD MOMR’SELN IFE TE N E P R A C Y E S A K IS THAT Story by Emma Bernard

Many people would define an awkward moment as uncomfortable and embarrassing until it is laughed off a few days later. Kasey Carpenter would define an awkward moment as “my life--a time when people laugh at you, not with you.”

Carpenter’s good humor has led her through life laughing, even though it might, at times, be awkward.

Carpenter is no stranger to uncomfortable situations, “On the first day of first grade it was parent meet and greet day and all of the first graders and their parents were being introduced for all day school,” said Carpenter.

“My teacher was African American, and brought two people to the front of the room and had us guess whose parents they were.

My class guessed over and over again, but we couldn’t get it right.

Finally he said, ‘These are my mom and dad.’ Confused, I shouted, ‘But you are black and they’re white! They can’t be your parents!’

That was the day I learned what adoption was.”

“It was my first day of high school, and I was on my way up to the fourth floor for my second class, French One. I was running a little late and did not want to be late on the first day, so I decided to run up the stairs. As I was running, the halls emptied, until it was just me and this ‘hot’ senior.

On the last flight I tripped and fell before sliding down the stairs toward the senior behind me.

I remember being mortified as he passed, clearly judging me. Luckily I made it to class on time.”

“In French Two, as a Sophomore, Zac Efron somehow came up in conversation. Once he was mentioned, I was going to say, in French, ‘he is hot’. I knew that Il fait chaud meant ‘it is hot out’ and il also means ‘he’. To the whole class I said “Il est chaud”. The class agreed, but my teacher was horrified,” said Carpenter.

Carpenter’s teacher then perceeded to tell her class how Il est chaud doesn’t mean hot, it means sexually excited. “The class erupted with laugher,” said Carpenter.

One of the more recent incidents happened two weeks ago. “I am an actor and do a lot of theater. My current character has quite a few kissing scenes,” said Carpenter.

According to Carpenter, the first kiss had been blocked and memorized, but was changed right be-

fore they were about to run it. “I had it set in my mind to kiss my partner about half way through the scene, not at the end. So mid way through the scene I started approaching him to kiss even though he was in the middle of a dialogue. Seeing me, he turned and backed away saying ‘not yet, not yet’, but I was confused so I kissed him anyway. My director just shook her head, and had us run the scene again,” said Carpenter.

Awkward moments are a part of Carpenter’s life. She jokes, “These are just a few of many. There are probably five to ten in a single day.”

There is one thing that changes a ‘terribly’ awkward moment into a good story: a sense of humor.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

FEATURES 8

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

31% of sexually active senior women reported that alcohol use had affected their decision-making one or more times. That percentage for men was 45%.

“Part of that is because it’s about social norms and culture. We have a far more permissive culture today when it comes to having these sexual relationships than it did ten twenty years ago. Alcohol still plays a role in it, especially around the first time, but after that it’s just more accepted,” said Chemical Health Coordinator Judy Hanson.

According to the 2010 Minnesota Student Survey for Hennepin County, 45% of senior women and 47% of senior men were sexually active. 62% of WHS senior men reported that they were sexually active in the Trojan Tribune survey. The rate for senior women reported on the TT survey was 46%.

66% of seniors reported that they drank alcohol at least once in the past 12 months.

Senior Jacob Scattergood says, “People hook up with other people

( OUT OF THE PEOPLE THAT DID HAVE A ONE NIGHT STAND)

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FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

*

FEATURES 9

24%

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65% who they wouldn’t normally engage with if they were not drinking.”

In an attempt to determine student attitude toward their sexual decisions, the Trojan Tribune asked whether students regretted a sexual decision. The rate of regret was statistically identical among senior men and senior women: 24% and 25% reported that they did regret one or more sexual decision. This statistic was not correlated with alcohol use.

A common notion is that boys tend to seek one-night stands over committed relationships. The survey does not bear this out. According to the TT survey, WHS senior men are 6% more likely than senior women to say that they had sex within a monogamous relationship. “I think most of the sexual behavior in this school is within monogamous relationships. It doesn’t surprise me that more males have had sex if more males are in relationships,” said senior Ben Ezrilov.

69%

29% 25%

SUMMER

Photo by Carly Hicks- view of Segovia from the top of the Alcazar

SPAIN

TRIPS Story by Meredith Johnson and Quinn Cullum

Being fully immersed in Spanish culture is what students will experience from all the sightseeing and home stays they do on the summer trip to Spain.

