Issue 7 - May, 2019

T h u r s d a y, M a y 2 , 2 0 1 9

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6 7 5 4 Va l l e y V i e w R d . E d i n a , M N , 5 5 4 3 9

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Science MCAs count towards juniors’ final grades page 3

MUN delegates entrusted with leadership positions page 4

In-Depth: Studying habits at EHS pages 6-7

Recap of the 2018-2019 school year Zephyus 2018-2019 Full hearts, no losses: Edina Boys’ Hockey brings home another championship Heading into the 75th annual state hockey tournament, the Edina Boys’ Hockey team was seeded first and looking to bring home yet another championship trophy. A combination of heart, effort and integrity led the Hornets to their 13th championship win, a feat that seems impossible and untouchable to most. But not to the Hornets, who came together when it mattered most, winning 3-2 over Eden Prairie in the championship game.

Opinion: Elite colleges are worth it for some students, not others page 10

Three is the magic number-- Edina Girls’ Hockey wins another state tournament With a strong senior class and two championship wins under their belt, the Edina Girls’ Hockey team won another state championship in 2019. Winning 4-3 over Brainard during the second overtime, the Hornet’s clinched their third championship title in three years. Their win combined with the Boys’ championship makes EHS the first high school to have both their Girls’ and Boys’ teams win championships in class AA hockey in the same year.

Boys’ Swim and Dive win State despite midseason injury plague

EHS Boys’ Volleyball brings a new sport to students page 12

On March 1st and 2nd, Varsity Boys’ Swim & Dive team placed first in the Minnesota High School Swimming and Diving State Tournament, their first title in nearly ten years. Edina entered the State Tournament as a top seed and a major championship contender. The team confirmed expectations and won the title with 268 total points in the tournament, beating out second place Chaska/Chanhassen’s 205.

This was the team’s first title since winning three consecutive titles in the 2008-2010 swimming seasons.

EHS main entrances covered with graffiti protests

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Students walking in through the main office doors at 6:30 am on Sept.

10 were met with a display of graffiti. A message was written in blue paint on the pavement, across door 5, and a brick wall. By 7:00 am, the custodians were erasing the graffiti on the doors and windows. By approximately 8:20 am, the custodians were cleaning the wall off. The vandalism was quickly erased to give a sense of normalcy.

Boys’ Cross Country wins State competition Edina and Wayzata Boys’ Cross Country have fought for the State Title for the past seven years. Until now, Edina repeatedly placed second and third. For the first time in the program’s history, Edina Boys’ Cross Country won State on Nov. 3. Even with two of the top seven athletes injured and out for the season, the team did not let the challenges deter them and worked to improve and fill the openings.

Robotics wins their way to Worlds The Edina High School robotics team has had striking success this season in one of the most accomplished years in their recent history.

After taking first place at the state championship, they went on to win awards at two regional tournaments. Most recently, the team took first at the North Star competition on March 30. Having triple qualified to the world championships, they finished their season strong, winning the Chairmans’s Award at the FIRST Robotics Championship Award in Detroit.

Budget cuts impact registration for the 2019-2010 year Registration has historically been a time of anticipation and anxiety for students attempting to choose their classes for next year. On Thursday, Jan. 24 the process became more uneasy when students were warned they would no longer be able to change their classes the following year due to budget cuts. With that option now gone, many are forced to be more selective with their class choices.

School cancellations affect students and classes All in all, EHS students have missed 5 days of school and had 2 late starts this year due to bad weather. Due to the surprisingly large number of snow days this year, some teachers have had to adjust their schedules accordingly. Most teachers are not able to assign certain material over snow days, creating a preparation burden on both the students and teachers. In addition to the lost test preparation time, students have become less accustomed to having a full five-day week.

Girls’ Varsity Tennis takes the cake at State following a win at Sections This past October, the Edina’s Girls’ Varsity Tennis Team made the trek to Lakeville to compete in the MSHSL section 6AA tournament.

There, they claimed an overwhelming victory as a team. Following the victory at sectionals, the Edina’s Girls’ Varsity Tennis Team competed at the state tournament beginning on Oct. 23. Where yet again, Edina clinched the Minnesota Class 2A Championship, making it Edina’s 36th championship.

Boys’ Soccer team receives seven all-conference awards Although the Varsity boys’ soccer team’s season has ended, the awards kept coming. The team had another successful season, with seven players selected to the All-Conference team. Coaches around the Lake Conference voted on the best players on all teams. Raphael Cattelin, Isaac Eckroth, Tommaso Joy, and Theo Keller were selected to the first team all-conference, while TJ Mahoney, Oscar Smythe, and Will Swanda were selected to the second team.

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COMMENTARY Thursday, May 2, 2019

Zephyrus staff

Incoming Editorial Board Kerui Yang, editor-in-chief Syd Pierre, print editor Jack Marker, online editor Hans Janovy Meyer, visual editor Mimi Beringer, visual editor Kyra Bergerud, administrative coordinator Alex Stenman, head staff writer Julia Nicholson, copy editor Theo Teske, copy editor Mihika Sathe, manager

Outgoing Seniors Lily Jones, editor-in-chief Simone Vaillancourt, print editor Emma Bailey, online editor Morgan Sheehy, managing editor Matthew Egger, copy editor Eva Hadjiyanis, copy editor Cecilia Orth, visual editor Margaret Sullivan, visual editor Anjali Aralikar, student life beat lead Isha Konety, news beat lead Greyson Mize, sports beat lead Brooke Sheehy, administration beat lead

Incoming Page Editors Art Boettge Michael Crater Mia DiLorenzo Dedeepya Guthikonda Matt Hovelsrud Sadie Johnson Sieben Ellen Mi Reagan Stanchfield Alexis Yi

Photographers Madeline Brandel Sophie Charnell Brennan Merriam Artists Gillian Mousseau Mallika Srinivas Tiffany Qian Adviser Sarah Burgess

Letter from the ‘19- ‘20 Editorial Board Dear EHS, We’ve spent this school year covering a variety events around EHS, from state championships, award winning musical performances, the creation of dozens of new clubs, and countless other memorable achievements from EHS students and staff.

Next year, we’re excited to bring you more news and events around Edina, in keeping up with our goal to inform our community with stories straight from the source.

With fresh ideas and a strong incoming staff, we’re ready to keep informing and inspiring our readers throughout the school year.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading Zephyrus during the year and will continue to support both our online and print publications in the years to come.

Have a great, relaxing summer, and as always, thanks for reading!

The 2019-2020 Editorial Board

Letters to the Editor

To share an opinon or voice a concern over issues in Edina or an article Zephyrus has published, submit a letter to the editor online by clicking ‘Contact Us’ and then clicking ‘Send Us A Letter.’

Policies Zephyrus is a monthly publication produced by students of Edina High School; 6754 Valley View Road; Edina, MN 55439; (952) 848-3800 x3087. Zephyrus is a designated forum for student expression that recognizes the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press, and abides by Tinker standard. Opinions published in Zephyrus do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff, adviser, administration, or entire student body. Submissions and letters are printed based on space available. Letters should be mailed to the school or given to the adviser or a staff member.

