The Spectrum Newspaper September 2019

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the blakespectrum.org

“Your Voice in Print”

Friday | September 20 | 2019

The Blake School

Issue I

Blake Community Celebrates Life of Ryan Mahoney Staff and students gather to remember late math teacher Anderson Blum | Managing Editor

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n Saturday, September 14, the Blake School celebrated the life of Ryan Mahoney. Mahoney taught math at the

Mahoney in the 2016-17 yearbook.

Upper School for 10 years until cancer took his life on August 31, 2019.

Mahoney, a US Navy veteran, was a beloved teacher, advisor, and mentor for his students. He was known for his fascinating storytelling and fun class environment. Former student Rishab Haldar ‘20, who was taught

by Mahoney in 2016 and

2017, says “Mr. Mahoney was a really influential and great math teacher. He helped make math really fun. We’re really gonna miss him.”

Mahoney’s funeral was held on Friday, September 6, and many teachers and some students attended.

The following weekend, the Upper School hosted a celebration of life with

Blake community members and the Mahoney family.

The event was a gathering to share thoughts and stories to celebrate Mahoney’s life. Addie Burton ‘20 said the ceremony was “a very good way to honor a valued member of our community.”

Look for more in-depth coverage next issue.

WHAT’S INSIDE

4 Rwanda Trip

Forum Election Debacle Reveals Structural Issues Student government considers changes to its constitution Caroline Hardy & Drew Rosenblum | Co-Editors-in-Chief

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n May and August 2019, the senior class had to vote four different times to determine a Senior Class President.

These numerous elections, all marred by administrative and structural issues, exemplify the greater organizational and functional issues at work in Forum, the upper school’s student governing body.

The Forum constitution lists its purpose to be

“deal[ing] with issues that rise out of the day-to-day school life.” Forum faculty Co-Chair Ben Cady echoes this sentiment, saying “The purpose of Forum is to be the voice of the students...If students are unhappy about something, then hopefully Forum can do their best to make things better.”

In April 2019, Flora Yang ‘20 was announced as 2020 Class President.

However, it was brought to the attention of the faculty that there were errors in the process by which the votes were received. After four more elections, Rosa Gerdts ‘20 was elected as 2020 Class President.

“We’ve sort of inherited

this constitution that is not very specific in how elections should be run, which has allowed for human error to occur throughout these election processes” explains Student Body President and Co-Chair of Forum Joe Gustaferro ‘20. Elections are resolved through rank choice voting. As an example, let’s take a theoretical Forum election with three candidates. If a voter places candidate A in third place, they get three points. If candidate B is placed in first they get one point.

In the end, the candidate that wins has the fewest points, meaning the winner is whoever is disliked the least rather than liked the most. Yet, the consti-

tution does not specify a format for how this rank choice voting should occur in elections, resulting in large variation and confusion over the years.

Gerdts believes that the transition to electronic voting has contributed to this variation, as well as the fluctuation of faculty involvement in elections.

Faculty representatives are elected every year, two selected by the student body and two by the faculty.

The spring Forum elections were administered almost completely by student representatives, some of whom were running in the election. “Obviously we had a lot of technical difficulties and miscommunication about how the

ballot should work electronically, and that’s when I feel like administration felt like they should step in more,” Gerdts explains.

Fall elections were moved to paper ballots and controlled entirely by faculty in an effort to prevent further oversights and mistakes, as 2020 grade dean Mike Canfield explained in an early fall grade meeting was the cause of the multiple reelections.

Amidst the constant turnover in membership as well as variations in process, there does seem to be one element of continuity between year to year: the lack of transparency.

Continued on page 2.

Parking Confusion: Construction, Carpooling, Congestion Green Team parking spots reimagined for carpool use Tyler Holmes, Noor Naseer & Will Rosenblum | Contributing Writer & News Editors

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tudents have not had access to the Parade Park parking lot (located across from the math wing, next to the Sculpture Garden) since the start of the school year due to the Minnesota State

Fair and, now, renovations.

In the meantime, students are allowed to park in designated areas of the Parade Ice Arena parking lot. As compared to last year, Jack Sabre ‘20 says there is “a lot more congestion built up not only in the parking lot but along Kenwood [Parkway] as well.” Ahna Fleming ‘21 says “The parking situation makes me late everyday.”

According to Brandon Krona, Lead Security Officer, the Parade Park parking lot is scheduled

to be available for use by the first or second week of November. All students who purchased parking passes will have their pass transfered over to the Parade Park lot once parking resumes there.

Krona explains that in meetings with the Minneapolis Park Board during the past year, there were initiatives to install a new crosswalk and more cameras to ensure the safety of everyone parking in the parade lot. Krona also revealed that there will be an increase in green team

Noor Naseer

Construction begins in the sculpture garden parking lot.

Will Rosenblum

A line forms as students try to depart the Parade Ice Arena lot.

Sabre says “Getting out at the end of the day is horrendous.”

parking spaces compared to last year, a change made in an effort to reduce the carbon emissions of Blake students.

As construction continues, students have been encouraged to carpool because of “Green Team” parking spots. Despite the name, these parking spots have not been determined by the Green Team. Security officer Craig Rawles explains that “[the security team is] making the Green Team passes…[and] communication with the Green

Team is going to happen.”

As of right now, these carpool spots are available to anyone who carpools with three or four people and informs the security team of this.

Will Bohrenson notes that similarly to last year, he aims to start managing the green team spots starting three or four weeks into the school year. He plans to assign the green team spot based the the most emissions reduced rather than a random draw.

8-9 Tradition

10 Tik Tok

11 Anderson’s Input

16 Mystery Athlete

NEWS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 2

STAFF

Forum Election Debacle Reveals Structural Issues Student government considers changes to its constitution

The Blake School 511 Kenwood Pkwy Issue 1 September 20, 2019

Co-Editors-In-Chief: Caroline Hardy | Drew Rosenblum Managing Editors: Emma MartinezSutton | Anderson Blum Creative Director: Sage Marmet Online Editors: Daniel Lesov | Jack Prince Columnists: Anderson Blum, Lexie Dietz, Brian Brener Front Page Editor: Emma MartinezSutton News Editors: Will Rosenblum | Noor Naseer Student Life Editor: Maggie Seidel Arts & Culture Editor: Sara Richardson Features Editor: Anderson Blum

Caroline Hardy & Drew Rosenblum | Co-Editors-in -Chief Continued from page 1 ....Forum representative Charlie Nowak ‘20 explains that “There’s no transparency for who counts [the votes] how they’re counted, you can’t see the form, so there’s really no way of knowing what’s right.” Confusion about vote tallying abounds within Forum as well, as evidenced by the incorrect vote tallying that resulted in the runoff election between Yang and Gerdts on August 22.

As a result of this oversight and the consequent repeat elections, cynicism became a norm to accompany discussion of Forum by students in the Class of 2020. Gustaferro recognizes it, but also sees an opportunity, explaining, “There for sure is cynicism… But what I did see out of it was that people were talking about Forum, and that people did care. I am happy that people cared and were wondering what was happening. It shows that our students are involved and believe in Forum. They believe in what Forum could be.”

Forum is considering large constitutional and structural revisions in the coming year in response to these very public slip-ups.

Currently, Forum is made up of three representatives from each grade, in addition to

the Junior Class President, Senior Class President, and the Student Body President, who acts as a Co-Chair of the student government.

Within the organization, the leadership roles of Chief Communications Officer and Chief Financial Officer also exist.

However, changes can’t only come from Forum members: rather, the student

body also needs to contribute. Cady explains that “Anybody in the school can bring a possible amendment.

It needs 50 signatures saying we would like this amended, it needs a majority vote in Forum, and then it goes to the students and needs a 2/3 majority vote from the students in order to amend.”

As Student Body President and Senior Class Presi-

dent, Gustaferro and Gerdts are more than ready to bring ideas. Gerdts explains that “All of these changes are propelled by understanding that our constitution is so vague. That was exemplified by this election. That propels you into making constructive and positive change.”

Gustaferro agrees, explaining, “[with] the lack of specificity in the constitution regarding the elections, we were bound to have a problem at some point. Now we have, and what that means is that we can create a culture within Forum that’s going to rub off on the lower classes by creating a more productive Forum...the work that Forum is doing will continue to get better and better.”

Shagun Sinha

During Friday lunch meetings, any student is welcome to come and spectate in the Cherne.

New Elective Aims to Redefine English Class

Food Editor: Sage Marmet InDepth Editor: Caroline Hardy Opinions Editors: Jack Prince | Nora Fox Perspectives Editor: Drew Rosenblum Games Editor: Emma Martinez-Sutton Science, Technology, and Health Editor: Brian Brener

21st century novel brings a new perspective to English

that, “after maybe nine or ten years of teaching that course, I wanted something new, something different.”

He started developing the idea for and designing the framework of the

Yeukai Zimbwa | Contributing Writer

“I WANTED TO GET A MORE MODERNIZED SENSE OF LITERATURE THAT I COULD CONNECT MORE WITH.”

Sports Editor: Catherine Barry | Zach Slavitt Business Manager: Kaitlyn Saldanha Adviser: Anna Reid

STAFF WRITERS: Shira Aronow, Anna Johns, Jenna Thrasher, Lachen Reid, Kendall Phillips, Emily Rotenberg, Bernadette Whitely, Amaka Nwokocha, Christina Checkerdjieva STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Elena Gill, Betsy Fries STAFF ARTISTS: Tyler May, Ben Soong

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MISSION STATEMENT: The primary purpose of the Blake School Spectrum is to report news and to explain its meaning and significance to our readers and the community.

We hope to inform, entertain and provide a school forum for the unrestricted exchange of ideas and opinions.

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his semester, Patrick Barry, English teacher, is teaching a new English elective for seniors entitled The 21st Century Novel: Forward and Back. Previously, Barry taught the senior English elective Utopian and Dystopian Literature, but after wrapping up the fall semester of 2018, he realized

course through the questions he wanted to explore about contemporary literature: “What are novels doing now -- if anything -- that’s different, that’s unique from novels of the past? … What is a 21st century novel?... How has [the

novel] maybe changed over time?”

Students were assigned their choice between 10:04

by Ben Lerner (2014) and A Visit from the Goon Squad

by Jennifer Egan (2010) for

summer reading while all students were assigned the first two chapters of the podcast S-Town (2017), a story narrated in seven chapters by Brian Reed.

Another question Barry wants to explore through the

class: “Can we stretch the definition of novel or even literature to include other mediums doing similar things … might that be a draw for students?”

“The summer reading

was by far the most enjoyable I’ve done so far,” says Sophia Rohlfsen ‘20 who sdecided to enroll in 21st Century Novel after learning that the Utopian and Dystopian Literature class she wanted to take was no longer being

offered. She chose to read A Visit from the Good Squad like Arthur Sprainer ‘20 who enjoyed, “the very particular organization, jumping from past to present to future to tell the story and examine how time affects the relationships in the novel.”