“We go to Madrid, Segovia, El Escorial, Valle de los Caidos where the dictator Franco is buried, Seville, Toledo, Granada, and a beach day at the end,” said spanish teacher Kristin Pfeffer.

This trip is held every other year, landing on the even number summers, but it isn’t the only summer trip hosted by the Spanish Department. “Traditionally Spanish comes from Spain, and it’s the root of all their history. We explored other countries, but it’s nice to bring kids back to where it all started,” said Pfeffer.

“Students stay with a host family for four nights in Segovia and four nights in Grenada both with another student from WHS,” said Pfeffer.

“The home stays were amazing.

We were able to experience the culture in a totally different way than if we were at a hotel. We got to go to a fair, a concert, watch Euro cup games, take siestas, and try new foods with our families. It was a great way to learn about Spanish

culture,” said Brooke Nelson (12).

Though the students are all living with different host families, they see each other during the day when they meet up for the day’s activities.

“We go see all the major sights in Madrid like the Reina Sofia Museum, where we see the famous art work. We also go to the royal palace and many cathedrals.”

Students get a feel for the culture as they simply walk around and take in all the different aspects of the landscape, and the atmosphere between the people.

“The main thing we see in Seville is the cathedral that contains Christopher Columbus’s tomb; it also happens to be the third largest cathedral in the world,” said Pfeffer.

According to Pfeffer, they also spend time appreciating the cultural aspect of Spain from their many cafes. “We watch life as it happens in Spain. We people watch, take the metro, learn how to read the maps, and do lots of shopping,” said Pfeffer.

“Students can’t believe what a great experience it is overall; from the food to the culture, and everything else. It’s awesome because you get to spend fifteen days in one country, so you get t o know the various regions quite

Every year from July 21 to July 28, a group of WHS students fly out to the the Cayman Islands.

The students scuba dive on the trip to learn more about the marine life that live near the Cayman Islands. “We dive two to three times a day. And it’s an eight day trip with the first and last days for travel,” said marine biology teacher Erik Christenson.

Because of the amount of diving those students do during the trip, the certification process must begin before they leave Minnesota. “We do the certification the spring before the trip. We do the lecture in a forum room at WHS and the swimming at the East Middle School pool.

Then the checkout dives are completed on the actual trip,” said Christensen.

“Cayman is a small island, so we travel to the far side of the island away from the tourists. We rent two condos: one for the boys and one for the girls. I stay with the boys as the male chaperone and this year Amber Hegland will be the female

July 21-July 28 Research under the sea

SPAIN TRIP

photo from Spain trip

EURO TRIP

June 13-June 29 Madrid, Segovia, Seville

chaperone,” said Christensen.

So who can go? “About half of the students that go already took marine biology and the other half of the students are usually signed up for the class the following year. It’s open to anyone in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. This year we’ll have 15 or 16 students on the trip,” said Christensen.

You might have seen some pictures from these trips floating around social media in the past. That is because pictures are taken on every dive. “I have an underwater camera that I bring with me on the dives and take pictures. Then at night, I load them onto my computer and we look at them. Then we talk about the different things we had seen on our dives that day,” said Christensen. Some previous sightings have included tropical fish, sea turtles, and sharks.

“We’ve been doing this trip since 2006, and it’s always been a great experience,” said Christensen.

A WEEK IN PHOTOS

photo from marine bio trip

MARINE BIO TRIP

July 29-August 6 London, Paris, Munich

Grand Cayman Islands Post-dive and playing on the beach at Smith’s Cove

photo from marine bio trip

photo from marine bio trip

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THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

OPINION 12

FRIDAY, MAY 9TH, 2014

Opinion Exchange 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 C116

trojantrib14@gmail.com

Advantages of being bilingual How hard did you work at learning a foreign language? More importantly how well do you speak it now?

If you were even able to

By JARED KAUFMAN take a forS E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R eign language class in school at all, you’re one of the lucky ones. According to 2011 data from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, only about 18.5% of American K-12 students are enrolled in world language classes.

Given the level of globalization and cross-cultural interaction in our contemporary society, I posit that speaking a second language is a requirement for success in the 21st century and everyone should have the opportunity to learn another language.

Language classes can sometimes be underrated and disregarded, but it’s important to take them seriously. If you are taking a language class, practice the language -- speak it, read it, write it. It will pay off. Encourage your kids to practice their second language. Help your siblings to be successful in their language class.

Do your homework. Why? It’s one of the most helpful things you can do for yourself or someone else.