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NEWS

"I don't prepare [for the MCA] just because it is a standardized test and I think it's a test of like more of your 'natural knowledge' or what you already know, and you shouldn't have to study for something that's like a standardized test," Mary Heinecke, junior

Thursday, May 2, 2019

EHS to employ drug-sniffing dogs in parking lot Police dogs on campus set to act as a further deterrent against student drug use

dina High School plans to employ drug-sniffing canines in the near future as a means of preventing student drug use and promoting a substance-free campus. After receiving approval from the School Board, EHS will likely welcome the dogs early next school year in partnership with the Edina Police Department (EPD).

The idea to employ drug-sniffing canines came from Principal Beaton’s previous work in the Bloomington School District, where they partnered with the Bloomington Police Department to bring dogs onto campus. Seeking to bring this approach to EHS, Beaton spoke with the Police Liaison and the Edina Public Schools Superintendent to make the idea a reality.

The administration needed the School Board's permission to go through with the plan. “This year we proposed policy language [to the School Board] that would allow for the dogs,” Beaton said. In late April, EHS got the necessary permission, and the policy is set to go forward.

EHS’ search policy is different from general police search policy. For schools, case law centers around reasonable suspicion in order to conduct a search. Essentially, a canine hinting at a vehicle constitutes reasonable suspicion to warrant a search. Beaton maintains that “in no way is a canine search a panacea for all chemical use. However, there are consequences for drug use and possession.”

Not only is the school aiming to prevent substance abuse on campus, they will also incorporate substance education into the process. “If we get a kid that’s caught using, we ultimately want them to stop,” Beaton said. “If [a canine force] is another sense of deterrence and helps us get more students the support and help they need, then I’m in favor of it.”

According to Beaton, the use of canines is part of a multipronged approach to eradicating drugs on campus and deterring student use. “It’s something that helps us partner with the police department, provides some deterrence from chemicals on the school property, and if we do catch somebody, we have the opportunity to intervene and get the student the help they need,” Beaton said.

Students can choose whether MCA score will be half of semester final exam grade or all of it

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Brooke Sheehy outgoing administrative beat lead

towards the formative category. “I’m a[n] AP Biology student; I wasn’t really worried about [the science MCA] in the first place, but when I found out it was going to count towards my grade, I was kind of upset. There is so much more to [standardized tests] aside from just knowing the material. So many students that struggle with standardized testing and the time constraints, and for most of them it is a part of their final grade which I think is really unfair,” junior Grace Hamerski said.

According to junior Miles Harmening, a general biology student, most of his peers were excited about the opportunity to replace the final with the MCA, and few were upset. “[Miss Longley] told us that we had the option for the MCA to count as our final exam.

I personally was really happy with the decision because it will allow us to be exempt from the final if we do well, which is easy to do if you actually try," Harmening said. "If I have the opportunity to take one less final during finals week, it just clears up so much extra time for me. I feel like there is no downside to it.”

Mr. Burfeind said that Principal Beaton will allow all juniors content with their MCA score to be exempt from biology class on their semester final day. For those students who find themselves awful at standardized testing, there is an additional solution. “If [the students] are happy with their MCA score, that will count as their final. If they think that they could do better, they have the option to take the final exam at the end of the semester having their final grade be 10% MCA score and 10% final exam score,” Burfeind said.

All biology students are given the opportunity to decide how much the MCAs will affect their final grade, giving them power to make an informed decision towards their own education.

“We have kids trying harder and getting better scores which is accurately representing what they are capable of. There is just no way that this option is negatively impacting anyone,” Harmening said. art by Mallika Srinivas

dina High School is taking personalized learning to a new level by incorporating the science MCAs into junior biology students’ final grades and giving them the option to decide when to study for their final.

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are statewide tests that help school districts measure students’ progress toward Minnesota’s academic standards, along with federal and state legislative requirements.

Every year, juniors are required to take the Science MCAs. Historically, the biology department has seen that most students try to put forth their best effort. However, every year, a handful of students score very low on the MCAs. EHS Biology teacher Eric Burfeind spoke with several students who excelled in the class and did poorly on the MCAs last school year. “There were maybe four or five [students] that I talked to, and they told me that they just clicked through it. We asked from a student's perspective why they would just click through it, and they said it’s because it doesn’t matter, so if it didn’t matter they weren’t going to try,” Burfeind said.

Despite setting aside some review days to emphasize that the MCAs are meaningful to the reputation of EHS, the school’s results will continue to be an inaccurate representation of what EHS students can do as long as the students have the mentality that the MCAs don’t matter and decide that clicking through to complete the test to get it over with.

The biology department has brainstormed for the past two to three years about how they can make this test meaningful for students in order to obtain data to help them successfully plan for the future. Usually, the biology final exam is worth 20% of a student’s entire letter grade. Their new plan is to give General and Enriched Biology students the chance to have their MCA score count for the whole 20% of their final grade, exempting them from the final.

They are also provided three whole review days in class (two more than they would have for a regular semester final) in addition to YouTube lessons, worksheets, and a structured objective list to help personalize and concentrate their studies on areas of weakness.

Because AP Biology students have the AP exam in the spring, the MCAs will not count in their final grade because their semester final is an essential tool in helping them study for the exam.

While the MCAs do not have quite as large of an impact on their grade, their scores will count

Sniffing out trouble: Officer Sean Young's K-9 partner, Blitz, from the Edina Police Department is ready for duty. infographic by Mia DiLorenzo

Science MCAs can count towards juniors' final grades

photo by Sophie Charnell

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Simone Vaillancourt outgoing print editor

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FEATURES

“[Mr. Lundgren] is really good at easing you into ceramics… [I]t’s a hard thing to do but he makes it easier,” Lizzie Steinlage, sophomore

Thursday, May 2, 2019 photo by Madeline Brandel

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Ellen Mi incoming page editor

photo courtesy of Mr. Lundgren

hether they had him as an art teacher in high school or elementary school, Mr. George Lundgren is a familiar face to many students at Edina. From his own schooling to his present career as a teacher, Lundgren’s interest in art has inspired those around him, and has taught his students that aside from painting and sculpting, art can teach everyone what it means to be human.

Now a ceramics teacher at Edina High School, Lundgren’s past memories have influenced his decision to teach art as a career. “My art teacher from high school [inspired me to become an art teacher]. I loved going to ceramics class and he was such a cool guy and I just found his personality inspirational,” Lundgren said.

In college, Lundgren studied abroad in Florence, Italy and had the privilege of experiencing transformative and original works first hand. “I got to go to different museums every day and instead of reading textbooks, our professor would give us the handout and say, ‘Read this tonight and tomorrow we’re going to meet at this corner in this specific church where all these paintings are.’ So [we] would read about it and then actually go there which was fantastic,” Lundgren said.