Sprainer also enjoyed S-Town and finds podcasts, “a really exciting medium to explore” within the frame of a literary course. He decided to take the course after reading the course description. “It sounded pretty interesting,” says Sprainer, “I wanted to get a more modernized sense of literature, [to read novels] that I could connect more with.”

Lack of Lunchroom Space Sparks Controversy Students speak out over lunchroom seating arrangement Lachen Reid | Staff Writer s the excitement of the new school year fades away and the routine of the everyday sets in, a familiar problem has returned. Students and faculty have expressed frustration with the cramped lunch room they visit every day. The unclear seating organization, the blockade of hungry students that separates the math wing from the rest of the school, and the uncomfortably close quarters of some tables have once again caused the Blake community to ponder possible solutions to the proximity problem.

Curr e n t l y, the only s o l u -

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tion is to power walk to the lunchroom because if students don’t arrive the second the clock strikes 11:05, they are at risk of sharing a seat with a friend or being uncomfortably close to those they choose to sit with after spending a considerable amount of time shuffling past lanky freshmen and arrogant seniors just to grab a slice of pizza.

According to Nikko Kim ‘22, who says, “I absolutely think the lunchroom has a space problem...it’s incredibly cramped.

I t ’ s

very inconvenient...it’s sometimes a maze through the lunch room” Clearly, the lunchroom has become a source of unnecessary aggravation for students.

However, there are limited options for administrators to improve the logistics of the lunch room. There is limited space and limited chairs.

Students have offered solutions, such as eating outside when the weather permits, creating additional

spaces around the school to bring food to eat, or ordering delivery to the front door to avoid the chaos. While all of these options offer varying degrees of convenience for students and headaches for administrators, they are solutions. The most reasonable and respectful option, especially once the frigid wind chill of the Midwest sets in and dining outdoors becomes uncomfortable, is to create additional dining spaces outside of the lunch room where students are

From Left to right: Students pour into the Lunch room during one of the two lunch blocks eager for food. Sophomores converse and eat during lunch.

Sous Chef Matt Dickenson hard at work preparing food for the students.

allowed to bring food to, but must clean up once leaving.

If the experiment fails and students leave a mess, the program can be reevaluated.

Finally, the easiest option presented by students is to embrace the chaos. Despite some inconveniences, the lunchroom still has some great aspects. As Thomas Nelson ‘21 says, “the lunchroom allows you to spend time with your friends and offers a place to be inside or outside depending on the weather.” Instead of complaining about the problems with cafeteria, students can look at the lunchroom the same way Nelson does, embrace the difficulty and have a fun break from schoolwork with friends.

NEWS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 3

Upper School Welcomes New Teachers Six new teachers across four areas of study join the community Julia Lucas, Scott Klinefelter | Contributing Writers

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ackenzie Mcilmail is teaching AP US History and US History: Land, Power, and Wealth.

Mcilmail started teaching thirteen years ago at Teach for America and later continued teaching across the East in Connecticut and Maryland. Most recently, Mcilmail taught at a Jewish international boarding school in North Carolina.

Mcilmail says that she values most the relationships she is able to form with students

avid Hallas joined the Blake community for his 48th year teaching math. Hallas is teaching Calculus and AP Calculus AB. He has taught in Quincy, Illinois; Iowa City, Iowa, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he taught eighteen year old rapper Mac Miller.

Hallas finds that the most interesting part of teaching is “trying to get students to understand [the material].”

Elena Gill

rin Oakley has made the transition from the Blake Middle School Math Department to that of the Upper School. She is teaching Geometry and Honors Algebra 2.

She graduated from University of Wisconsin Madison and has taught in a number of different schools in locations ranging from Washington DC to the Blake Middle School, where she taught for Paula Sadler, middle school math teacher, last year.

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atthew Dooley ‘06, is back and teaching American Literature and Literary Essay. Dooley was inspired to begin teaching by the teachers he had during high school at Blake and at Haverford College in Pennsylvania.

Dooley began teaching in January of 2013 at the High Mountain Institute in Colorado and continued his teaching journey at Animas High School in Colorado.

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Washington, Eden Prairie, and Edina.

This year, Lu is teaching Chinese Two and Chinese Four. She’s excited to teach at Blake because she can tell that students here “want to learn, so [she] feel[s] inspired.”

For her, the most rewarding part of teaching is when her students conquer the assumption that Chinese is “so hard” and instead “feel like they’re learning this hard language.”

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hloe Lu is the newest member of the Blake language department.

Lu came to the United States from China, where she was formerly a TV and radio journalist. After coming to the United States, Lu taught in South

eirdre Diggins is teaching Latin One, Latin Two, and Latin Readings.

She started teaching immediately after graduating from Holy Cross College with a Classics degree while attending Villanova University for her master’s degree.

She taught Latin at an independent school, and then at Country Day School of the Sacred Hearts. Diggins finds the connections she makes with students the most valuable part of teaching.

UPCOMING EVENTS 9/21 - Girls’ Tennis Home Match 9/24- Girls’ Volleyball Home Game

9/27- Homecoming Football Game 9/28- Homecoming Dance

Baroody earns PhD in Cultural Studies, Comparative Lit Ten year process reaches end Sage Marmet | Creative Director

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ast May, social studies teacher Michelle Baroody, earned her PhD in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. The long road to attaining this goal began in a combined program to get a master’s degree as well as a PhD

in ten years.

In the first three years, Baroody took various exams and courses to get her master’s degree, and then she followed a similar process to get her PhD in the following seven years. Baroody chose to devote her focus to films, literature, and history.

Much of Baroody’s research was based off of social philosophy and Arab-American literature and films, including

Fight Song Undergoes Renovation First and fourth graders create new fight song Caroline Hardy | Co-Editor-in-Chief

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rawing an end to a year-long project, The Blake Boosters will unveil the new official fight song and chant this fall, composed by middle school choral arts teacher Dan LeJeune, middle school instrumental teacher Amir Kats, and Henry V. ‘28 and Will V. ‘31.

The Blake Bear Boosters were founded at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, with the chief goal of increasing school spirit through support of athletic events. The boosters are comprised of eight parents and administra-

tors, Nick Rathmann, and Adriana Matzke.

After deciding that a new fight song was needed, the boosters held a community-wide contest that lasted through much of spring. However, in reviewing submissions, the committee found that it was pulled towards two pieces, one being a tradi-

it would be fun. I like music too.” Henry echoes, “Yeah, we do like that.”

While Will admits that “Thinking of the words was pretty hard,” he explains that “seeing where they go was easier, but I wouldn’t say easy.”

Upon reviewing their chant, Melissa Crow, a member of the Blake

“I LOVE SPORTS AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN. I LIKE MUSIC TOO.” tional song, and the other being more of a chant.

The chant was written

by Henry and Will, who are brothers at the Highcroft campus. Will explains that they wanted to write the chant because “I love sports and I thought

Boosters, explains that “We loved this one line of the chant that the boys wrote, and it was ‘paws up, claws out.’ And we decided that that would make an awesome slogan for Blake, and we started getting all excited.” From

there, the Boosters worked with Kats and LeJeune to incorporate this line into a fight song submission.

Both the song and chant will be officially unveiled for students and faculty during Legacy Day, while alumni will encounter the two at homecoming events later this fall. From there, the new slogan, song, and chant will be displayed at events going forward.

Crow explains that, “Our hopes are that at sporting events or other Blake events, people will start chanting and singing this song and really getting revved up for the event and getting excited and cheering on our athletes.”

Addie Burton ‘20 who has attended Blake since Pre-K, says, “I think [the fight song] is something that can bring together our community.”

Arab cinema created in the Middle East with a centralized focus on Syria and Syrian-American productions from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Baroody focused on the way that Syrians and Arabs are represented in the US and how, in turn, this is represented in literature, film, and philosophy.

Baroody explains that her plans for the future consist of, “teaching [at

Blake] and doing research.

Writing and publishing-I’m hoping to turn my dissertation work into a book...I will also keep going to academic conferences and publishing articles like the chapters of my dissertation.”

This spring, Baroody is teaching a media studies class. She believes that this class will help with the research that she is continuing outside of school.

Black Box Goes Under Construction

Caroline Hardy

The Black Box theater has been closed in order to repair water drainage systems on the East side of the campus. The Black Box will be reopened as soon as possible, with early estimates for November.

Lisa Uhler, Director of Buildings and Grounds, says, “our number one goal is always to make sure that our student spaces are safe. We know how important the Black Box is.”

Moving forward, Uhler also hopes that students will be interested in becoming involved in different phases of the project. She will reach out to faculty to make them aware of engagement & learning opportunities as they arise.

STUDENT LIFE | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 4

Land of a Thousand Hills provides a thousand lessons

first few days exploring the rich history of the capital city, where ancient, colonial, and present-day cultures collide.

a first-hand experience in exploring the structure of the Rwandan government and related affairs. Also in Ki-

community development in Rwandan communities. Oscar Uhler ‘22 says, “everywhere we went, we saw

Nibakure Community Village by bus, they stepped into the lives of preschool and grade school children, as they lived

Chad Woerner | Contributing Writer

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his summer, as part of the Global Immersion Program, an organization at Blake that oversees educational opportunities around the world, thirteen Blake students and three teacher chaperones traveled to Rwanda for twenty-one days in June.

Chronologically, the journey was highlighted by nearly a week long visit in Rwanda’s capital city: Kigali, a chimpanzee trek and canopy tour through the Nyungwe National Forest, a week long experience with young grade-school students in nearby Nibakure Village, and finally a return to Kigali.

Each region the students visited offered widely different aspects of the diverse nation. Upon arriving in Rwanda, students spent their

Submitted by: Betsy Fries

Yasser Mohiuddin ’21, Rosa Gerdts ’20, Kennedy Rupert ‘20 and Betsy Fries ‘22 at Nibakure Community Village. Photo was taken by teacher chaperone, as students were unable to have their phones during this event.

The Kigali National Genocide Museum, UN Headquarters Memorial, and parliament visits provided students with

gali, students visited both preschoolers and women benefiting from the ASPIRE project, a group that initiates

people giving back to their communities.”

On the eighth day, as students voyaged to the

in former orphanage dormitories. Over the next week, travelers were able to interact with various students at many

schools, along with shadowing classes at a boarding school and teaching a portion of a preschool class. As an act of service, they painted a mural on a Nibakure Community Village building and planted many trees in the greenhouse on the property.

Additionally, pictured to the left, the travelers celebrated Africa’s Children Day. They passed out clothes, that had been gathered from the clothing drive held this previous school year, to hundreds of children in the community, with the amazing help and organization of the founder of Nibakure Community Village, Floriane Nibakure.

The final few days saw the return of students to Rwanda’s capital for closing activities such as reunification with old friends, a visit to the genocide memorial in Murambi, and an inspiring journey to a goat cooperative, which provides goats to families. Uhler gathers: “Without actually going to the country, we would have never learned about the unity and community that we saw in Rwanda.”