Speaking a second language carries valuable intellectual, economic, and cultural advantages.

According to the College Board, students who study a foreign language typi-

cally score higher on the SAT than their non-bilingual counterparts. Standardsbased language learning has been shown to facilitate strategic thinking, exchanging ideas, and collecting and interpreting data. There is also a correlation between bilingualism and reading and mathematics test scores. These are all important aspects of the Common Core State Standards adopted by nearly all U.S. states as well as Washington, D.C. Yale economist Joseph Altonji, Ph.D., found that two years of foreign language classes raises wages by an average

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TROJAN TRIBUNE EDITORIAL STAFF

Students who study a foreign language typically score higher on the SAT than their non-bilingual counterparts.

of nearly 5%. This positive relationship stands up to statistical controls on background and ability level.

Research from Pompeu Fabra University in Spain found that multilingual people are better at observing their surroundings, selecting only relevant facts, and sifting through misleading information. A University of Chicago study found that bilinguals tend to make more rational decisions. Researchers at Penn State concluded that multilingual people are better at multitasking because they can more easily switch between parts of the brain, just as they must do when switching languages.

Younger children are more open to a variety of cultural practices. Early-ele-

mentary-aged children are moving from a stage of exploration to being fully socialized in their culture. According to the Center for Applied Linguistics, if students are exposed to new or different cultural practices in their young education, they will have the freedom to explore the variety of principles and perspectives of the world; they will not be restricted to any one viewpoint or limited set of options. The process of learning a new language inherently includes cultural education. Cultural norms are embedded in the way we communicate verbally, and authentic exposure from a young age is key for development of a global perspective.

I recommend that states adopt comprehensive world language standards for all K-12 students. Several states have already begun mandating that all students take foreign language courses, and in some states bills have been introduced but have stalled. However, most regions are still stuck in the past, back when English was ubiquitous – now, only about one-quarter of the world’s population speaks English.

Wide bodies of research suggest that beginning language study earlier in life is most effective. Continuous contact with a foreign language is key to becoming proficient in the language. A direct correlation exists between language proficiency and the amount of time devoted to studying that language. Therefore, beginning classes at an earlier age allows for more years of learning than those who do not begin learning a second language until middle school, high school, or college, giving students a higher likelihood of becoming fluent and reaping the benefits of bilingualism.

The woes of a relationship virgin Over the last several weeks, I have undergone a metamorphosis.

From the cocoon of social awkwardness and forever loneliness, out

By KATIE TALERICO has emerged a EDITOR IN CHIEF beautiful butterfly, the kind of person who has actually found herself in… a relationship?

Yes, the word is still a little bit new to roll off the tongue. Even I as a wee lassie dreamed of the days when I might be able to have a boy I could hold hands with whenever I wanted, and not just when the teacher said, “It’s circle time!”

In middle school, I binge-read young adult novels—which are like drugs to hopeful preteen girls— filling up the empty holes in our hearts where we thought boys belonged (the emptiness was really just not enough chocolate.)

Looking for Alaska, Hunger Games, and I admit, even Twilight—it was a phase, judge me—each presented me with unrealistic expectations of boys who would say sensitive words at exactly the right moment. In reality, boys are really stupid and, while they may have their shining moments, are for the most part not worth dealing with.

At least, that’s what I convinced myself of from eighth to tenth grade, also known as my anal phase. There was no

hope for me. The entire act was a defense mechanism. To keep myself from confronting my true desires, namely boys, I convinced myself that all persons of the male variety at Wayzata were not worth my time or my intelligence. This was also my pretentious phase, if you haven’t picked up on that. I’m still in the middle of that one.

But recently, that has changed. It’s weird to finally say it, but I’m in a relationship. Though I may have romanticized relationships in my teens, I’ve recently realized I’m not a very romantic person.

That, or I’m just in this awkward transition phase going from “forever alone” to “what someone actually likes me what.”

The only time I ever get called beautiful is from my dad or when I’m peeing and read a cheesy note on a bathroom stall.

Both elicit dramatic eye roll responses from me. But what are you supposed to do when someone actually calls you beautiful? Say thank you? Wink, give him a double thumbs up and say, “You too, babe”? Or just stand there and drool a little bit while you’re thinking of possible responses?

I don’t like many TV shows, but the ones that I do, I’m passionate about. So it’s both a blessing and a curse that my boyfriend likes the same shows as I do. He’ll invite me over to watch Sherlock and there’s a moment of conflict in my mind.