Since then, his passion for art has carried over to his students, impacting them both artistically and perceptually. “Mr. Lundgren [has]

taught me that ceramics takes a lot of patience and it's not going to be perfect every time, so it's okay to mess up and to not expect perfection right away,” sophomore and former ceramics student Maggie Gilligan said.

Art’s role in society, Lundgren believes that art is an essential aspect of humanity. “We naturally are makers, whether we are making paintings in caves twenty-thousand years ago or we’re making pottery to drink or eat out of, our human evolution becomes art and all of history and the way we understand our past is through all the art that we have,” Lundgren said.

photo courtesy of Mr. Lundgren

Fun in ceramics: Mr. Lundgren crafts a new clay project on the wheel.

Mr. Lundgren’s passion for art explains a bigger picture

Family fun: Mr. Lundgren takes the kids overseas.

Life in color: Mr. Lundgren’s rendition of a beautiful view.

EHS students win the Aspiration in MUN delegates are entrusted with new leadership positions Computing Awards Julia Nicholson

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Michael Crater incoming page editor

incoming copy editor

his year, seven female Edina High School students were among the 4,025 students across the United States who received a variant of the Aspiration in Computing Award from the National Center for Women and Information Technology. Senior Annie Snyder, juniors Grace Bowe, Quinn Cowing, Bella Boeckenstedt, Sofie Shand, and Maggie Tian, along with sophomore Sarah Swann are the recipients of the award from EHS. Zephyrus: Can you summarize what the Aspiration in Computing award is and how the whole process works?

Sarah Swann: “It’s an award about computing. You have an application, they ask you questions, you tell them your experience, and it’s really to promote girls in STEM and girls in computing.”

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eciding on captains for the upcoming season is no easy task for Edina Model United Nations’ (MUN) three advisors, because it has grown to be one of the biggest Maggie Tian: “You apply for it through an application on a site, and it’s mainly essay school-sponsored activities. After much considbased. You can put in codes that you’ve done before, but that’s just an extra part.” eration, the MUN advisors announced at their annual banquet that next year’s captains would be Quinn Cowing: “The NCWIT award is for high school girls who are interested in current juniors Grace Burnside, Tommy Hardie, technology. It talks about things that you have done, and things you inspire to do for the Lindsey McKhann, Matthew Ruppert, and Phoebe world. Things with tech like coding.”

Taiwo.

When it comes down to picking captains, Zephyrus: How did you qualify for this award?

MUN advisors Brad Dahlman, Nickie McKeever, and Betsy Nimmo have a list of qualities and SS: “I was in AP Computer Science and I’m on the FTC Robotics team called Shenanicriteria that they look for in students. “We look at gans, and I did a little coding for them.” work ethic, evidence of achievement and expertise, quality of leadership and inclusivity, regular MT: “You have to complete the application obviously, and then you also have to have a attendance, punctuality, flexibility, prioritization sponsor or somebody to back you up. I had Ms. Poulos to do this for me, the AP Computer of MUN over other activities that they might be Science Java teacher.” in… and above all, humility: that intangible quality of knowing that these people are going to be QC: “To qualify for this award you really just need to be in some kind of club with techleaders, whether or not they have a title,” Nimmo nology or just have some experience with a camp, or maybe AP Comp Sci or any PLTW said. classes.”

While the MUN advisors know what kind of leaders they need, this does not always make it Zephyrus: What does the award mean to you? easy for them to narrow down the numbers. This year, 22 students applied for the captain position, SS: “It really means a lot because it shows that they’re promoting girls and girls in STEM, which is the most that there has ever been. which is really important because there’s not many girls in coding, so I think it’s really The large number of applicants for the short important to inspire girls to do more.”

QC: “I was really surprised when I got it because I did it last year as well and I was surprised I got it again because last year I had only just taken AP computer science and I got a 5 on the test and I was blown away. I kind of just discovered my interest. This year, I didn’t think I did much more. I went to a summer camp and I became the primary coder for our all girls robotics team, but there’s so many other people in the school who are like really passionate about coding and tech. For me it’s a major accomplishment and it made me really proud.”

art by Mallika Srinivas

MT: “It means a lot to me. I never thought I’d actually get the award, but when I did I was very shocked and I was very happy. It means to me that I can actually code, and I can be a leader in that position, as well as create something new for myself.”

number of positions only makes it more exciting for the five students that were selected. “I’m really honored because Ms. Nimmo, Mr. Dahlman, and Mr. McKeever are all people that I look up to a lot, so it’s really exciting and humbling to be chosen by them for a position like this,” McKhann said.

Only a few weeks after being named captains, these five will begin planning for next year.

While most of their work lies in preparing for their in-house conference in the fall, the group is also in charge of organizing and recruiting new delegates, as well as being a friendly face that they can go to for questions.

Going forward, the new captains cannot wait to set up the upcoming season for success. “I’m really excited about this group of captains. We all went to the [Philadelphia] and Chicago conferences this year, so we are all really close since we’ve traveled together twice this year. We’re already all good friends so it’s going to be really fun to work together,” Burnside said.

The new captains want delegates to look forward to, “a lot of new experiences, a lot of learning about different topics that are affecting the world, as well as making connections with other people with similar interests,” McKhann said.

ACTIVITIES

"I think they would really enjoy the opening number. It's a really interesting number and it involves everyone in the cast. It's pretty much my favorite number of the whole show," Beck Christensen, sophomore

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Q&A with a lead of the spring musical 'Chicago' Zephyrus: What is challenging about bringing this script to life?

Alex Zykova: I think that the most challenging part about bringing this script to life is keeping it appropriate for our community's standards while bringing the magic of this fantastic show alive!

Z: What character do you play? Can you describe their personality a little bit?

AZ: I play Velma Kelly, one of the most well-known performers and murderesses in 'Chicago'. She adores the spotlight and works her hardest to get exactly what she wants.

Z: Why did you want to be involved in this production?

AZ: In the theater world, this show is iconic, to say the least.

Bob Fosse (the musical’s creator) was a brilliant man and 'Chicago' is one of the most well-known and loved musicals of all time! I was so excited when I found out that this [would] be our spring production.

Z: How is this production bringing something new to this story?

AZ: Our production interprets the story in a way that shows that even though we may get our fame and love in the moment, if it's artificial, it could never last. In other productions of 'Chicago' that I've seen, the glitz and glamour seem to never fade, even though nearly every character has done something awful for personal gain.

Z: How is this character like you? Different?

AZ: I would like to think that Velma and I both are very independent women who are determined to achieve their goals and aspirations. On the other hand, I would never be as manipulative or vicious as my character, even if it may result in success for myself.

Z: What do you love about this character?

AZ: I love how throughout the show, the audience will not only see Velma's "masked" side but her vulnerable side as well. It's a great lesson on how even those who may seem to have their life together and are successful, might not always be the happiest Z: Who has the best costume in the show?

AZ: I think that Lily Randall, who plays Matron Mama Morton, has the best costume. She gets to wear this INCREDIBLE coat... it's so soft.

Z: What is the biggest challenge about taking on this role?