Summer Jobs Yield Gratification

Students Redefine Summer Plans

Summer promotes new activities

Students maximize summer

Christina Chekerdjieva | Contributing Writer

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here is no better time to find a first job and start earning money than during the two free months of summer break. From lifeguarding to caddying, there are many options for students our age to find summer employment while also enjoying the experience.

Zoe Feldshon ‘21 had two jobs this summer, one as a lifeguard at Camp Teko on Lake Minnetonka, and the other at Joey Nova’s Pizza

on Excelsior. While she was earned more at Joey Nova’s because of tips, she describes her lifeguarding job as “more difficult, because I had to be way more alert and there aren’t a lot of people I can fall back on if I make a mistake.” The high stakes and responsibility of lifeguarding can definitely be intimidating, but Feldshon describes her experience as very rewarding because of the positive work environment, which ultimately helped her meet some of her best friends.

Laila Elbakkal ‘21 has been working as a caddie at Interlachen Country Club all summer, and plans on continuing during the school year. She reveals her hardwork-

ing and dedicated nature when talking about her path to becoming an “A-Caddie”: the second of the three ranks in caddying, which can take up to three years to achieve. She began by taking only five golf classes before her first workday and described the learning process as nerve-wracking, but she says that “A few rounds later, I ended up loving it.”

Most teens seek summer jobs as an opportunity to stay busy while also taking their first steps to being more financially independent.

As such, having a summer job is an ideal way to learn how to respond to challenges and gain work experience.

Shira Aronow | Staff Writer

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any students view summer bucket lists as a spontaneous way to bring new experiences and adds fun to their summer. Others, however, find that their summers are so filled with plans, camps, and other activities that they do not have time to add to their list.

A summer bucket list has helped Amanda Ward ‘21 maximize her summer adventures, “I always make a list of usually twenty to thirty [activities], and it could be very small things that I could easily do one a day [of] or something that is a little bit bigger that I

usually go out of my way to do.”

Ward gave the examples of having a drink with a mini umbrella in it or visiting a llama farm. “I certainly try to complete everything on my bucket list… and for the ones that I am not able to complete, I put them into my bucket list for the school year, and then they can just keep going on until next summer.” One of Ward’s more challenging and exciting bucket list experiences was paragliding, and she was especially excited to check that item off.

Rather than creating a bucket list, Niharika Bhavsar ‘20 kept her summer productive and fun with a schedule and plans for each day. “I had originally thought of this idea because I knew that I had a re-

ally busy summer and that it was going to be packed.

I decided that I was really going to need to do something to be sure that I was going to have a productive summer,” Bhavsar stated. “[My journal] helped me a lot during the summer…

The goal of the schedule was to ensure that I complete all of these tasks.” This included studying for subject tests, a job, and being on the Dean Phillips Youth Advisory Council, which she very much enjoyed. Despite it not being a bucket list item, “[The Youth Advisory Council was] something that I wasn’t anticipating for this summer.” While Bhavsar states that her schedule may not have been quite as spontaneous as a summer bucket list, it “turned out to be very rewarding.”

Maia Schifman

New School Year Provokes Excitement , Reflection for Incoming Class Class of 2023 details their first weeks Kate Rekas | Contributing Writer

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s fall rolls in, so does a new freshman class. The transition to high school can be fun, exciting, scary, and hectic, but every student has a different experience. Obviously, as in any school, people grow and change.

And that’s what the Class of 2023 is experiencing right now: a transition toward greater indepen-

dence.

From new students to those who have attended Blake since Kindergarten, the school’s tight knit community seems to allow those new and familiar to unite as a class and a student body. During many interactions with freshman, “freedom” was mentioned frequently. Clearly becoming a more self reliant student is one of the main appeals to teens entering high school.

Liam Saldanha ‘23, a current freshman who’s been at Blake since Kindergarten, has seen the school grow and change.

He enjoys the amenities newly available as a high school student, “There’s a lot more freedom... yeah

Being a new student doesn’t seem like a walk in the park. Not only do new students have to find

“THERE IS A LOT MORE FREEDOM” and the vending machines [are great].” Over the years Saldanha also stated that “It’s gotten harder I would say... but it’s gotten a lot better.”

their way in through the social scene, but also get acquainted with Blake’s academic system. Although it’s a difficult transition for everyone, it

may be more trying for those without previous years of experience.

Despite this, being a new student brings a completely fresh perspective to Blake. Eva Stegic ‘23 is brand new, and so far her favorite part of being a high school student is the “[increased] freedom.”

Stegic also enjoys “smaller class sizes,” which provide more one-on-one time with her teachers.

Nadia Lee ‘20 offers advice for freshmen, “[In class] asking questions means that you care and that you’re curious. That’s so much better than sit-

ting there and [thinking] ‘oh I’ll just Google it’, or ‘I’ll just ask my friend.’”

In addition, Lee recommends to “get into extracurriculars, because [they] are so fun. You can meet so many other people outside of your grade, and also learn a bit more about yourself.”

So far, it seems to be a pretty smooth transition into the new school year for the Class of 2023.

Branching out, being responsible, and being curious seem to be the keys to success for this upcoming school year.

ARTS & CULTURE | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 5

Walker Art Center Exhibit Discusses Idea of Belonging “I am you, you are too” exhibit added to the Walker

Summer songs that you can bring into the school year

Bernadette Whitely & Emily Rotenberg | Staff Writers

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he Walker Art Center, a modern art museum located in Minneapolis, recently opened a new exhibit titled I am you, you are too. This exhibit focuses on the works from the Walker Art Center’s collection. According to the Walker’s web page, “[they] explore contemporary life through themes of citizenship and belonging, borders and barriers, and ways in which everyday life informs our understanding of ourselves.”

This exhibit is an assortment of diverse, multigenerational, and international group of artists. The goal is to question society’s understanding of the social, geographical, and

Listen to Best Songs of Summer

Julia Lucas & Scott Klinefelter | Contributing Writers Bernadette Whitley

The collage from the “I am you, you are too” exhibit has a many different quotes about the idea of belonging.

political framework that shape us. The Walker is a great resource for art, history, social issues, and to learn more about our local community. They focus on visual, performing, and media arts of our time.

It has four main art exhibits open at the moment, many of them help to raise essential questions surrounding ongoing social issues. We also visited an interactive exhibit that allowed visitors to draw.

Each exhibit has a different theme that changes frequently to add new and unique artwork. The Walker has art for all ages as well as many different forms of art including paintings, videos, posters, photographs, sculptures, and interactive exhibits.

Wolfgang Tillmans, an artist well known for photography, posters, and images, makes collages and groupings with a wide variety of topics. This Ger-

Bernadette Whitely

The piece encapsulates border and immigration problems. The piece states “[b]y standing in the zone created by this drawing, and for the period you remain there, you declare and agree that you are a citizen of the United States of America.”

man artist loves creating art for social, political, and observational aspects.

The piece above is called, “Pro-EU anti-Brexit Poster Campaign” which is located in the I am you, you are too exhibit. This series of posters was released in 2016 to support an anti-Brexit campaign.

Brexit stands for British Exit which alludes to the U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union. The goal of this project was to raise awareness among voters, but more specifically younger voters and encourage them to become more aware of their political choices.

The powerful piece expresses political opinions and commentary through art, it can often motivate the viewer to learn more and make a change. All of the posters come together to help bring this message to life in a new and unique way as well as stand out among the rest of the artwork in the gallery.

T

he following playlist radiates chill vibes with lyrics that encapsulate the freedom of summer. Although summer is indeed over, these songs

help one remember the light-hearted and easygoing days of summer to brighten up the thirty eight weeks of the school year.

Very few of these songs made it in the Top 100, but all ten are a must-listen. These songs boost the listener’s energy with the infectious lyrics about living carefree and in company of friends easily stick within one’s head.

1.Sundress by A$AP Rocky Released in November 2018

2. Cigarettes On Patios by BabyJake Released in March 2019

3. Slide Around by Chance the Rapper, Lil Durk, Nicki Minaj Released in July 2019

4. Tribe by Bas (with J. Cole) Released in August 2018

5. Never Go Back by Dennis Lloyd Released in February 2019

6. All Night Longer by Sammy Adams Released in August 2012

Art History Class Focuses on Women in Modern Art Adding nontraditional art history to school Emma Martinez Sutton | Managing Editor

A

rt History - Women in Modern Art marks the start of visual arts teacher Bill Colburn’s decision “to alternate art histories: one current... contemporary art, what’s happening now, and one looking back.”

The class consists of at least one weekly visit to an art museum or gallery paired with writing and discussion to comprehend the art at hand.

The inspiration for the course comes from many places: Colburn’s sabbatical in 2016, his college Contemporary Art Criticism course, his experience teaching Art Now on-andoff for twenty years, and the desire to take advantage of the Walker as a resource.

Colburn explains the course’s focus, “There is so much art history so I decided to tighten up the lens to twentieth century art by women because it has become very apparent to me that the version I learned growing up was very male-dominated.”

He continues, “There’s

Emma Martinez Sutton

Lorna Kruesel ‘21 journals about art at the Walker Art Center. The class takes a weekly trip to the Walker for journaling.

7. Guilty Pleasure by Bryce Vine Released in April 2014

8. 3 Nights by Dominic Fike Released in October 2018

9. Your kind of Love by Tobi Lau Released in November 2017

10. Dang! by Mac Miller feat.

Anderson .Paak Released in July 2016 Emma Martinez Sutton

Tyler May

Andrew Chang ‘21 and Jackie Weyerhaeuser ‘21 looked at art at the sculpture garden at the Walker Art Center.

also this other layer [that] we’re walking distance to the Walker, which is a significant... world-known cultural contemporary art institute.”

Rosa Gerdts ‘20 describes her favorite aspects of the class as, “the discussions that we’ve been having... to see how people interpret art, what its purpose is, does it need a purpose to be art” and the opportunity to learn

“about artists... I never knew about that are doing really cool things.”

Colburn describes the course as “art first... we’re creating a constellation that maps 20th century art history and we’re doing it one artist at a time.” Next year, Art Now - 21st Century Art, will be offered and the plan is to continue to alternate between art history and contemporary art class every year.

GO CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE ON MINNESOTA’S STATE FAIR CULTURE UNDER ARTS & CULTURE ON BLAKESPECTRUM.ORG The Minnesota State Fair, one of the largest fairs in the country, has become a yearly tradition for many families and friends.

2020

FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 6

Ready to be Seniors: The Class Of

This year’s senior class is excited to take on their role Everett Honour | Contributing Writer

F

rom a young age students picture themselves in their final year of school; throwing their grad-caps in the air, getting into their favorite college, not having a single worry in the world. These visionary tales are just that: visionary tales. If you were to ask the senior class of 2020 about their final year so far, they’d tell you that there is much more to being a senior than just the highlights.

“It’s not really what I expected, like, I thought that there would be a shift and I would be like ‘Oh, I’m a senior’...like, it’s exciting, but um, I think that it doesn’t feel that different from being a junior,” Julia

Lucas ‘20 said when asked about how she feels being a senior.