My first response is absolutely, yes. But then I realize that if he invites me over to watch Sherlock, we’re probably not going to end up watching much of the episode.

Your boyfriend or your favorite TV show,

which one are you willing to sacrifice for the other? I’ll be honest, nine out of ten times I choose Sherlock.

What’s perhaps most annoying about relationships is the expectation everyone else has for you. “You aren’t talking to each other this morning?” your friend whispers to you. “Is something wrong.”

No, something’s not wrong. Sometimes I just want to talk to my friends. Does that mean we’ve broken up? Also, sometimes I don’t want to talk to the boyfriend in the morning because he’s tired and boring. I’ve told him this before, and we both have an understanding that we don’t need to be around each other every second of passing period. So why don’t other people get that, too?

I initially thought it would be very hard to be a feminist in a relationship.

Boys who try to buy everything for me?

I wouldn’t let it happen. At least I’m not one of those crazy girls who refuses to let boys hold doors open for her. I’m not going to say no to that. Luckily, conflict has been avoided. There’s an unwritten rule (at least until now) in our relationship that we split expenses for dates (i.e. I buy tickets and he buys food. Also, gas. That’s another perk of being in a relationship for someone who doesn’t drive.)

I’m still working my way through this whole “first relationship” thing. What’s been most important for me is that we can talk to each other, and get along really well. That, and he can make good Belgian waffles. I have my priorities straight, I swear.

FRIDAY, MAY 9TH, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

OPINION 13

Why America needs your opinion (even if it’s wrong)

GIFTING A DONATION OR BUYING LIKES? The Cold Water Challenge, which was originally intended as a way to raise money for the American Cancer Society, has now become a ploy on social media for whose video can attain the most likes. “I jumped for the rush but I’m still donating,” said Ellie Carter, (12, left). Maverik Joos (12, center) did the same. Veronica Angell (12, right) opted out of the jump but still gave money to charity.

Cold water craze freezing up social media,

but no chance of melting our hearts The Cold Water Challenge consists of an individual chosen to jump into a frigid body of water. After the jump a new participant(s) is chosen to respond with a video within 24

By MAVRIK JOOS hours. The perS E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R son who nominates is then expected to donate $20 to charity for every one of their participants that

jumps in.

The challenge has swept the nation from Green Bay, WI to Lake George, NY. Several hundred videos can be seen on Facebook nationwide.

The challenge has taken on a new light. The idea now is either you jump in the water or donate a set amount of money to a charity of your choice. It is turning into a social media challenge instead of a fundraiser as intended.

For Senior Jack Sorenson, the focus was to show his friends he could accomplish the task.

“It was exhilarating. I felt obligated to do it,” said Sorenson. Senior Ben

Tollander also had a similar mindset and said “It’s fun to see people’s reactions to the cold water.”

By posting a video, people are saying I would rather jump in an ice bath of water than donate money to charity.

People are thinking that they have to jump in the water or donate, when doing both is an option.

Senior Veronica Angell took a different stand and chose to donate. “I think if we were going to donate to cancer research, then we should focus towards that. It makes no sense for people to jump in a lake, get hypothermia and not donate,” said Angell.

Whose grad party food can you eat? grade count for something? Or maybe if you follow each other on Twitter, you’re home free. Maybe you didn’t even know this person existed, yet you miraculously received an invite. That must count for something, right? I mean, is it socially acceptable to stop by, stuff yourself (and your pockets) with easily accessible treats, then savagely scurry to the next destination?

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I’ve been getting more Facebook notifications this past month than I did during the rest of the year.

Why? It’s grad party season,

By SONIA NECULESCU of course!

GUEST WRITER It may be sad saying goodbye to longcherished friends but the silverlining is quickly felt with each swallow of gourmet grad party delicacies. However, before you get too excited and impulsively click “Join” at the thought of long days spent floating on a cloud of edible happiness, stop. Do you actually know the grad?

This decision is a difficult one as “know” is a relative term. How well do you really need to know somebody to attend his grad party? Does being on the same rec soccer team in 5th

How well do you really need to know someone to attend his grad party? Does being on the same rec soccer team in 5th grade count for something?

How long are you expected to stay without being perceived as rude or overstaying your welcome? Can you bring a freeloading friend, a stranger to the grad, for the sole purpose of keeping you company on such a delicious excursion? Or is that viewed as

insensitive?

I may be guilty bringing a random companion or two to a few parties.