AZ: The biggest challenge taking on this role has been to get into the mindset of a master, and occasionally evil, manipulator. But then throughout that process, to slowly experience her breaking points and realizing how her life is crumbling before her eyes. Some days it feels as though I go through 100 different emotions, just at one rehearsal!

Z: Without giving anything away, what is your favorite line of dialogue?

AZ: My favorite line of dialogue has to be, "They'll never know, you're just a bagel."

Photo by Mimi Beringer

Morgan Sheehy outgoing managing editor

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Under the lights: Shane Kretz and Alex Zykova share the stage at this year's spring musical.

Z: If you could play any other character in this show, who would it be? Why? AZ: Other than playing Velma Kelly, I feel as though playing Amos Hart would be so fun and new! I typically never get cast as the shy character (even though I am quite shy myself), so I feel like that would be interesting to play someone that I could relate to even more than others in the past.

Z: Call someone out by name to come see this show: AZ: Hey Nate Pederson! Come see the show!!

Z: Besides yourself, which actor in this production is going to blow people away? Why? AZ: It's hard to pick just one but... Brady Evans. He's so talented in every way and has been such a team player throughout the entire rehearsal process.

Repertory Orchestra performs Robotics wins Worlds and beyond this year doesn’t do every game challenge, at statewide festival it just selected a few to be very good at.

Kyra Bergerud incoming administrative coordinator

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Hans Janovy Meyer incoming visual editor

art by Mallika Srinivas performances at Orchestra Hall.

Taking place on April 15th, the Repertory Orchestra played for a sold out crowd of more than 2,000 audience members.

“It feels wonderful [to have performed at orchestra hall]… [I feel] a sense of thankfulness that the kids were able to receive accolades for all the work that they put into everything this year,” Mrs. Kristine Wiese, Repertory Orchestra director and Orchestra teacher, said. The orchestra had been hard at work for weeks and months preparing the pieces performed at the festival.

“I mean, it didn't feel like it was different from other concerts just because you're so focused on like, the conductor and everything, but just kind of knowing you're in such an important place that like, the really important people have performed in it is a little bit scary and nerve wracking,” Rosie Larson, a freshman and violist in the Repertory Orchestra said.

Economics team takes on Harvard challenge

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Alexis Yi incoming page editor

very April, hundreds of high school students flock to the Harvard University campus, and they aren’t just there to tour. These students go to compete in the Harvard Pre-collegiate Economics Challenge, where winners receive cash prizes. Edina sent two teams of four to the competition on April 13.

Not everyone is able to get on the team, though. Steven Cullison, an EHS social studies teacher, makes the decision.

He based this year’s choices on students’ performance in

previous competitions and in-school tryouts. “Some very very good students competed and just missed. We have a lot of talented, bright, students here,” Cullison said.

At the Harvard Challenge, the two teams placed 13th and 17th out of 64 total teams, which included competitors from other countries. The senior team also made it into finals.

Junior Avery Greene joined the team this year after learning about it in her AP Economics class.. The econ team has given her a greater understanding of current events and her own finances. “I worked at the Edina Aquatics Center. [The Center] didn’t do great last year,” Greene said. “I was like, well, let’s think about what’s going on around the world.

There’s Brexit, so the value of the Euro has [gone down], so everyone was out of town this summer, in Europe . . . It probably wasn’t the pool that was doing bad, it was just that the demand for the pool was.”

For practice, Cullison calls the students into Flex and sets

Courtesy of Simone Vaillancourt

iolins and violas vibrantly harmonizing, basses booming, and cellos playing with canorous cadences are all familiar sounds to anyone who may pass by S350. However, it is not so often that students can hear these same sounds performed inside a world class concert hall, and it is even less often that high school students are the ones doing the performing. However, on April 15th, the Edina High School Repertory Orchestra did this exactly.

The Minnesota String & Orchestra Teachers Association’s Middle Level Orchestra Festival is an annual festival for orchestras comprised of students from grades 6-9 across the state to perform for a panel of judges. The judges would then assess the orchestra’s performance and rank them on a scale from 1-5 based on a variety of criteria. Proper techniques, such as tone and rhythm, are assessed as well as other factors, such as playing posture and etiquette.

The festival is divided into two tiers, with students progressing from the first tier to the second tier based on their first tier ratings. The first tier of the competition took place at three different locations during February and March. Competing in Faribault on March 6th, the EHS Repertory Orchestra earned two Superiors with Distinction, the highest honor at the first tier, qualifying them for the second tier of the festival, a showcase of the first tier

For worlds it's about how do we stick to executing things well, while still remaining The Edina High School robotics competitive.” Bandt said, prior to their win. team has had striking success this However, despite impressive progseason in one of the most accomress this year, the ultimate culmination to plished years in their recent history. After their success is the chairman's award they taking first place at the state championship, received at the FIRST robotics competition they went on to win awards at two regional championship on April 27 in Detroit; earntournaments. Now, having triple qualified ing them prestige and a place in the hall to the world championships, they are lookof fame. The award, which is given to the ing to finish their season strong. team that best emulates the culture of the One of the factors that has contributed world championship, is the highest honor to their success is the recognition they have and the first ever of the award given to a received for their evolving team culture and team from the state of Minnesota. increased outreach. “The first regional was Their progress was focused on a in Duluth. We were awarded the Chaircontinued notion, the team must continue man's award and that's awarded to the team to improve in order to do well. Robotics is that best exemplifies the largest culture an evolving art and in order to stay on top, change. It’s a five year award that looks the team had to focus on progressing their at your history of outreach,” Nate Bandt, technology and their team. “The continued junior and outreach director, said. iterative of process requires us to be on top At their most recent regional tournaof our game and make sure we are putting ment, the team took first at the North Star our best foot forwards,” Bandt said. competition on March 30. “This last competition [North Star], we won robotside. So we seeded second, played through elimination matches and won the tournament,” Bandt said.

There is a consensus on the team that the high quality of their robot was a fundamental contributor to their success. “Our robot this year is really good; it was really exciting to win and be recognized for that.” junior Bella Boeckenstedt said.

The robot, which features impressive qualities, focuses on selectivity to Endgame: Zeta parks on platform to end the match. be the most competitive. “Our robot up mock competitions. Students get into groups of four and buzz in to answer questions. They study the AP Economics course materials as well, and several of the students are currently in the class.

Another student who attended the Harvard competition was junior Aryan Jain. “I studied econ because I thought it was an easy class, but now I genuinely like it,” he said.

“When you study econ, you actually know what’s going on in the world around you.” He joined the team this year as well, and was one of four students who went to the state economics competition.

Greene had an additional goal in mind for the trip. “I’ve kind of found somewhere where I can expand my influence and my role and hopefully be a leader for other girls who want to go into economics, because it’s something that I really love,” Greene said. “That’s kind of what I’m looking forward to: just learning how I can be a better role model.”

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STUDENT LIFE

"I generally pick clothes that intrigue me, and I am able to [express myself ] by shopping at places that carry things I like, like H&M," Carlos Diaz, senior

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Fashion at EHS: seniors share their style You’ve got to go full out if you’re going to wear a cute outfit and the hair helps tie it all together. If my hair was down, this outfit wouldn’t have looked as good or as [planned].