Sayer Gage ‘20 also commented on the matter, stating, “I feel a lot less prepared as a senior, but I guess that’s how you’re supposed to feel. As a freshman, you think that the seniors have everything handled; they have everything ready”. As a freshman, people believe that the seniors are these unapproachable ‘adults’ who know what they’re doing in life.

This, however, is a falsity. Lucas states it best, “I was definitely afraid of the seniors freshman year ... they looked so much older than me and, I thought they kind of had it like all together, you know … as I’ve gotten older and kind of started to get to know the seniors more, I’ve kind of realized that nobody really knows what

they’re doing and, like, kind of being a senior and having that responsibility isn’t something that you’re like ‘taught’ it…you kind of have to make it up as you go.”

Many students refer to a preconceived notion that

class or sport with them.

When asked about how the senior class could improve upon the faults, like these, of the previous graduate classes, Tate Gregor ‘20 stated “reaching out to lower grades, I don’t know.

Keeping, kind of, high en-

Seniors Will Svenddal ‘20, Sam Hykes ‘20, Gavin Best ‘20, and Henry Ericson ‘20 enjoy the senior lounge, which they have been waiting to use since freshman year.

the senior classes are too burly and scary to socialize with; lots of underclassmen don’t ever talk to a senior unless they are stuck in a

ergy.”

One of the best parts about being a senior is being able to help lead the school in both energy and

as a role model; this all starts, however, with the seniors working as a cohesive group. Gage said, “I think it would be beneficial to make sure we all kind of function as a family; work as a unit, kind of support each other when we need it; honestly I think that’s the only thing we really can do and we kind of hold each other up to a standard that we would hold ourselves to,” on how the class of 2020 could be the best class yet.

The start of senior year is especially disheartening, with Common App applications due and several students trying to fit as many APs as possible into their schedule to try to make a final push to get into the college of their dreams. It seems like

Gage’s comment is more and more necessary for the senior class to be the backbone of the high school.

Seniors have discovered that it takes more energy than one would think when coming into the auditorium and hearing the “seniors seniors” chants as they look upon the graduating class smiling and happily socializing together; not only does a senior have to be a good role model for the entire upper school, but they also have to be the face of the school while simultaneously balancing their APs, work, sports and college applications.

The class of 2020 has the courage to be a great group of seniors; but as they prepare for their year, only time will tell.

“I have quite enjoyed the class ‘Honor, Glory, Greed’ presented by Mr. Bazzett. It is a junior elective English class where we would read literary works and learn how to write better.”

-Theo Crosby ‘20

“Genetics because we had a really great community and we talked about the genetics of genomes and also vampire genetics.”

-Lily Delianedis ‘20

Seniors’ Favorite Classes of High School Isa Chenitz | Staff Writer

“My favorite class has been AP Econ because of the comradery between my classmates and the material is very applicable to the real world.”

-David Bix ‘20

“Creating Identity and AP Chemistry were two of my favorite classes I’ve taken at Blake. The passion that both teachers showed in their respective subjects was incredible and they were two of my favorite teachers.”

-Rohan Ajmani ‘20

“I liked Latin because you knew you were going to have a fun time but also had to get your work done so there was a good balance between the two.”

-Brett Witzke ‘20

“Quote quote quote quote

FOOD FEATURES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPEMBER 20, 2019 | 7

E A E L S T D ERN D I M CUISINE

Gyros from Soho Café

Catherine Barry

Classic Gyros Offer Striking Flavors Explores spice, sauce Catherine Barry | Sports Editor

A

fter trying Falafel King’s gyro, I was disappointed, as you may expect from ordering gyros from a falafel place. At first glance it looked like your standard, universal gyro including shaved lamb meat, raw onions, tomato and tzatziki drizzled on top, all inside a pita. However, this gyro came with green pepper and cooked onions inside which was a surprise. I am not a huge fan of peppers, so I was a little disappointed when I saw them. Also, the cooked onions added a slimy texture in the gyro that was not the best.

Soho Cafe’s gyro was definitely better than Falafel King’s because it had more traditional gyro fixings in the pita.

It had lettuce in it, which usually isn’t in the gyros, yet I thought it was a nice surprise as it added a fresh and crunchy texture that wasn’t in Falafel King’s gyros.

The meat was delicious and very flavorful, although I thought there was a little too much meat compared to the other ingredients in the gyro. The onions were similar to Falafel King’s in that they were also cooked, yet they were not as slimy and still were crunchy.

Because there was so much food in the pita between the excessive amount of gyro meat and lettuce, it was hard to eat as a ‘pita sandwich,’ which supposedly I was getting. Additionally, the tzatziki sauce, although tasty, was too sparse for my liking. Altogether, I didn’t mind this gyro and would possibly get it again.

Wally’s gyro was the best out of the three places that I tried. The gyro meat had the perfect amount of herbs in it to add more flavor, and it was cooked perfectly. On this gyro, there was also lettuce which I liked, as well as raw unions, which was different from the other two I tried. The addition of the raw unions was nice because it brought more spice and a different texture to the gyro. I would have liked to have had more tomatoes on the gyro, just to add some variety.

The tzatziki sauce on this gyro was also a nice surprise as it didn’t have much dill in it like the other ones did. It was a bit creamier and there was a good amount of it, so it mixed in nicely with the other ingredients. Overall, this gyro was the best one because of its variety of textures and flavors with the combination of both raw and cooked ingredients.

Traditional Falafel Surprises Dish provides palette expansion, new flavors Jackie Weyerhaeuser | Contributing Writer

A

fter trying Falafel King, I have to say, I’m disappointed. I ordered the falafels on a stick with the greek yogurt sauce, with the insistence of the cashier.

When I first saw the falafels, I was extremely excited; they looked appetizing and had a nice line of the yogurt sauce running down the center. However, upon first bite, the falafels were rather bland and their only redeeming factor was the sauce on top. This included the typical seasonings such as onion, scallion, spices like cumin and coriander.

Following this experience, I ventured to Soho Café off of Hennepin Avenue.

I ordered the falafel combo which cost $11.99 and came with five falafels, a side of potatoes, a salad, pita, hummus, and tahini. This falafel amazed me! It was perfectly crisp on the outside and the inside was beautifully seasoned. It paired well with the tahini and pita; overall, I was incredibly impressed! My only critique of Soho Café would be their portion sizes.

I found myself unable to finish, or even start, the salad due to how filling the rest of combo was.

Finally, I traveled to Wally’s in Dinkytown. I ordered a single falafel for 75¢ and cucumber sauce also for 75¢.

Considering the price, I was not expecting much, but I’m thankful to say this falafel was surprisingly delicious! The sauce was a nice, creamy contrast to the warm, crunchy exterior of the falafel. The pieces of chickpea were slightly smaller and the exterior was more fried than the

falafel at Soho Café. Although the falafel wasn’t quite as good as the one found at Soho Café, it was still worlds better than the falafel at Falafel King.

Overall, my experience trying falafel was a positive one. Both Soho Café and Wally’s served delicious falafels, and they each had a wide variety of other menu options that I would go back for! Falafel King, on the other hand, I would not go back to.

Exploring Traditional Food Delves into classic ingredients, dishes Nora Fox | Opinions Editor ome commonly used ingredients include olives, olive oil, pita, honey, sesame seeds, dates, sumac, chickpeas, mint, rice, and parsley.

Some popular dishes include kebabs, dolma, falafel, baklava, yogurt, doner, kebabs, shawarma, and Mulukhiyah.

Because pork is prohibited in both Judaism and Islam, Lamb and mutton are the meats that are most commonly found in food from the Middle East.

S

Catherine Barry

Falafel dish from Soho Café

Jackie Weyerhaeuser

Middle Eastern Cuisine Rises in Popularity Food defines origins, ethnic backgrounds Nora Fox | Opinions Editor

I

n 2017, according to CNN, Middle Eastern cuisine was named to be one of the fastest growing ethnic cuisines in the US. It’s fresh, healthy, and wholesome nature is what makes it so irresistible to so many people around the world.

Middle Eastern cuisine can be represented by countries from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe including Iran and/or Persia, Israel, Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece. It can also be classified by different ethnic and religious groups from the Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe such as Kurds, Muslims, Jews, Assyrians, Druze, Palestinians, Bedouins, and Afro-Iraqis.

Zest Up Your Hummus

Pictured Left: Homemade hummus Pictured Right: Gyros from Wally’s

Robust new dip recipe

Directions:

Margaret Walker | Contributing Writer

Combine water and lemon juice in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk tahini and oil together. Process chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a food processor until almost fully ground (about fifteen seconds). Add lemon juice to mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl to incorporate everything and let process for one minute. With machine running, add tahini mixture and process until hummus is smooth and creamy (about fifteen seconds), scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Transfer hummus to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes.

Sprinkle with reserved chickpeas and cilantro, drizzle with oil, and serve.

Hummus is a Mediterranean dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas and tahini combined with a variety of spices. Here is a simple, yet flavorful recipe from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook.

Ingredients: ¼ Cup water 3 tablespoons lemon juice 6 tablespoons tahini 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed 1 small garlic clove, minced ½ Teaspoon salt ¼ Teaspoon ground cumin Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley

INDEPTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 8

Examining

TR ADI

Traditions Create Identity, Strong Communities In school culture, students are responsible for cultivation of rituals Maggie Seidel | Student Life Editor

M

any institutions value tradition’s communal aspects and properties that interweave daily and habitual activities as well as special moments. Blake is no exception. Traditions, at the core, are designed to unite the community.

David Zalk ‘66, Social Studies Teacher, shares, “traditions, at any institution, serve a function of creating an institutional identity, fostering institutional loyalty, and making people feel a part of the community.”

School culture is no

Th

different. Zalk remarks, “culture and traditions are formed by the students... how those traditions persist is probably going to be much more short-lived, or may be much more shortlived, than in an institution that is populated primarily by adults who have a longer term presence.”

Since students comprise the majority of the population, complete studentbody enthusiasm is essential to perpetuate and maintain positive traditions.

The way traditions are perceived greatly determines their longevity. Paul Menge, Upper School Assistant Director, shares, “[traditions] all have in common that they reflect a supportive community, and I think that resonates with people.” The events and shared experiences in a community create bonds,

which can lead to and perpetuate traditions.

Lucy McCarthy ‘20, who has attended Blake since Pre-Kindergarten, says, as a school, it is crucial to have a “refresh on why we’re doing this.”

Menge says, “I think we have honed in on having traditions that celebrate the majority of the community and show that we have support for all the different things that people bring to the community.” And, as such, the impact of a given tradition increases as a result of its design and intentionality.

Legacy Day is a tradition that includes the entire student body, staff, and faculty. As such, it provides a space for people to “have a bond with people in different grades,” according to McCarthy. To connect a school comprised of

three campuses and three unique histories, it is critical to promote and convene as one broader community, a goal that Legacy Day achieves greatly.

Additionally, Menge says, “as a community of faculty, staff, and students, and administrators...we have worked hard to maintain a community of connections. I think our advising program and our grade-dean program are supplements to the good relationship that students have with teachers in the classroom.” Connectivity, being another component of traditions, is seen in the composition of the Upper School.