Perhaps I have been to a party in which the grad was an acquaintance at best. I possibly may have attended a couple of parties simply for the free food. I have no shame.

Honestly, if they invited you, that probably means that it’s okay to attend. Usually people aren’t too frazzled when you bring a friend or two with. The more the merrier, right?

It’s grad party common knowledge that when one throws a grad party, random people attend. Just as it is known that your food options are more appealing than you, graduates. It’s a fact of life--no need to get salty over it. The grads will be far too excited by the completion of high school to give a hoot if some randos are gaining a few pounds in their backyard. When in doubt, click “accept.” Just be sure to congratulate the grad before you have an embarrassing amount of food residue covering your mouth. Happy grad party season!

While you’ve been obsessing over the Wild for the last week, did you notice that Clay Aiken just won the North Carolina Democratic Primary? No? Start paying attention.

By KATE CARROLL I care more OPINION EDITOR about midterm elections than I did about the Euro midterm. While I may be a political fanatic, most of America isn’t.

“Oh I’m just one person out of 300 million,” they say. “How does my vote actually make a difference?” I find it pathetic that more people voted for an American Idol than voted in the 2004 election. The question of the century is- how do you get people to care about voting?

In the 2008 senate election, Coleman v. Franken, Franken won by a record 312 votes. If the equivalence of one third of the class of 2014 had voted in that election for Coleman, maybe our senator would not have been an exSNL writer.

In the 2000 presidential election, Gore v. Bush, the election was technically decided by one vote--on the Supreme Court. If more people had voted in Miami, we might not be living in the same America that we do now..

Even if your vote doesn’t decide a close race, it still matters. Pollsters and analysts take the information from elections to help shape policies for the future. Even if your vote isn’t for the winning candidate, that number can still shape policy and platforms.

Minnesota has a unique primary system. We have caucuses in February to elect representatives for a precinct and then have traditional ballot-voting machine primaries later in the year. In order to propose a constitutional amendment or make a party platform change, you must do so at the caucuses.

The American political system has a bottom up way of proposing policy. If you skip the bottom and go straight to the top, your ability to influence or shape policy is a lot less. While the saying “vote early and vote often” is usually in reference to voter fraud, here we can use it as a way to say “vote in primaries, vote in caucuses and vote in midterms.”

Your vote goes a lot farther here.

Less people vote for midterm elections than they do for presidential elections, which means that there’s a larger impact if one “rallies the troops” to vote either way.

In the 2014 midterm elections, there’s a chance that the Democrats will lose the Senate but make gains in the House.

Not voting for your favored candidate changes policy for the next two years.

If both chambers are red, Obama will not easily be able to pass legislation.

We think this is the most unproductive Congress in history? Just wait.

The point is- if you’re not going to vote, don’t complain. It’s an exciting process to see power so fluidly change hands in government, and as a member of a democracy, you need to vote.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

SO

CULTURE 14

CHIC:

BEACH BALLS

SUMMER A new school threat?

BLUES

By SADIE BELL PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

@mssadiebell

Only a few more weeks worth of early mornings and school bells remain until the youth’s cherished season of seemingly infinite lazy days arrives.

Though each summer is comprised of new memories, it always tends to feel nostalgic to our youth or a simpler time we may not have experienced, but seems worth living. This summer, styles seem to be yearning for an image much like that of a dreamlike summer past. The denim and lace pictured in Urban Outfitter’s summer campaign, “Summer Blues,” photographed by upcoming director Gia Coppola, remind me of the dreamy fashions of her aunt Sofia’s film adaptation of The Virgin Suicides, a story about the destructiveness of adolescents set in early nineteen-seventies suburbia.

The loose, airy ensembles popular for the upcoming months inspire a wistful hoping for a simpler past and an admiration for one’s final days of innocence.

Though “Summer Blues” sounds much like the depressing feelings of summertime sadness, the “blues” in its name is only a result of denim being the main focus of the campaign. This campaign is really a celebration of the now and a longing for a more beautiful past.

As shown by Urban, denim is a hot commodity this summer, shown in shorts, skirts, dresses, long and short sleeve tops, and in the revival of overalls. Denim circle skirts and simple cut, open back dresses are popular dainty denim pieces that make for looking cute in the summer easy. Light denim shirts with the removal of pockets or enhanced with multiple denim washes make for a comfortable top to throw on for a bike ride around town or after a long day spent at the beach.