Madeleine Kellick

Cecilia Orth outgoing visual editor

This shirt is Claude Monet and I got it in Giverny, France while taking a tour of his house. It’s a very powerful shirt and it has a lot of memories associated with it.

The dress is from Urban Outfitters. I tie the shirt over it because I like to keep everything casual.

Jewelry is a staple to every outfit; it ties everything together. I thrifted this [silver] bracelet. I’m wearing my classic rings. I made two of the [friendship bracelets] that I’m wearing. I’m pretty sure another is a shoelace and another I got at the Minnesota Pride Festival. They all have memories attached and when I look down I always smile.

The jeans are thrifted vintage Levi’s. I only wear vintage Levi that’s made in the USA; I think they’re better quality and look better. These are about ten bucks, so they’re super cheap.

I always wear sneakers, especially when I’m wearing dresses. I get a little self conscious about being super fancy and so I wear sneakers to dress up or down.

My sweater is Isabel Marant. This is my statement piece for this outfit. I really like the typography so I had to have it.

My shoes are Nike Cortez. I always like white sneakers; these ones are vintage style.

Infographics by Syd Pierre

Egger’s book of the month: "The Secret Race"

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photos by Madeline Brandel

Liam Doyle

My turtleneck is from Uniqlo.

I don’t like spending that much money on basic clothes. Anything that’s not a graphic tee or some sort of statement piece, I usually get cheap.

Matthew Egger outgoing copy editor

ollowing Lance Armstrong’s confession to doping in 2013, the image of professional cycling has become tarnished and many associate the sport with cheating and deceit. While Lance was one of the worst doping offenders, cheating plagued the sport from the 1990s well into the 2000s, and countless other cyclists were also involved, including Tyler Hamilton, the author of "The Secret Race" and one of Armstrong’s former teammates. Although "The Secret Race" details professional cycling’s widespread culture of cheating and deceit, it also serves as a medium for Hamilton to come to terms with the mistakes he made as a cyclist.

To explain how and why cyclists started cheating, Hamilton dives into the backgrounds of commonly used performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), two of the most prominent being testosterone and erythropoietin (EPO).

Testosterone is taken as a pill and increases muscle mass, quickens recovery, and enhances aerobic endurance. EPO is injected and stimulates the production of red blood cells, which supply the body with the oxygen that is so crucial endurance sport.

Obviously, PEDs are not legal, and thus athletes had to plot devious ways by which they could obtain and hide them. Hamilton recalls hiding EPO syringes in sneakers or in disguised food containers and discarding them in crushed Coca-Cola cans to avoid the scrutiny of the French gendarmes (armed police) during the Tour de France.

Many people erroneously believe that doping allows cyclists to win effortlessly, and that it is a cheap substitute for proper training and recovery. However, for most athletes including Hamilton and Armstrong, it only supplemented an extremely rigorous training plan and spartan lifestyle.

While Hamilton and his cohorts undoubtedly made enormous performance gains by using PEDs, they also worked unbelievably hard and made incredible sacrifices in order to improve. For instance, when describing his diet, Hamilton writes, “By the middle of my career it’s fair to say that I was on the verge of having a food disorder (which wasn’t uncommon among top racers). But the truth is, losing weight works.”

Additionally, doping doesn’t allow cyclists to painlessly and effortlessly win. PEDs only enable athletes to push harder and to endure tremendous levels of pain and discomfort. Hamilton writes, “People think doping is for lazy people who want to avoid hard work. That might be true in some cases, but in mine, as with many riders I knew, it was precisely the opposite. EPO granted the ability to suffer more; to push yourself farther and harder than you'd ever imagined, in both training and racing.”

As I read "The Secret Race," I began to respect Hamilton more and more. Hamilton, like most cyclists, did not begin his career intending to dope. The pressure to improve overwhelmed him, and he made a mistake, choosing to cheat. It’s hard not to empathize with his rueful account of his professional cycling career and his warm, hardworking, and caring persona. While the scandals in cycling are troublesome, "The Secret Race" provides a unique insight into their causes and consequences.

STUDENT LIFE

"[For senior skip day] I will be doing things with friends," Sai Tyada, senior

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Infographic by Ellen Mi

A new meaning for "Us" Jordan Peele releases a second successful thriller following his first popular film, "Get Out" Sadie Johnson Sieben incoming page editor

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Wilson, makes satirical comments, relieving viewers’ tension from the terror.

However, throughout the movie, the plot twists become confusing. Some of these twists included: trying to figure out if one character was actually their doppelganger (although distinct costume differences helped with this), and trying to decipher who was just killed.

Also, determining whether a character was still alive and trying to understand why the police haven’t come after being called hours ago were some main questions I had while viewing.

In addition to that, Peele is known for inserting hidden meanings and underlying issues present in America throughout his films. The rabbits are a recurring symbol in "Us" they symbolize rebirth but can also symbolize duality, a prevalent theme in the film. Peele includes another recurring symbol: the Bible verse Jeremiah 11:11. The separation between the humans and the "tethered" also highlights duality since the “tethered” and the original people are treated differently despite both being human. Jeremiah 11:11 touches on this by saying no matter who you are, you will all be judged the same in the end.

Overall, I would give the film a 8.9/10 based on the exceptional underlying themes and the perfect setting of the film, and considering that there were some evident plot holes that created confusion in both the beginning and the end of the movie. courtesy of IMP Awards

any people are driven by fear, and Jordan Peele’s newly released movie "Us" has manipulated fear on a whole new level.

The satire in this film, including the little jokes on kill counts and the comical facial expressions weren’t as outstanding as his first release, "Get Out," but it is still one of the most prominent aspects in his films. Satire and horror, Peele’s most used characteristics, build off each other. The satire creates even more fear among audiences, such as it did in "Get Out" and now in his new film "Us." The plot of "Us" tells the story of the Wilsons, a family fighting for survival against the “tethered,” people who look identical to them. The “tethered” are intent on killing the family but torture them physically and emotionally first.

We learn that Adelaide Wilson, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o’s character, had experiences with the “tethered” when she was younger, and now she must face them again with her family.

The acting and directing of "Us" was not only horrifying, but also beautiful.

This beauty is exhibited in the setting: the story takes place in Santa Cruz, which includes bright and vivid boardwalk. This creates a contrast between the horror displayed. Peele also uses the setting to incorporate satire. In addition to that, Winston Duke’s character, Gabe

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Humor: commotion on Senior Skip Day

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Greyson Mize outgoing sports beat lead

enior Skip Day is a time-honored tradition both at Edina High School and high schools across the country. This holiday marks the end of the year, and with the prospect of graduation on the horizon, allows seniors one day to let loose and go wild. Despite safety concerns that arose from the 2018 Skip Day, the overwhelming popularity of the tradition won out, and EHS’ 2019 class was able to dive headfirst into a day of rewarding fun on April 23.