And, most importantly, Menge remarks, “we make more opportunities here to celebrate each other, and a lot of those traditions reflect that.”

photo submitted by Penelope Winton

Discontinued, Deb Students Reflect on Pas Sara Richardson | Arts

“SENIORS, SENIORS” “I’ve always hated it. Since the beginning, I will always do the clapping without thinking about it. So I’ve always participated in it, even as a freshman , I would do the claps. It’s a right of passage. I don’t think we can stop it at this point. Like they tried to stop it, but it did not work.”-Mathew Krelitz ‘20 The Class of 2018 protests the administration’s decision to cancel the traditional girls’ football game after the homecoming game.

“I think first there should be some clarification as to why the administration or whoever was in charge of it stopped it. Maybe, if there was an explanation about that, it would be clearer what happened and why we can’t do it.”

-Natalie Anderson ‘20

Girls’ Football Game

“It shouldn’t be called powder puff because I agree that’s kind of gender stereotypical. But I think they should have some form of that where only upperclassmen boys or girls can participate that’s more gender neutral”-Madeleine Meskan ‘20

Seniors embrace senior spirit and display their 2020 graduation year in the senior lounge.

The Class of 2020 has steadfastly chanted “Senior, Senior” every assembly.

INDEPTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 9

g

ITION

Changing Traditions Emphasize Transient Community Students, faculty question who is truly involved in customs Emma Martinez Sutton | Managing Editor

“H

uman beings crave an understanding of where we come from and I think that’s the benefit and power of tradition... [it’s] the way in which we reconnect with the past,” explains English teacher Cory Tao. “There’s this continuity between us here and the way things have been done in our community for time eternal, or so it seems.”

Over the course of almost one hundred twenty years as both the existing institution and its three predecessors, Blake has developed countless traditions and a variety of diverse relationships to these customs with neither one shared experience nor unanimous beliefs about their

worth.

While everyone has their own favorite traditions, their reasoning is often the same.

Tao designated the “clapping in” of freshman her favorite because it’s a “positive tradition... with nice continuity.”

Similarly, Nathan Blum ‘20 points to the senior-chant as something “to look forward to as a freshman.. and it’s really fun to bring the class together.”

However, current junior grade dean Shawn Reid fought against this tradition in 2018 as senior grade dean because he believes it’s “too exclusive.” Blum and Reid both value the same thing in traditions, inclusivity, but see it manifested in opposing ways. Tao regards valuable traditions as ones “that continue to serve the mission of the school or how the school sees itself as a community.”

She continues, those that become “less equitable or problematic... should either evolve or fade away.”

When administration de-

cides to alter a tradition for these reasons, students often don’t understand or agree.

Blum says, “I think Blake has a really interesting relationship with tradition. They’re really picky and choosy about what they want to keep... and a lot of the time it can seem really hypocritical.” Anna Secor ‘20 echoes this sentiment, saying “mostly the traditions that I knew freshman year have gone away simply because the administration has said that we shouldn’t do them anymore.” Secor points to senior traditions as something that has faded due to administration involvement.

She says, “it really depends on what grade is allowed to do what based on what your grade dean believes, which shouldn’t be the case... they’re only one person who doesn’t necessarily even represent the class.”

Relationships to tradition are further complicated by the fact that not everyone feels included in them. Tao, who has taught at Blake since 2013,

says “I feel like I haven’t been here long enough to really understand the appeal of some of the traditions or even have a say in it. For me, the question is always how long do you have to be at a place before the traditions sort of become your own.”

Secor, who came to Blake in ninth grade, explains the awkwardness of mumbling along to the Blake School Alma Mater – a song she’s never been taught – during Legacy Day. She says “there are things like that where you kind of just get left behind.”

Tradition is constantly evolving as students come and go, each bringing their individual connections to the table. As Reid explains, student “tradition” is more so a reflection of the current community than a continuation of long-held customs: “Students don’t know what’s most traditional... what’s interesting is when students really hold on to something because they say it’s tradition without really knowing whether it is.”

“Because there is a pattern, every other year it is either really bad or really lame. Because one year they’ll do it and it destroys the school, then there like next year we’re going to force you to do this. Then the next year, it is very tame.”- Mathew Krelitz ‘20

bated, Consistent: st, Present Traditions & Cultures Editor

photo submitted by Hazel DeHarrporte

SENIOR PRANK

photo submitted by Hazel DeHarrporte

“I think that speeches should be kept just because it’s been a tradition that has been going on for the period of this entire school. It’s definitely a good life-learning skill to have.”- Rachel Winkey ‘21

The junior lounge after the 2019 senior prank. Everything was taken down prior to the start of the next school day.

Room 282 after the 2019 senior class prank.

“I think senior pranks are fun when it is done right.

Senior pranks are not being rude and f**ing things up at the school. Because like also, when they mess with the toilets, I’m like that’s not even at your teachers, its at the cleaning staff. That’s just plain being rude and entitled.”-Sam Clark ‘20 “I think the organization of senior speeches need to be changed because they are really boring for the audience.

And so they are important to the seniors, but half way through the year, no one cares about them anymore.”

- Josh Noteboom ‘21

SENIOR SPEECHES

OPINIONS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 10

Euphoria Shines Through Controversy Relatable characters reflect experiences of teenagers today Lorna Kruesel | Contributing Writer

H

BO’s Euphoria exposes the harsh realities of being a teenager today, capturing the most raw and genuine emotions that they experience.

I first saw the trailer for Euphoria in May and was intrigued by the cinematography and music. With Drake as one of the producers and Zendaya as the main actress, I knew I had to watch the show.

The main character, Rue, is a teenager in high school struggling with addiction and navigating relationships.

The cinematog-

VOICE OF THE STAFF

A

sk almost anyone, and they will be able to point out clear disrespectful biases that our society has when comparing men’s and women’s sports.

Some would note that top female athletes make an incredibly lower amount of money than male athletes, others would point out that male athletes usually go unpunished and are sometimes applauded for “loud” behavior that female athletes are condemned for, and some would claim

Photo illustration by Tyler May

HBO’s promotional photo evokes the mood of Euphoria.

raphy in some scenes gives the viewer a feeling of, dare I say, euphoria. The color gradients, camera movements, and transitions are meant to reflect the feelings one experiences while high.

To no surprise, Euphoria has received some backlash due to its intense subject matter which includes

drugs, sex, and serious family issues. There is also some nudity; in the first six minutes of the second episode twelve penises are proudly displayed on camera.

Nevertheless, this show accurately reflects the reality of being a teenager today. No one’s adolescent experience is the same, but

the emotions we feel are very much so connected. The feelings of being alone, searching for that someone, and struggling with identity are all brought to light in Euphoria.

It’s important that more shows like Euphoria are produced because teenagers can find characters who they can connect to and are inspired by. Euphoria also sparks important conversations regarding sexual assault and addiction.

Euphoria is definitely a sensitive show for some viewers. However, there is a content warning before each episode, which I believe is critical and a good example for other shows to follow. Please take into account the seriousness and heaviness of the show before jumping into it.

Gender Inequality in Sports that these aspects of sports are justifiable and acceptable.

It can’t be denied that we have a problem when such a large part of our culture is reserved for men, while women who try to participate are limited and scorned.

However, we can fix this. One common reason that some people reference to justify the gender inequality in sports is that the general audience doesn’t care for women’s sports.

While this isn’t entire-

ly true (more Americans watched the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final than the 2018 Men’s Final), we can reverse this logic to find a solution. To help with gender inequality in sports, people simply need to show that they believe in equality.

This obviously means attending events and supporting local teams, but especially in high school, we can do much more.

We must correct our perception of women’s sports to be more like how we perceive

men’s: respecting and celebrating athletic achievement instead of needing female athletes to prove that they deserve respect.

At school, we can regard our girls’ teams as importantly as our boys’; changing the culture of the youth will eventually change the world.

Of course, everyone says they believe in equality. But if we want to live in a society where women and men are given the same level of respect, we need to act accordingly.

TikTok Captives Teens TikTok gains popularity via light-hearted memes Christina Checkerdjieva | Staff Writer

T

here are two types of people in this world: either you think using TikTok is embarrassing, or you’re addicted to the app. If you don’t like it or are indifferent to the newest social media platform, here is why you should give it a chance.

With over 500 million users, there is no doubt that you can find any type of content you are interested in. Similar to Youtube and the (late) Vine app, TikTok allows you to create original content where popular topics range from comedy, viral dance videos, art, beauty and fashion, storytimes, or the classic cat video, to name a few of my favorites.

Similar to Vine, TikTok creates viral inside jokes and memes that are either short-lived or last several weeks. For example, if you asked an adult and a teenager about Peppa Pig, you would get two very different responses. While the Peppaaahhh joke might’ve died down, the energy around it is pretty reminiscent of our Vine days. With so much new content like this pouring in, I don’t think it is possible to keep up unless you have the app yourself.

So what makes this app so addictive? TikTok caters content exclusively to your taste, using their “For You” page to recommend creators and videos that match your interests based on your age and the previous content you’ve liked and shared.

Tyler May

Solveig Bingham ‘21 explains, “It’s a lot easier to get attention on this app than it is on others.” By promising a chance at quick fame through short comedy videos and by providing quality content every day, it is easy to see how the app is more addictive than other social medias. Yes, I go on TikTok too much, and even if I try to deny it, my screen time stats say otherwise. But in my defense, I’m making up for lost time since Vine died.

In our age group, it is most common to get famous off of comedy or for having an “ideal” look.

In the past year, TikTok has created a couple of stereotypes and attitudes that teens were recognized for, the most popular being the VSCO girl.

The VSCO girl wears oversized t-shirts and a puka shell necklace, and always has her Hydroflask in her hand. She speaks in slang invented by teenage girls on Twitter. First, this type of girl became famous for her aesthetic, but then she became a meme. She’s proof that nothing on this app can be taken too seriously, since most people downloaded TikTok as a joke and they like to keep it that way.

TikTok is the latest social media where people don’t care about how they look and post genuinely entertaining content.

Summer Reading Impedes Summer Activities Busy students lack time, energy Catherine Barry | Sports Editor

T

hroughout August, many students’ heads are filled with the constant pressure of completing their summer reading. Some might try to quell that thought by hunkering down and vigorously reading. Others, unable to find the time and motivation, push it deeper into the back of their mind.

I found it hard to gauge when to begin my summer reading. Because the summer reading lists were sent out so late (sometime in July), it didn’t

allow me ample time to purchase the books and decide which ones I liked best.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, because I was already in my summer break mindset, it was challenging for me to find the motivation to start reading.

In the summertime, I am constantly juggling multiple activities including sports, volunteering, working, seeing friends, etc., so it is hard to find the time to read.

Georgia Pettygrove ‘21 agrees, “[Teachers] expect that we have tons of free time during the summer to complete the summer reading, yet this generally isn’t the case.”