In addition to other denim pieces, long and short overalls and denim jumpers have made their way back to the fashionable scene. Current overalls lack the loose look that popular styles in the nineties included.

Instead, popular overalls today are typically lower cut and shorter in length, have embellishments such as lace, and are worn over bustiers.

Denim jumpers are still simple pieces, but some have button up fronts, large pockets, and Peter Pan collars.

These popular denim pieces are similar to the carefree styles worn in the seventies’ summers, much like that of The Virgin Suicides. They’re simple, casual pieces that make for relaxation in a warm, lilac scented breeze even easier.

Urban’s “Summer Blues” also emphasizes the use of lace and bows, further heightening the innocent nature of the campaign. Lace blouses and sheer, lace babydoll dresses are beautifully simple pieces seen paired with denim or small printed flower skirts and shorts. The modest cut dresses made of sheer lace contain the perfect juxtaposition of an innocent cut, but revealing material,

bella

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

The Battle of the Bands was one of the most enjoyable gigs I have ever played.

All the bands rocked the gym despite a disappointing number of people who showed up. The

By MAX ETLING administration SENIOR GUEST WRITER had a great opportunity to support the arts in the school, but instead used it to squelch the creative expression of their students.

My band, Horseback Firecracker, had purchased beach balls to toss around in the crowd during our set. A few minutes before we were to take the stage, our drummer, Ben Ehrlich and I went to look for the balls, as they were not where we left them. While looking for them, we saw that they had been locked in a room. This confused us because, to our knowledge, a bouncy, air-filled beach ball has never presented a threat to anybody.

We asked one administrator, in particular, if we could please have our props back.

Her response was, “No”. We told her that we had bought the

props for our set. Here’s the kicker. Her reasoning for taking them? Because they were going to get thrown around!

God forbid somebody uses a beach ball for its intended purpose! As one could imagine, this made me and the rest of my band very frustrated. I understand and respect that safety precautions are necessary, but the only equipment that was in danger of being damaged, were speakers and microphones provided by the bands, not the school.

As the evening progressed, the crowd became more engaged in the performances, demonstrating their enthusiasm for the great bands that were there. When the last band, Rising Action, was on their final song, the show came to an abrupt halt when the gym lights were turned on and the band was ordered to stop.

I understand and respect that the administration was attempting to maintain a safe environment for all of us students, but hopefully in the future they might be able to have a more open mind to allow students to have some fun, instead of exercising their authoritarian control over youthful exuberance. Out of concerns for all of our safety, I hope no one brings bubbles to the upcoming A Moment in Time choir concert.

C I B O

MIXED GREEN

BERRY SALAD WITH LEMON POPPY SEED

DRESSING

By LAUREN BEHRNS FOOD COLUMNIST

@lauren_behrns

Dressing: 1 Tbs minced white onion 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 3 Tbs sugar 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/3 cup light olive oil 1 Tbs poppy seeds 1 Tbs lemon zest 1 tsp lemon juice Salad: 6 cups mixed greens 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 cup blueberries 1 cup strawberries, quartered 1/4 cup slivered almonds Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined: chill for 1 hour.

Toss the greens, berries, celery, & dressing in a large bowl until everything is lightly coated. Sprinkle the almonds on top of each individual serving.

For more recipes, look for Lauren’s cookbook coming out this year!

making for the ideal sundress. These designs are just what the shielded, yet yearning, gorgeous Lisbon sisters of The Virgin Suicides would wear.

Another popular style using lace is a smock-like shirt with an intricate front design, but open back, tied together with a large bow. The feminine bow contrasts the risque open back of the top, creating a sweet look to wear comfortably on a hot summer afternoon.

Like the simple, statement pieces of the “Summer Blues” campaign, the accessories are just as simple.

All of these outfits are seen paired

with white high-top Converse because of their versatility, but keep in mind this summer that they are just as easy to dirty up as they are to pair with just about anything. In addition, many of the ensembles are topped off with a wide rim hat, even further connecting to the nostalgia of twentieth century summers past.

Urban Outfitters and Gia Coppola’s genius effort of their Summer 2014 Campaign, “Summer Blues” comprises a simple, relaxed look that aims to hold onto innocence as long as possible. The nostalgic use of various forms of denim and dreamy use of sheer and lace creates a style

that searches for a simpler summer, holding onto what feels like the last small infinity of youth. The image that Coppola and Urban creates truly resonates with Sofia’s depiction of teenage longing, angst, and mystery through the dreamy Lisbon sisters of The Virgin Suicides. Though it may just be a compilation of photographs of models in retro clothing, Urban Outfitter’s “Summer Blues” does an excellent job portraying not only the popular items for this summer, but the wistful dreaminess of summer and the days of youth dwindling down until fall comes again.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

SPORTS 15

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

Synchronized swimming ready to take state

By NICOLE STEPHAN J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

Synchronized swimming hopes to continue their legacy by winning state for the 8th year in a row. The team has won all of their meets thus far, and only have one meet left against Eden Prairie before sections.