The senior skip day tradition started in the mid-’60s amidst the rising popularity of the cult classic, “The Sound of Music.” American students nationwide were inspired by English actress, singer and author Julie Andrews’ cheerful spirit and gait in the face of danger during the beginnings

of WWII and decided to create a day devoted to skipping down the halls of their own schools, serving as a powerful demonstration of free spirit in an oppressive academic regime.

Multiple frightened freshmen who had not known to get out of Dodge before the seniors arrived described the skippers as a giant mass of twelfth graders that moved in synchronization through the halls with pack-like instincts and a ruthless 1 2 1 2 hopping rhythm.

“It was horrible,” a freshman, who asked not to be named in fear of retribution from the skippers, said. “You could hear them coming from miles away, but nothing escaped them once they got to you. Backpacks, teachers, and even my limited edition 2002 Tony Hawk vape got trampled!”

The seniors continued to skip in place even during class, disconcerting many teachers. “I didn’t see a single soul behind any of their eyes,”

Frida Fredericks, EHS’ Scandinavian interpretive dance instructor, said. “The skipping completely entranced them.”

While no underclassmen or staff were seriously injured, multiple skippers were sent to the nurse's office with rolled ankles and leg cramps.

“Forget everything you know about CrossFit, ping pong and football; skipping is perhaps one of the most strenuous and dangerous sports out there,” 2013 Olympic gold medalist and 2006 Connecticut spelling bee champion Jeff Gilbertson said. “If you ask me, it should be banned.”

Despite criticism from students in the path of the skipping stampede, 98% of seniors reported skip day as a success, according to a Zephyrus survey, “It was just exhilarating to be able to skip with all of my friends, all day long,” senior Laura Summers said. “I wish everyday was skip day.”

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OPINION

"I believe it is really unfair that students were given an amazing opportunity to high-class schools just beacause their parents bought their way in," Liv Hackbarth, freshman

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Is it safe to go below the cuff for tattoos?

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Michael Crater incoming page editor

he vast majority of the students at Edina High School will turn 18 before they graduate, and though it’s legal for them to get a tattoo, it isn’t common. The widely shared disapproval of tattoos among parents, an arguably unfair view, limits the commonality of tattoos within the high school population. Some of the most artistic and creative minds are the ones currently in the classrooms, but they cannot share their artistic ideas to the world via ink and skin.

The issue is the stigma attached to tattoos, and how it affects the way parents feel about their children having them. The stigma is an assumption based on insufficient information. Whether through association with criminal activity or late-night drunken mishaps, it can discourage people from getting tattoos.

The issue is that in the eyes of the disapprovers, the few people who make regretful tattoo choices represent tattoo culture as a whole. It’s the classic situation of “the bad apple spoils the bunch.” What should be judged isn’t the fact that someone has a tattoo in general, but rather what the tattoo depicts.

Tattoos and the art within them are subjective to each viewer, so you should be respectful whether you like their tattoo or not. If parents can see tattoos this way, they may feel differently about them. High schools could have more

art by Tiffany Qian tattoo art throughout their hallways, and the world would consist of more self-expression and creativity.

For example, Isaac Horstman, a senior at Edina High School, talked about his journey towards getting a tattoo.

“My brother had some, my mom had some, and so I wanted

one,” Horstman said. “My mom had recently gotten a new tattoo that has a semi-colon, which is the sign for suicide awareness and prevention, so I decided I wanted to incorporate that into my tattoo design since I lost one of my friends to suicide, and I wanted to represent him.”

His decision to get a tattoo of something that meaningful to him is mature. He can remember his friend, and at the same time he can share creative art with the people around him. “That just ties in a deeper meaning for me,” Horstman said.

This leads to a good point: tattoos are permanent, so it can be a smart idea to think it over before marking yourself for life. “I set that image to the background of my phone and I left it there for basically a year and a half. I told myself that if I still liked it as much as I did when I set it by the time I took it off, then it would be smart enough for me to get it as a tattoo,” Horstman said. “I still like it as much as when I got it, so there’s no regrets. It was a lot of money, but if you’re going to invest in something permanent, you probably shouldn’t hold back.”

It is stories like these that illustrate how tattoos are a way to represent something meaningful through creative art. The art on Horstman’s arm holds meaning to him, and it’s deserving of respect. Seeing tattoos as the art that they are, no matter how you feel towards it, can erase the stigma surrounding it and open the door to a whole new world of creative artistic expression.

Elite colleges: worth it for some students, not others?

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Lily Jones outgoing editor-in-chief

nder “Operation Varsity Blues,” the FBI uncovered a scheme in which wealthy parents paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to get their children into elite colleges, in some cases by pretending to be recruited athletes. The scandal has undermined the prestige of these institutions and raised the question: do “elite colleges” deserve their reputations?

The answer is not simple. It depends on who the student is and what they look for in a college. For those that go to college seeking social mobility and job opportunities, elite colleges may not be the most advantageous choice.

Reputable research from the Equality of Opportunity project found, by surveying 10.8 million people born between 1980 and 1982, that low and mid-range colleges, rather than elite institutions, were the best at providing upward mobility for students. This is because less selective schools accept a larger number of students from low-income backgrounds and help them climb the income scale. They include schools like the City College of New York, Cal State Los Angeles, Pace University and Glendale Community College. These schools take more than a fifth of their students from the bottom fifth of the income scale, and all three are in the top 10 schools ranked by the share of students who move up two or more income quintiles.

Additionally, it’s important to note that elite institutions are typically significantly more expensive than state or community colleges. While a wealthy student might not find the weight of tuition burdensome, others leave elite colleges

with debilitating levels of student debt.

The value of a prestigious education also depends on the field the student wants to enter. In 2016, Brigham Young University released a study that found business and liberal-arts majors often need the prestige of an elite college under their belt to realize their future earnings expectations, whereas for fields like engineering and medicine it is less important.

Interestingly, Princeton University researcher Alan Krueger found that where you went to college was less important than which colleges you simply applied to, in deciding what income bracket graduates ended up in. This reinforces the idea that relative aptitude and aspirations are more important than what institutions are eventually selected by the student.

However, it’s important to note that elite colleges routinely produce the most top graduate school admits and scholarship winners. Education experts disagree as to whether this is simply because elite colleges attract the most adept and

art by Gilian Mousseau

motivated students or because these institutions have the best teaching and resources to prepare students.

The recent admissions scandal has raised more questions about the wealth of elite colleges, some that have endowments in the billions of dollars, and still heavily favor legacy admissions. These factors have started to erode the moral credibility of these colleges.

While these schools have aimed to increase diversity in recent years, most maintain a majority of white and wealthy students. To that point, the same study published by The Equality of Opportunity Project showed that 38 of the top-ranked colleges in the U.S. enrolled significantly more students coming from the top 1 percent of the income scale than from the entire lower 60 percent of the scale.

In a highly-ranked, competitive public school like Edina, it is not uncommon to hear upperclassmen obsess over “IvyLeagues” or other top universities. But, it may be increasingly true that these schools fall short for some students. If students, whether they go to M.I.T. or their local community college, have the same intellect and ambition, they can be making the same amount of money years later.