There is a significant difference between reading for school and reading for fun. When reading for school, I feel the urge to vigorously annotate so I feel prepared for a possible in-class essay or discussion during the first week of school.

However, while reading for fun, I am more motivated because there isn’t a deadline or number of pages I need to finish. Also, the books I choose are generally more entertaining, and because I’m not annotating, are faster to read.

Summer reading is also more enjoyable when there’s a variety of books to

choose from because students can choose the ones that intrigue them the most. However, this can be challenging for teachers once back at school because whole-class discussions and essays are not feasible.

While summer reading can be time consuming and feel like an added stress or another task to complete, it does get me in the mindset for school.

Although summer reading prepares me for shcool, it does take a lot of time and focus and is not catered to students’ interests. This makes it challenging to complete.

Most students had to read one to two books for their English and Social Studies classes for the 2019-2020 school year.

OPINIONS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 11

Lion King Remake Brings in Mixed Reviews

Voting Age Silences Youth

Movie’s switch to live action doesn’t ring true with fans

Next generation of voters won’t wait to be heard

Amaka Nwokocha | Staff Writer

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n a long remake spree, Disney continues to reimagine their classic and most iconic titles with live action and photorealistic CGI. They have been doing remarkably well, too, with Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King each grossing over a billion dollars at the box office. But do these movies live up to their original 1990’s counterparts? Overall, The Lion King doesn’t.

The 1994 Version, which is the highestgrossing hand-drawn animated feature of all time, was iconic in many ways. The catchy songs, lovable characters, and bright, joyful animation made many, myself included, place it on their lists of the best animated movies of all time.

The 2019 version

lacks the same heart, though in my opinion, some elements live up to the original. To start, the animation is beautiful. To those who complain about the lack of expression on the lions: that was the point of making it photorealistic.

Going into the theater, I anticipated very

Glover (Simba), Beyoncé (Nala), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar) had supremely disappointing performances as the leads, but the supporting cast, including Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timon), and John Oliver (Zazu) injected much more liveliness in their characters

strong voice acting to make up for the lack of expression on the actual screen.

I was rewarded with flat, inexpressive performances from the majority of the cast. Donald

and singing.

This proves that allstar casts are not always the best option. Their acting was flat and inexpressive, and it was clear that singing ability and fit wasn’t a priority

Tyler May

while casting.

Be prepared, Scar’s solo song was hardly a song at all, but rather a half-whispered rhythmic chant. Beyoncé and Donald Glover, while good singers, are not necessarily the best fit for the characters they played.

Beyoncé’s voice is far too mature to play Nala, and Donald Glover simply didn’t fit the role. The Lion King sells itself; Famous names weren’t needed to draw an audience to the film.

The script and dialogue were also changed ever so slightly.

As someone who has watched The Lion King (1994) dozens of times, I have nearly everything memorized.

And, I did not appreciate those subtle changes. I expected to see the same movie from 25 years ago, but with real looking lions.

Instead, I got a movie with subpar voice acting, dissonant casting, and mediocre singing.

At least the animation was nice to look at.

Christina Chekerdjieva Staff Writer

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early 75% of adults state they are against lowering the voting age to 17, according to The Hill.

However, it is increasingly necessary for young people to be involved in politics, which most commonly occurs through activism. This activism includes the issues affecting us directly, such as gun violence and climate change. Both of these pressing issues threaten our futures, and the first step to seeing change nationally is by advocating at a local level.

While activism is a necessary part of making change happen in our government, it does not guarantee a response from policy makers. This is why the US should lower the voting age to 17 for only local elections.

Allowing a younger

age group into local elections for positions within the county and city government will provide them with an introduction into the voting process and will emphasize the importance of civic engagement from an earlier age.

To ingrain teens with the habit of engaging in elections and local government is necessary because the lowest voter turnout, according to the US Census, is 1829 year olds. This age group had a turnout of 20% in the 2014 midterm elections, and this number grew to 36% in the 2018 midterms, showing an upward trend in civic engagement.

Considering the record high in this age group in the election last year, lowering the voting age in local elections will only help these numbers keep growing.

If the voting age is lowered, high schools will be instrumental in giving students the necessary factual information to bring more youth to the voting booth.

A Case to Bring Back the Daily Bulletin BearHug doesn’t bring similar value to student body Jack Prince Editor

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Opinions

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ntil its unwanted death in 2018, the bulletin was an email that was sent out at the end of each day to the entire Upper School. The email included the lunch for

the next day, birthdays, important announcements, daily schedule, etc. Personally, I believe that the bulletin should be brought back.

The bulletin was a better way to communicate school-wide announcements. It was very simple because you always knew the announcements when you read the bulletin itself.

BearHug is inef-

fective because I barely remember to look at announcements. The small red dot that appears on the tab to notify me of them, is hardly noticeable. Nobody is sitting around waiting for announcements on Bear Hug. At least there was anticipation for getting the bulletin!

During the school day, announcements are not as important to me

as the schedule, which is why I loved the bulletin. It was really easy to receive the announcements in my email after school so I didn’t waste my time during the day on them.

To make matters worse, BearHug lacks many key elements that the bulletin encompassed.

The bulletin literally had trivia, perfect descriptions for announcements,

and even birthdays.

I have never even seen a birthday list or a trivia question on Bear Hug. Because of this, I think that it is a lot less informative and enjoyable to read. I never did the trivia in the Bulletin, but at least it spiced things up and wasn’t so dry. The only thing that is “spiced up” about BearHug is that the color scheme changes each time you

load the page. That is not the kind of content that I want.

I hope Blake at least considers bringing back the bulletin or changing BearHug to incorporate some of the information that the Bulletin had. If they can’t do those things, at least make the information more accessible so I don’t forget that it exists.

Anderson’s Input: Political turmoil in China begins new era

Anderson Blum | Columnist

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or decades while China has been achieving incredible economic growth, observers have been wearily expecting the nation to reach its full potential and come head-tohead with the United States in the global struggle for power.

This year in Hong Kong, we are seeing the

first major proxy confrontation of this conflict that could define an era. You may have heard about the ongoing protests in Hong Kong, but here is a little bit of background: since being returned to China by the UK in 1997, Hong Kong has legally maintained a high degree of political freedom from the People’s Republic of China, being considered a gateway to the West.

By 2047, Chinese law mandates, Hong Kong will be fully integrated into the Chinese political system. Over the years, the Chinese Communist Party has begun to limit the free-

doms guaranteed to Hong Kong, and their most recent encroachment, an attempt to allow Hong Kong citizens to be extradited to mainland China, has sparked millions in the city to protest for their

testers wave American flags because they see American democracy as a beacon of hope as they begin worrying for their future.

It is important that we uphold this perceived reputation of

“The whole world is looking to us for guidance” freedom.

The USA, as the de facto “leader of the free world,” can not ignore this situation. Hong Kong pro-

freedom.

The whole world is looking to us for guidance, and actions such as putting migrant children in cages or claiming 22% of

the world’s prison population do not help the global image of freedom.

Apart from acting like the democracy we’re supposed to be, the United States can do even more for the freedom struggle in Hong Kong.

While the Trade War is putting a heavy and unnecessary strain on US-China relations, coming to an agreement over Hong Kong could help steer the relationship towards peace. Instead of fighting the silly economic conflict with no exit strategy, Donald Trump could shift his focus and demand freedom for Hong Kong in exchange for

an end to the pointless tariff contest.

China is definitely interested in ending the Trade War (as are the people of the United States), and it can easily be argued that freedom for Hong Kong is not a bad thing for the Communist Party of China. In fact, free Hong Kong was partially responsible for China’s economic boom.

If Donald Trump uses these fact to his advantage in negotiations, he could accomplish both a return to economic stability and freedom for Hong Kong. Let’s hope that he can set his ego aside and navigate this situation successfully.

PERSPECTIVES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPEMBER 20, 2019 | 12

UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU TO THINK ABOUT GUNS GUN VIOLENCE SURGES IN 2019 violence unprecrate in political

Daniel Lesov | Online Editor

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GUN CONTROL PERFORMS WELL ABROAD NRA blocking research contributes to widespread ignorance Cole Mathews | Contributing Writer

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urrent United States gun laws are sorely out of date and ineffective. The US makes up under 5% of the global population, yet according to a 2012 study by Adam Lankford, they make up 31% of mass shootings.

In addition, the Mother Jones Organization has found that nearly 75% of those shooters obtained their guns legally since 1982.

Despite this, Americans adamantly resist looking to international examples of effective gun control, of which there are many.

Australia once was in a situation similar to the one we now face. They had extremely high rates of gun ownership and gun violence.

Then, in 1996, a mass shooting caused massive public support for stricter gun regulations.

A buyback program managed to net 650,000 weapons, and background checks soon followed. The measures proved immensely successful, and according to a study by Kanye and Cole, the odds of being murdered with a gun in Australia have reduced by over 70% over the past twenty years.

Japan has extremely strict gun control laws as well. It is perfectly legal for anyone

in the country to own a gun, but the requirements are particularly stringent. In addition to rigorous background checks, everyone must pass a marksmanship test with over 95% accuracy, take an all day safety course, fill out a written exam, and uphold yearly inspections.

The results speak for themselves. Japan has the lowest rate of gun homicides in the entire world. In 2014, they only had six cases of gun homicides, compared to America’s 33,599.

The important question isn’t whether gun control is effective, it’s why the US hasn’t already adopted these policies. The answer revolves around the NRA. Using extreme amounts of lobbying and propaganda, they have caused the gun debate to be one of the most highly politicized issues in America.

They have pushed for policies that obscure research about the effectiveness of gun control measures, and have even banned the CDC from conducting research into gun violence.

Many people simply aren’t aware that background checks, buyback programs, and safety classes have worked abroad and could also work domestically. As such, the first step to implementing the gun control America needs is by spreading accurate information, and that begins by curtailing the NRA.

of mass shootings has grown on our televisions, phones, and even school, with an active ALICE security training being put into place. During the month of August, the issue has been, once again, placed at the center of American politics with the shootings in Dayton, Ohio, El Paso, Texas (happening less than 24 hours apart),

and in Odessa, Texas. As the race for the Democratic presidential nominee continues to unfold and the political world draws closer to the 2020 election, guns have been a very prominent issue.

From Beto O’Rourke’s passionate anecdotes to Donald Trump’s video game claims, guns are an issue that is here to stay.

THE

UNITED STATES

35%

accounts for

Gun rises at edented midst of races

sing the mass shooting definition from the Congressional Research Service (the death or injury of 4 or more individuals), there have been a total of 1,548 casualties this year. 2019 is on track to have more mass shootings than total days in a year according to the Gun Violence Archive. Every day, month, and year, the news

MASS SHOOT INGS

WORLDWIDE

THERE ARE

120 100 FIREARMS PER

PEOPLE IN AMERICA

PROPOSED GUN CONTROL MEASURES FLAWED

Ben Soong

Red flag laws violate constitutional rights, deemed ineffective Morgan Swigert | Contributing Writer

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ne look at the news over the last several weeks will tell you that mass shootings in the United States are becoming more and more frequent. Now, millions of Americans are calling for immediate action citing the country’s lack of proper gun control laws.