Only two meets throughout the season have been remotely close, one against Edina resulting in a score of 26-23 and one against St. Louis Park which ended 26-20. Yet, in the more recent meets against these teams, Wayzata beat them by a larger margin.

“St. Louis Park is looking great this year and Stillwater is always a great competitor. At state, I expect them to have very sharp routines and a lot of confidence,” said Katrin Ree (11).

“We are all really close and have been swimming better together recently. For the team as a whole, we are working to clean up our routines,” said Sonia Neculescu (11), “The other teams like Edina and St. Louis Park have strong teams that will be hard to beat at state, which we have seen in the close results

of our meets. We’ve been working hard and swimming extended hours at practice to do our best at state this year.”

The team has also gained a lot of new swimmers and consists of 28 middle schoolers this year.

“Though we are losing many good seniors, we have many other strong swimmers and I’m excited to see how the younger girls do in the next few years,” said Neculescu. “All of theseniors are great and we will miss them. It is always tough to lose them, but each year people improve,” said Ree. This year the team has been competing with a variety of music to accompany their routines.

Photo courtesy of the Sun Sailor “My team is swimming to Italian music.

There is also a team swimming to Arabian music and another one is swimming to a song from Ice Age which is pretty cool because throughout it you can hear animal screams,” said Neculescu. Ac-

cording to Ree, other routines feature Hungarian music and violin pieces.

As for the rest of the season, Ree expects the team to continue working hard and doing their best.

Boys lacrosse ranked 3rd in state

By MATT JOHNSON S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R @Johnson47M

The boys varsity lacrosse team is making strides that Wayzata high school has never before. They have beaten the defending state champions of both Minnesota (Eden Prairie) and Wisconsin (Marquette). Their road win against Eden Prairie marks the first victory over the Eagles in the team’s history.

“We were going nuts in the locker room. It was special for the this team to bring home the first Eden Prairie win in the school’s history,” said Grant Johnson (12).

Following the win against Eden Prai-

rie the boys went on the road to Milwaukee for a weekend. In addition to taking down Marquette, the Wisconsin defending state champions 17-6, they also got to visit the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium.

“It was a good experience and we built great chemistry,” said Bjorn Sund (12). “Being able to walk on the field and fool around in the batting cages was amazing.”

Unfortunately for the lax boys they lost a heartbreaker 8 to 6 in their first game back against Minnetonka. The team is still ranked 3rd in state and just passed Eden Prairie in the rankings.

“I think the biggest key to the team this year is to keep everyone involved, even the guys who aren’t getting play-

ing time. We want to keep them engaged and keep them working hard at practice and keep us all close like a family,” said Mark Swartz (12).

“We have been working hard in practices and we have been working really hard at building our team chemistry. I think if we just keep the pace we are going, we will be back at sections,” said Johnson.

The Trojans currently have a record of 5-2 and hope to finish the season strong. The final game of the season will be against Champlin Park who are currently undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the Northwest Suburban conference. Other than Champlin Park the boys will finish out the rest of their season against less competitive teams

and hope to improve their record.

“Keeping the team connected is easy when most of the underclassmen have known all the upperclassmen for years, so we have all had time to kind of build a relationship,” said Bryan Machut(12).

“There is always pressure on captains to make sure that the team does well and make sure that the team achieves their goals. It helps to have five captains, so we all have responsibility,” Johnson said.

“This season it doesn’t matter how many goals you make; it’s about how you play the game, your dedication to the team, how hard you work at practice, and how you treat your teammates,” said Drew Robertson (11).

Photos courtesy of Veronica Angell

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

SPORTS 16

Photos by Megan Ruhland

Trojan Tennis boys are all the racket State championship in the sights of Wayzata boys tennis Wa y z a t a boy s tennis JUNIOR SPORTS EDITOR has been one of the strongest teams consecutivel y in Trojan spor ts.