However, the ample alumnae connections, pioneering professors, and high-tech facilities make a strong case for why these schools stay at the top of university rankings. The reality seems to be that if you are a wealthy student from Edina, you may want to seek out the most intellectually stimulating, prestigious school despite the price tag. But if you are a lowincome student striving to make a livable income right away, your local community college may be better suited for your goals.

Do you know how much your lunch really costs?

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Eva Hadjiynas outgoing copy editor

While it is usually the parents’ money in the school lunch account, bad habits are hard to break so why not train the students to have inquisitive minds about pricing?

Furthermore, not knowing how much you are spending might make you spend more. Last year I bought a Naked Juice from the cafeteria a couple of times a week. After my dad asked why my account was emptying so quickly, I finally accessed the EPS website and found to my astonishment that the 10 oz smoothie costs $3.50. Had I known this information ahead of time, I may have chosen to buy a bottle of water instead, which is both larger and less expensive, coming in at only 80 cents.

It is easy to purchase lunch at EHS, but changes need to be made to the cafeteria signage before the lunchroom can foster healthy

spending habits. Students should be aware of how much items cost so that they can get in the habit of conscious spending. It is the school’s responsibility to provide transparency in pricing in both labels at the food stations and verbal or on-screen totals. photo by Margaret Sullivan

uying lunch in the Edina High School cafeteria seems easy and self-explanatory. A student enters the cafeteria, finds what they want, and checks out by simply punching in their student ID. Yet, they walk out of the cafeteria with no idea how much they spent.

Not being told the total amount of the purchase causes bad spending habits and decisions.

Students have a hard time keeping track of how much they spend due to a lack of listed prices and totals when buying food.

While finding prices is possible, it is not easy to spot at the time of purchase. Food prices are listed on the Edina Public School website and in packets that are sent to families at the beginning of the school year.

The “A La Carte” food items also have prices listed near the cafeteria. However, students that are buying lunch are not able to tell how much they are spending without going online because the prices are not listed near any of the food stations.

After choosing food to purchase, students plug in their ID number to check out. This is another chance to see how much they are spending because traditionally when purchasing something the customer finds out their total. In the lunchroom, however, the staff member finishes the transaction and does not inform the students of their total because they “[don’t] have the equipment to show or inform customers of their totals,” Director of Edina Schools Dining Service Dan Hutchinson said. The students also do not get the option of a receipt noting the purchase price of the transaction.

Tracking how much money one spends on lunch is a reality that everyone faces.

Students need to learn to be aware of pricing so that someday they can be responsible for their own money. The habit of not tracking spending could be carried over into the students’ lives beyond high school. When a student starts to use a credit card, the habit of just punching in the number and not tracking costs could translate into not caring how much they spend.

Keeping cool: Smoothie snack fridge located in the cafeteria.

HEAD TO HEAD

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Homework is a necessary part of education

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Matthew Hovelsrud incoming page editor

n an age when some believe that homework takes away from a child’s free time, it is important to remember how vital independent work is to a student’s success. However, some schools have even started to consider ending the longpracticed tradition of assigning homework, but homework remains a vital part of a student’s educational process, and it provides extra practice, independence similar to college, and proficiency in school.

The two factors that will ultimately determine a student’s grade are their ability to retain information and problem solving skills. When students do extra work at home, it helps them remember information and successfully apply that knowledge to tests. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “[homework] is important because it can improve children’s thinking and memory.” Without homework, students are expected to retain all the information they learned in class only by listening and practicing during that class.

During a seven-period day at Edina High School, classes are approximately 49 minutes long. With such a short amount of time, it would be impossible for students to learn, practice, and master information solely in class. Teachers often use the full class period to teach lessons or assign activities. If homework was removed, a teacher would have trouble finishing their year-long plans in time. If EHS adapted a no homework policy, students would no longer receive the benefits of an excellent high school education.

The famous saying “practice makes perfect” provides an additional example of how homework is vital to students’ success. Without practice, it is unrealistic to expect a student

to master a skill. Part of life is about learning and remembering material on your own in an effective way. At home assignments have been used as a tool to accomplish this since 1095. According to Home, a small educational blog, an Italian teacher named Roberto Nevilis invented homework because he experienced little improvement in his students’ knowledge after hours of work in the classroom, which exemplifies how homework improves class performance.

Some arguments for why students should not have homework include the feeling that homework causes too much stress, doesn’t allow kids to be kids, and is just busywork.

However, none of the arguments are valid or realistic.

The first argument hurts students more than it helps.

Homework does cause stress, but that’s what school is supposed to be: difficult, but still enriching. Life is hectic and students are expected to manage stress as an adult, but without homework, they will never be taught how to effectively manage stressful situations.

The second argument appears the most warranted, due to the lack of homework younger students receive. By removing homework, students in elementary school and middle school will gain between one to two hours of additional free time. However, the argument is valid in high school, because the homework load increases drastically. Although, the cons of removing homework assignments far outweighs the extra free-time, because without homework kids would never excel or learn valuable life lessons in school.

The final argument is not valid because it does not account for the nuances of homework. Although some classes and assignments may appear to be busywork, most homework only helps students to learn the material and master the course.

If homework was to be taken away completely, teachers

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would lose valuable class time to teach many of their lessons.

Overall, homework is a necessary part of every student’s education that helps them learn information in the long term, perform well on assignments and tests, and be successful in school and the world as an adult. Getting rid of homework would cause future generations to lack intelligence and valuable life experience.

Balancing stress and academic achievement:

“We should not have homework because we spend a lot of time at school, so when we get home, we need to have a break. I think our only homework should be studying for tests,” Sophia Boman, junior

“I think it’s kind of like teachers giving students busy work out of school, and it should be like an option,” Margo Prescott, junior

art pieces by Tiffany Qian

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Theo Teske incoming copy editor

omework is the bane of many students’ lives. As a result, many school districts around the country have begun to abolish or significantly reduce the homework load given to students. Should Edina adopt this same policy?

The answer is yes, without a doubt. Districts across the country have been eliminating homework, and the result is

far from catastrophic. For example, the Washington Post explains that the Marion County school district in Florida, which boasts 42,000 students, has implemented encouragement of daily reading instead of homework, boosting student performance.

Furthermore, very few teachers assign homework effectively. The American Psychological Association stresses that many teachers have received little to no training on what kind of work to assign, how much to assign, or even why homework is assigned in the first place.

A lack of knowledge about homework is a systemic issue among teachers. The Learning Scientists, an organization devoted to academic research on education, notes that the large majority of teacher-training textbooks don’t cover homework at all, and teacher-prep programs and schools of education fail to cover this material as well.

Homework doesn’t even effectively prepare students for standardized tests. Math can be learned through repetition, but reading comprehension, a very prominent skill on standardized tests, is not boosted through homework. That’s why the America Prospect, a liberal public policy journal, finds that many students in the United States are woefully underprepared for standardized tests, and the current approach taken by schools is wrong.