Recently, gun control advocates have been pushing for red flag laws and gun violence restraining orders.

While it is critically important to address the gun violence plaguing our country, politicians should not waste valuable political capital on the current proposals which will be ineffective and infringe on Americans’ constitutional rights.

Instead, they should focus on other gun violence policies that address the deeper structural issues within the current gun control system.

Red flag laws or gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) are laws that allow police officers or community members to obtain a court order to confiscate a firearm from someone that they believe to be an immediate threat to themselves or others.

There are two critical problems with GVROs, and the first is the fact that they don’t work.

GVROs are often issued on the basis of false evidence or sometimes no evidence at all, lead-

ing police to misallocate their time attempting to enforce restraining orders on those that would never actually need one.

The second is that it violates Americans’ 5th Amendment right to due process. The concept that one is innocent until proven guilty is one of the select ideals that make up the bedrock of the American legal system. Under a GVRO, the legal system considers you guilty of a crime that hasn’t even been committed yet. Anybody including police, neighbors, or disgruntled coworkers can make completely unsubstantiated claims to judges that do not have enough information to accurately assess the situation.

Too often will police officers arrive at suspects’ doors to search for and confiscate guns that they may or may not even own without the suspect being given the opportunity to defend themselves in court.

Luckily, GVROs don’t need to be the hill that gun control advocates die on. Other policies can be passed, such as expanding and strengthening the capacity of the NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) database which would make background checks more accurate.

Additionally, eliminating open carry laws would prevent shooters from legally carrying guns into large public spaces. Gun violence must be stopped, but not at the expense of our 5th amendment rights. Doing so would fundamentally undermine the foundation upon which the American legal system stands.

GAMES | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 13

CROSSWORD

DOWN: 1. Jahseh Dwane Ricardo Onfoy’s rapper name 2. Fear of Heights 3. Roman dictator, politician and historian or type of salad 4. Team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 7. An indirect word substituted for one that is considered to be harsh 8. First social media platform 9. Large predatory sharp toothed fish 13. New player for the New Orleans Pelicans 16. A seizure disorder 17. German-speaking country between Austria and Switzerland 20. Tallest building in the world 24. African country encircled by South Africa 28. River in Northwestern WI, part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway 29. Hurricane in the Bahamas and Southern US in early September

Sage Marmet | Creative Director

Tyler May | Staff Artist

ACROSS: 5. First astrological Zodiac sign 6. Shellfish or sea snail, marine gastropod 10. Southernmost state of Mexico 11. 6th song in No. 6 Collaborations Project album 12. Popular movie streaming platform 14. City with NOLA abbreviation 15. Words that sound like what they are 18. War in Argentina from 1976-1983 19. The study of microorganisms 21. Helps to form new memories in the brain 22. Appeals to an emotion of the audience 23. Italian mineral water brand 25. Trees that remain green through more than one growing season 26. Popular music streaming platform 27. Chilean and Argentinian mountain range, outdoor clothing company 30. Second smallest country in the world

punchpizza.com

SCI-TECH & HEALTH | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 14

Amazon Burns Relentlessly

Popular Music Apps Compete for Listeners Rivalry rises between Apple, Spotify Kendall Phillips & Anna Johns | Staff Writers

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Creative Commons

Brazil’s Amazon rainforest is the largest oxygen producing forest in the world.

How to preserve Amazon?

help the

Lexie Dietz | Columnist

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f you’ve checked Instagram recently, you’ve probably seen that the Amazon is burning. Due to lenient environmental policy in Brazil by President Jair Bolsonaro, farmers increasingly burn Amazon forest land for farming. There have been 80,626 reported fires in Brazil this year, 42,061 of those being from August only. Though stunning, these numbers ask questions like “Why do these fires happen?”, “Why do these fires matter?” or “What can I do to help?”

To begin, these fires aren’t accidental. Farmers burn forest land to clear way for cows, soy, or other crops. There are 4.4 million family farms in Brazil, many setting fires to increase farmland.

Hélio Dias, the head of the Agriculture Federation in Rondônia, Brazil, explains that the farm life in the Amazon is incredibly tricky. Farmers “just try to produce so that our families get by.” Often, these fires aren’t just to make extra money, but rather for survival.

But we must also acknowledge the environmental sacrifice for this extra profit. Rainforests are critical to stabilizing an ecosystem, especially with increasing concerns about climate change. The New York Times states that the Amazon accounts for 20% of the Earth’s supply of freshwater and acts as a carbon sink to soak up carbon dioxide. When this forest is cut down, this eliminates the positive benefits of a forest, but the fires also unleash copious amounts of carbon dioxide and smoke, destroying the air quality.

It is also important to remember the indigenous people living within the Amazon. The Waiapi make up 92 different villages within the 1.5 million acres in northern Brazil.

The fires greatly affect the Waiapi as their lives are closely intertwined with nature. In Brazil, 13% of the land is legally considered indigenous land, housing 900,000 indigenous people (<0.5% of the

population). Therefore, it is critical to include tribes like the Waiapi in this conversation.

The final question this raises is, “What can I do to help?” A significant first step is to read more about the issue and educate others. At first glance, this topic may seem like a no-brainer: we need to stop the fires. Yet there are so many more complexities when we think about the farmers and the Waiapi. Obviously, it is necessary to halt the destruction of the Amazon, but it is also essential to find solutions that take both of these communities into account. By reading more articles and getting a holistic view of the issue, you can understand all the constituents to find a solution that is mindful of all sides of these complicated issues.

Donations are also helpful - they address the immediate emergency aid needed for communities living in the Amazon. Check out the Rainforest Action Network’s “Protect-an-Acre Program” that helps protect the environment as well as the indigenous people living sustainably on this land.

Amazon Watch - Lil Nas X’s favorite charity - also effectively works to support climate justice and indigenous rights in the Amazon.

Protests and petitions also alert politicians that this is an issue citizens care about, making it a top priority on their agenda. By going to marches or sending petitions to local representatives, this will garner real legislative support. September 5th is Global Day of Action for the Amazon, so the MIA will host a march at 6:00 PM. Events like these call attention to the fires to inspire citizens and politicians alike to take action on these issues.

Finally, it is important to be a conscious consumer: know where your wood, your meat, your food comes from and try to buy sustainably grown or harvested products. Remember the impact that you as a consumer have on the global market and encourage your friends and family to use their money to support sustainable practices.

45 Million Songs

Endless Artist Radio

Offline Downloads

Social Features

Works On Multiple Devices

ith the rising amount of Bluetooth devices in cars, many Blake drivers find themselves listening to music from their phones rather than the radio.

Although buying individual songs is possible, most people use a music streaming platform that offers them unlimited access. Blake users of the two most notable streaming platforms, Apple Music and Spotify talked to us about which platform they believe is the best.

While the prices for both platforms are identical, the student plans drastically vary. With the Spotify student account, the package includes unlimited music access like the regular accounts, but it also comes with personal Hulu and Showtime accounts. With Apple Music, the benefits are the same as the standard individual Apple Music account, the only difference is the price.

Solveig Binham ‘21, a Spotify user, told us that Spotify’s student discounts make it even more appealing, but this discount only applies to those with college email accounts, especially to teenagers our age.

Another difference between the two platforms is accessibility.

Because Apple Music is linked to iOS devices, only Apple users have access to it; however, because Spotify is an app, anyone has access to it.

Anika Kaura ‘20 says, “Not everyone has an iPhone, so they don’t really have access to apple music, but everybody has access to Spotify.”

Jake Gearhart ‘21 also says, “From my perspective, I think Spotify seems more successful because Apple Music is kind of running off of the success of other Apple products and Spotify is on its own.” While Apple, as Edward Adams ‘21 remarks, “fits with the whole Apple ecosystem… Spotify is cross-platform.”

Overall, each platform has its own benefits from its range of accessibility.

Looking towards the future, Lizz Buchanan says, “I think that Spotify has done a better job of capturing a younger market which I think will serve it well as it ages.”

It seems for now that Spotify is winning, and “is on the rise,” as John Erlandson ‘21 says, particularly with our generation. But with Apple’s growing innovations and advancement in technology, will Apple music surpass Spotify in popularity? Or will a new streaming service come to dominate the show?

35 Million Songs

More Personalized Playlists

Free Version

Better Packages

Student Discounts Statistics from Digital Trends

Getting Creative in the Lunchroom Secrets to eating healthy for lunch at school Lachen Reid | Staff Writer

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sk a Blake student to tell a joke about Blake, and most students will make fun of the lunches they eat every day in the Blake Café. While occasionally funny, jokes claiming that Blake does not have enough options for lunch or the food is poor quality, are almost always based on false ideas.

While of course, the Blake cafeteria does not provide a custom meal for every student, students can create their own meal based on what is offered. Instead of everyone eating the same pre-plated meal,

students can combine the entree from the main lines with some vegetables from the salad bar with the side from the vegetarian line. In any given lunch, there are dozens, maybe even hundreds of combinations students can create for their meal. The Taher crew works for hours every day to provide the Blake community with healthy options that can cater to any palate.

When students are unhappy with the main entree and instead head to the vending machine for a bag of chips for lunch, they are forgetting about the other options available every single day, including a full salad bar, the sandwich bar, or the vegetarian line. Many students complain about how the Taher crew

Lachen Reid

A great example of a healthy lunch at Blake, which includes tofu and spinach!

gets too adventurous with their cooking, but the Taher staff routinely listen to student suggestions or complaints such as the infamous chipper fish debacle.

After students went so far as to base their senior speeches around their disdain for it, the lunch staff stopped cooking it for students.

So, if you are unhappy with the Blake offering at lunch, respectful-

ly tell the Taher staff, explore the vegetarian, salad, and sandwich options, and get creative with the possibilities. There are no rules about what you can mix on your plate. Make it a challenge for yourself to try new food when you are presented with the option to. You just might find a new favorite meal and enjoy the best part of the school day even more!

SPORTS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 15

Despite Losing Key Players, Wolfpack Thrives Under Media Spotlight Player Jaylen Suggs captivates media’s attention Daniel Lesov | Online Editor

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olfpack’s star player causes the team’s popularity and players’ motivation to soar with media’s attention. Jalen Suggs, a two sport and five-star varsity athlete for Minnehaha Academy, holds college offers in both football and basketball.

Recently, he has been catching many people’s attention online for his insane football skills.

Suggs’ popularity in the football community has contributed to the large amounts of attention giv-

en to the team online, as many tune in to watch Suggs in their games.

When asking Tate Gregor ‘20 of the newfound online popularity he says, “When the cameras are at a game, everyone acts differently. We’re a very loud and rowdy team and when these online platforms like Overtime come to the games, everyone becomes all quiet and focused. Everyone acts bigtime.”

The team thrives off of the media’s attention and in turn causes players to work harder and be more focused as they try to look and play their best for the cameras and videos. Harrison Chugg ‘20 also notes, “It’s fun when the online

Sage Marmet

Wolfpack players intently watch the football game from the sidelines underneath the Friday night lights during their first game played at Aamoth Stadium of the season.

platforms come because you can see yourself and friends online playing the sport you love.”