Boy s’ tennis is a whole ne w team this year. L osing a lot of seniors last year opened up a lot of spots for underc lassmen to show their skill. S enior c aptain S am Theisen said, “ We lost a lot of great players last year, but we all have a great relationship and I feel that works to our benefit when it comes to motivating and play ing with each other. ” According to Theisen the unBy Hayden Farmer

derc lassmen to watch are Nic k Beat y, Alex S chilling, and Brennan Campbell. “ They have done an excellent job this season and have contr ibuted to a lot of good wins, ” said Theisen.

In the 2013 S tate AA, Beat y along with 2013 graduate Jac k Graven won the doubles championship. Beat y heads into his four th varsit y season ranked No. 1 in the Nor thern S ections 16. Another impact player is se venth grade K ar thik Papisett y. “Although he ’s not in the star ting lineup, he ’s in se venth grade and he will keep improving, ” said Theisen.

The boy s lost to Mounds V ie w

in the Edina tournament this year and see them as their biggest competition; howe ver, the boy s feel they stand a good chance at state. “ We are in better phy sic al condition than we have been in pre vious years, ” said junior c aptain S teele Kowalc y zk. This year the boy s will face off against Manfred Barr ios from Hopkins, defending state Class AA champion Joey Richards of Minnetonka, and state qualifier Maxwell O lson of Edina.

Way z ata Boy ’s tennis have won three championships inc luding last year, in the school ’s shor t histor y. In the 2013 S tate AA tournament Way z ata dominated, win-

ning all 3 of their matches 7-0.

The Trojans have qualified for the state tournament for the past 6 years, all 6 of those years under coach Jeff Prondzinski. In an ar tic le in the S un S ailor Coach Prondzinski said, “ This will be one of Edina’s better teams, and Hopkins has two reall y good singles players, Manfred Barr ios and Andre w R ust. We return five of the top 10 players from our state-championship team. L ast year we were ver y successful at the JV le vel, and I am sure some of those players will contr ibute on the varsit y le vel. ”

Davis dedicated to diligent dancers The co-ed dance class has been around for ten years here at Wayzata and has been taught by Mr. Carl Davis since its founding. “Ten years ago, the state department had asked the high school to offer some form of coed dance. I stepped up and I had done a little bit [of dancing] when I was teaching elementary school when I first started teaching and I did some rhythms and dance stuff as an elementary teacher. It has really evolved over the years,” Davis said.

“My favorite part of the class is watching the women dance,” senior Zach Mitchem said. “They can as, today’s youth call it, twerk,” senior Will Benninga said. “When Ab Ripper X is over and a Miley [Cyrus] song comes on, the twerking commences,” Mitchem said.

“In all honesty, my favorite part of coed dance is watching Carl Davis master his craft. He is a very good dancer,” Mitchem said. “I thoroughly enjoy watching Carl share with us his expertise,” Benninga said.

“His [Davis’] hips do not lie,” Mitchem said.

“My favorite dance has been the waltz because I feel like you really connect with a mutual partner in a very deep, sensual way,” Mitchem said.

“My favorite dance would have to be the wobble,” junior Hayden Farmer said.

“One a scale from 1 to 10 I would give this class an 11.5,” Mitchem said. “This class is

By Emily Berg

SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

one of the mandatory classes that you should take at Wayzata,” Farmer said. “I’ve learned more things in this class than I have in any other,” Farmer said. “I’ve learned many life skills in this class,” Farmer and Benninga both said. “You can become a wedding all star in this class,” Mitchem said.

“Let’s say you impress a lady because you know how to waltz. That lady may end up becoming your wife. You always have to be prepared,” Benninga said.

“All I have to say is, real men know how to dance and this is where you become a man,” Benninga said.

“We do a real fun variety of dances throughout the course including social mixers, contemporary line dancing, the waltz, hip hop, east coast swing, salsa, the thriller and the wobble,” said Davis.

“I get to dance along with the class and that’s fun; I just enjoy the challenge. I’ve learned that I have such a range of students.

There are some that absolutely no experience and some that have been dancers pretty much their entire life. To deal with a class with dynamics like that is challenging,” said Davis.

“I’ve had so many wonderful students over the years and I don’t think that I can come up with just one favorite memory. I love watching them put together a routine that we have worked so hard on and see them master it. It’s so fun to see them perform and be happy and cheerful about what they have accomplished,” Davis said.

Coed dance teacher Carl Davis instructs his first block class

Photos by Diamond Sampson

Coed dance students Hayden Farmer (11) and Carolyn Wardell (12) perfom the swing.