Even worse is that there can be very serious health concerns as a result of homework. A study by the Better Sleep Council found that homework is one of the top causes of stress for all teenagers. The study continues that on average,

teenagers spend 15 hours a week on homework. This intensive schedule translates into 79% of teens not getting enough sleep (eight hours) on a regular basis.

When students have less time to take care of themselves, their health worsens. A study from Stanford’s Graduate School of Education concluded that students experience headaches, exhaustion, weight loss, and stomach problems due to heavy homework loads. Beyond the physical effects, students also have less time to spend on extracurriculars and hobbies, making moods worse and depression more likely.

Finally, homework may contribute to economic inequality as well. As noted by the Atlantic, 90% of students say that their homework requires use of the internet at some point in any given month, which creates issues when some students don’t have internet access or even technology to connect to the internet.

Considering that homework is a large determinant of academic success in the current system, when some students can’t complete the assignments their grades take the hit.

Because school is so crucial to future job opportunities, this system only creates a cycle of poverty wherein the children of the poorest in society are forced to remain impoverished, keeping families at the bottom of the economic ladder for generations.

Homework now is assigned poorly, creates health issues, and furthers inequality. If eliminating it already works for many school districts in the United States, what is Edina waiting for?

Homework does more harm than good

SPORTS

“I think that volleyball can be played by anybody, because both sides should be allowed to play in any sport,” Vinny Sunberg, senior

Thursday, May 2, 2019

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infographic by Alexis Yi

AOTM: Macy Nilsen Alex Stenman incoming head staff writer needed for the next season. It was helpful that he was there to always make sure I was keeping up with my goals,” Nilsen said.

Nilsen joins a vast incoming freshman class for basketball at Jamestown, and is looking forward to playing there. After many successful seasons at Edina, she’s optimistic about her future in the sport and hopes to leave a lasting impact at yet another girls’ basketball program. photo courtesy of Macy Nilsen

n March, senior athlete Macy Nilsen’s name appeared on the Minnesota 4A Basketball All-State Honorable Mentions list. This was her second consecutive year earning the title, which is given out by the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association every year to an elite group consisting of less than thirty of the best female high school basketball players statewide.

Nilsen accomplished this feat despite Edina being in one of the most difficult high school basketball conferences in the entire state, including the undefeated state champion, the Hopkins Royals.

Nilsen, who has already committed to playing basketball at the University of Jamestown in the fall, says these consecutive accolades are some of the best she’s ever received simply because of the challenging competition she’s had to adapt to as a member of the varsity basketball team.

“Playing [on the Edina team] has taught me to adjust to new roles and things I’m not used to just because that’s what the team needs from me,” Nilsen said. “You don’t get to recruit or pick who is on the team so you kinda just have to play the cards you’re dealt, and that’s a valuable skill to have.”

Nilsen’s basketball roots lead back to her father, who has been the Edina Girls’ Basketball head coach for the past eleven years, and her mother, who played basketball and volleyball in college. She also looks up to other female basketball stars like Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx.

“My dad [being the coach] has definitely kept me motivated in basketball. Because he was also my coach, he would see me every day so he would always know what kind of help I

Reaching new heights: Macy Nilsen looks forward to her basketball career at Jamestown.

EHS Boys’ Volleyball brings a new sport to students

Girls’ Golf Team prepares for fifth state title

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Anjali Aralikar outgoing beat lead

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ue to the successfull Edina Senior Michael McDonald can agree.

Girls Volleyball season last fall, “We’ve all increased our vertical from volleyball is definitely on most (height they can jump) about 2.5 inches people’s radar. Even though the season to 3,” McDonald estimated. ended, EHS Girls’ Volleyball’s fans can Like many other EHS sports, the still see more volleyball through the leaders already have plans to turn it creation of the new boys’ club, having into a varsity sport. “We have all the started just this year. “We just started qualifications, but we haven’t been this year, so it’s kind of a mess right around for more than 5 years. Therefore, now, because no one really knows what MSHSL cannot quantify it as a sport. they’re doing, but it’s fun; it’s inclusive.

Once [it] has been around for more than We have a lot of different people from a 5 years, they can make that switch into lot of different backgrounds,” senior Matt the MSHSL bracket, making it a sport,” Johnson said.

McDonald said.

The idea for the club was born when In the end, the team is really just one of the referees for the girls’ team, about having fun and bringing more EHS science teacher Mr. Krause, sugpeople towards a sport that may be new gested having a team for the boys as to many EHS students “It requires a lot well. After that, the club took off. “A of focus. It’s a craft that you definitely bunch [of] my friends were like ‘why have to practice,” Graham said. don’t we do it, like just for fun and see how things go,”’ junior Arthur Graham said.

With the team being so new, most of the players on it were also new to the sport.

“We’re all just mutually bad together,” Johnson said. As all sports go, however, lots of hard work and practice can make anyone improve. “We’re all absolutely getting better,” Johnson said.

Going for the return: EHS Boys’ Volleyball club competes against Wayzata.

photo by Sophie Charnell

photo by Brennen Merriam

hich sport at Edina High School has best on the golf course.

14 clubs and a four-year winning Playing as a team is a crucial area of imstreak? The Girls’ Golf Team, who provement for the team. Although golf is mainly kicked off their 2019 spring season on April 3 an individual sport, everyone’s individual scores with tryouts. As one of the most dominant teams contribute to an overall team score. Olsen bein the state, the team is eagerly looking forward lieves one of last season’s mistakes involved foto recapturing the state title. cusing on the individual aspect of golf. “People This season’s captains are eager to lead their got into their heads and tried to win on their own team to success. Senior Dasha Parker has been and not as a team,” Olsen said. golfing since she was five years old, and to her, To remedy this, the captains encourage the being a captain is all about inclusion. “It means team to play as late coach Ann Dickey, who making sure every person feels like they’re died of cancer in 2017, would have wanted them contributing and being a part of the team,” to play, with a focus on the team aspect of the Parker said. This season, she wants to make sure game. “She inspired us to play with a positive everyone is working hard while still enjoying the mindset and to grow as people not just as golfgame. ers,” Parker said.

Senior captain Kendall Olsen joined the team With this mindset, the captains hope to make in eighth grade. Her role is not something she the team inclusive and enjoyable to all new and takes lightly, noting that she“know[s] what it was returning members. Obviously, they envision like being younger and looking up to captains.” winning their fifth state title, but they also beShe is excited to be a role model for the next lieve the road to the championship will be paved generation of Edina golfers. with good memories and experiences.

The team is constantly under a lot of pressure. “There’s a lot of other districts that look to us because we won state the last four years in a row,” Parker said.

Because of this pressure, Parker does not believe the team’s main goal is winning another title. “Our main goal is enjoying the season while it lasts and making sure that we remember who we are and why we’re playing golf rather than focusing on winning,” she said.

Parker believes the winning mindset is stressful and keeps Smiling under the sun: EHS Girl’s Golf takes a break from hitting. players from performing their

Arthur Boettge incoming page editor