Many Wolfpack players, similar to

Chugg, are able to watch film of both their own games and other teams’ online. This is a tool many teams utilize as a way of coaching the

players so they can see what went well and what didn’t in games.

Since the start of Wolfpack football four years ago, the pro-

gram has been a force in Class 4A and last year they finally went the distance, winning the state title by beating Wilmar 44-18. They continue to get better each year, as their team’s record is currently 2-0, having beaten both Columbia Heights and Spectrum. first their In Wolfpack the game, beat Columbia Heights 35-7 showing out with a dominant performance.

Against Spectrum, their first home game of the season, the Wolfpack showed out exploding in the second quarter to win 16-51.

The team shows no signs of slowing down their competitiveness and success this season.

Coaches Unite Cross Country Team

Tyler May

Girls’ Soccer Coach Evokes New Intensity New coach inspires girls to shoot for state Nora Fox | Opinions Editor

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his season, Blake Girls’ Soccer has a new, female head coach, Kelsey Hans. The girls hope that this exciting change will bring a new intensity that the team is looking for this season.

Bailey Abraham ‘21 exclaims, “I’m excited that we have a new environment. We’ve been with Mr. Menge for two years, and I think it’s a good change.”

Previously, Paul Menge, Assitant Upper School Director, was the head coach of girls’ soccer for twenty six years.

Although he was a great coach, many on the team feel Hans is more relatable as she is younger knows a variety of both game strategies and beneficial drills through having played girls soccer in both high school and college. Abraham adds, “She’s been in this spot before, so she knows everything that’s going on.”

Additionally, the knowledge that Hans brings to the girls’ team and their game has allowed for a smooth transition for the team and has allowed her to create

new and strong relationships with the each of the players.

Hans has been coaching soccer for thirteen years and is excited to get to know the girls on the team. When asked what her favorite part about coaching soccer is, she said, “Watching the girls grow as players and people, seeing someone accomplish something they have

to. Also, Moe believes that the team has become more cohesive as they all work hard together to adjust to various playing styles and drills as a result of Hans’ fresh approach to coaching.

The girls therefore hope that this newfound excitement and special bond with their coach will translate into their success in games this season.

be no easy feat, they hope that their familylike bond will prove a strong aid on their journey. Hans agrees saying, “Hopefully, I can help the players get better as individuals and help the group play quality soccer as a team.”

Kate Willoughby ‘21 is also optimistic about the team’s bond this season. She explains, “BGS is a fam-

Photo Submitted by Payton Crosby

Coach Kelsey Hans (right) motivates the team by giving the girls encouraging words during the game.

been working on, and how much fun it is.”

One of the captains this year, Cate Moe ‘21, has never had a female soccer coach before, so she is excited for the new experience because it’s so different from what she is used

With new talent and fresh faces on the team, Blake Girls’ Soccer has big goals for the season. This season, the team is working extra hard to keep up with the other competitive teams.

Although reaching their goals will

ily, and I’m really excited we added some fresh, strong talent.”

Blake Girls’ Soccer hopes that their new coach and tight-knit community will prove essential in achieving their big goal: making it to state.

Team hopes close community and new schedule will lead to success Noor Naseer | News Editor

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According to Blake Social Studies teacher and Cross Country Head Coach Maggie Bowman, a team goal for this season is to have “a team culture surrounding running and working hard but also [to have] a supportive community [with] strong friendships and bonds between teammates.”

Bowman hopes that the team will become the most competitive group of runners possible by the end of the season with this mentality in mind.

There are two additions to the coaching staff with new head coach, Maggie Bowman, and new assistant coach, Geoffrey Fuller who is a middle school physical education teacher.

With the arrival of new these two coaches, the team “has been doing a lot more team bonding,” according to captain, Shef West ‘22, during Friday practice when the team plays games, such as Capture the Flag. Everyone on the team participates in these fun inter-team competitions. Many on the team find that these fun exercises during practice motivates individuals and aids in the team’s cohesion.

Bowman believes that to be the strongest and most competitive team they can be,

the cross country team needs to be a supportive community outside of practice. This community builds itself through social events such as a team potluck to start the season.

Bowman states that “it’s nothing revolutionary, but it’s just a focus that we have this year, in addition to the [main] focus, which is of course on running, racing, and being a competitive team, and that is because we think racing and running well and the positive culture go hand in hand.” According to another captain, Jackie Weyerhauser ‘21, the changes in the coaching staff have also brought about changes in the meet schedule.

In previous years, the team runs eight meets over the course of the season.

There are only six meets this season, as opposed to previous seasons, in which the team had ran about eight meets, meaning that they would have one almost every week.

This change in schedule came about because according to studies, runners peak at their sixth or seventh meet, and in this way, state will be the seventh meet.

Photo sumbitted by: Jackie Weyerhauser

Jackie Weyerhauser ‘21 (middle) runs in the Grasshopper invitational.

SPORTS | THE SPECTRUM NEWSPAPER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 | 16

A year later, the same team shows that they haven’t lost their momentum.

After an amazing end to the season, the team (19-1-2), lost 10 Seniors. Many of those players served as role models and mentors for the younger players on the team. In addition, the seniors contributed to the success of the team throughout the course of the season.

This year, four of those players are playing soccer in college.

Benji Pomonis ‘21 said, “With the loss of a majority of our starting lineup from last year, we know that we have to work that much harder and everyone on the

New coach brings important changes Jackson Haug | Contributing Writer

T he Girl’s Volleyball team has made tremendous strides this year thanks to the new coach Leesa Malone.

She uses her background as a psychology major to improve mental awareness during games and to help her team become more cognisant of other players’ playing styles.

Malone gives the girls psychology quizzes in which she attributes different player mentalities to different objects. For example, she has used a calculator as an exercise to help the girls and herself figure out what type of player they are or want to be. Emily Carlisle ‘21 describes Coach Leesa’s methods as, “Incorporat[ing] parts of our mental strength along with physical strength [in practices

rebuild that state championship winning team.”

Even though this year was a tough tran-

Noor Naseer

that “volleyball is an extremely mental game and that is one of the largest reasons my style of coaching has worked so well with the team.”

Malone also works hard to improve the girls’ physical strength and refine skills during the season. For example, in practice she sometimes has the girls reach a certain amount of reps of passing the ball before moving onto the next drill or skill and if this isn’t achieved, the whole team has to run lines as a consequence. That

The Girls Volleyball team practices their sets. They have started having more intense practices.

and games] and gets to know [players] through the quizzes.” Malone is able to get a better understanding of how each player plays through these psychology quizzes as well as practicing both mental and physical strength with the team.

By making an effort to practice mental strength, she is also able to get a better sense of how she can aid both individual players and the team as a whole in becoming more motivated and determined everyday. Malone believes

Submitted By Catherine Barry

Bravo strategizes with Ellie Nixon ‘23.

in a positive mindset and is cognizant of how they are playing, she coaches them on strategy, whereas if they are down and struggling, she says it is then, “more about getting them to smile and be happy and remember that [they should] not take it too seriously.”

Singles player Bella Suk ‘22 says Coach Bravo “always tells me to stay grounded and is super encouraging during both my easier and tougher

sition, younger players will be sure to be on top of their game. Pomonis adds, “Coming into this season after winning state last year brings a lot of confidence but, at the same, it brings a lot of pressure.”

Regardless of this pressure, the Bears are determined to be right back where they were last year. With a 9-10 start as of September 15, players are working hard to get better no matter the level of their opponents. Pomonis says, “As long as we keep doing what we are doing and step up when we need to, I am confident that our goal can be achieved.”

matches.” Because tennis is such a mental sport, it is essential that the team feels they can trust Bravo to ground them when matches get mentally challenging.

Ultimately, Bravo believes the key to coaching the girls is to always remember that “We are both the teachers and we are both the students, and there’s just as much that I can learn from [the players] that [they] can learn from me.”

way, she is able to instill a sense of discipline, build friendly competition into practice and encourage cooperation among the girls.

Many members of the team feel that they have become more cohesive both inside and outside of the gym as a result of Malone’s unique approach to coaching.

Malone also incorporates hard work ethic into the game and tells the players that, “how we practice is how we will play in a game because we want them always practicing at a high level.”

Coach Leesa also relays the message that they are only as good as they choose to be, which motivates the girls to push themselves to improve everyday both in practices and in games.

Through her unique style of coaching, Malone aims to inspire the team and create an encouraging environment that will continue to contribute to the team’s success in the season.

Girls’ Volleyball Coach Focuses on Mental Growth

team has really started to step up to, I guess,

The Bears line up for the national anthem before a home game. The team has scored 58 goals this year already with Benji Pomonis leading the way with 13 goals.

Photo Submitted by Will Svenddal

Boys’ Soccer Looks to Win Second Straight Championship Despite Key Personnel Losses, Bears Eye State Repeat Jack Prince | Opinions Editor

O n November 2, 2018, U.S. Bank Stadium witnessed the impossible. Fans, spectators, family members, coaches, and players all looked on as Keegan James ‘21 nailed a 55yard kick to win the Boys 1A State Championship. The Bears won their first 1A title since 2008, beating unseeded Bemidji.

Brian’s Mystery Athlete Mystery athlete continues to dominate Brian Brener | Columnist

T his month’s mystery athlete has been helping their team win State Championships since their Freshman year, and they are bringing that same winning mentality to the Tyler May forefront this year as the mystery athlete says, “We The mystery athlete has been are hoping for another playing tennis competitively since 7th grade.

State Championship for my fourth consecutive and the court excellence, the the team’s fifth consecu- mystery athlete helps their tive.” teams success off the court On the court, this by being a captain and athlete has contributed to demonstrating their leaderwinning significantly as ship through being openthey have played number minded and easy to talk to one doubles this past seaas teammate Anna Secor son with their current se‘20 says, “She is a really nior partner. Together they good person to collabofinished fifth in the state rate with as she listens to in individual doubles. Adeverybody and is overall ditionally, they have won easy to talk to.”

Independent Metro Athletic To vote on who you Conference (IMAC) All- think the mystery athlete Conference the past two of the month is, email years. They hope to build bbbrener20@blakeschool. on this individual and org. The first person to team success this year as guess the athlete will win their team is ranked first a shoutout on Spectrum’s in Class A once again. social media.

In addition to their on

to the team that she is not only a coach, but she is also there to act as a support system for each player on the team.

Bravo’s approach to coaching players during matches changes based on what mood they are in as well as where their focus is. She first observes what is happening in the match, and then adapts her coaching and specifically tailors it to each individual players’ matches.

If a player seems to be

New Girls’ Tennis Coach Brings New Energy to Successful Team Bravo alters style of teaching to appeal to different players Audrey Anderson | Contributing Writer

T

he Blake girls’ tennis team welcomes a new assistant coach to the team this year: Victoria Bravo.

Bravo hopes to convey