Issue 8 - May, 2017

www.edinazephyrus.com

May 5, 2017| 37:8

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What’s Inside?

News..........................4 Link Crew, St. Thomas student shooting, and more edited by: CC Orth

Politics.......................5 Human Rights in Syria, Chechnyan “Concentration camps,” and Neil Gorsuch edited by: Eva Hadjiyanis

Features......................6 Check out the longest Snap streak and the Robotics team! edited by: Lily Jones

In-depth.................8 & 9 All things Generation-Z: Trends, Fads, Memes edited by: Brooke Sheehy

Features.....................10 Seniors enlisting and summer mission trips edited by: Matthew Egger

Opinion.............11 & 12 Are humans inherently good or bad? edited by: Morgan Sheehy

Culture.............13 & 14 Underrated TV shows and what’s new on Netflix edited by: Anjali Aralikar & Greyson Mize

Sports..............................................15 Athlete of the Month: Anna Klein and women on the trap team edited by: Simone Vaillancourt

Humor.............................................16 EHS is mad for Mad Libs edited by: Emma Bailey

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EDITORIAL

Keeping an Open Mind

Dear Edina High School, At this point, it’s no secret that the entire Edina Public School District will be seeing some major changes next year. There will be new principals at two different schools, the high school will be completely renovated, and we will have a new superintendent.

These changes will be hard, especially at first. Half of our student body will be new next year, and with the aforementioned administration adjustments, the difficulty of these transitions may be exacerbated by the general inexperience of everyone involved. However, it’s crucial that we band together as Hornets and embrace these changes in order to come out successful on the other side.

Despite the difficulty of working to adjust and adapt to a new situation, it is the only way these changes will go smoothly. Keeping an open mind is of utmost importance. We can judge these changes before they come, but learning to accept what we can’t change shows the character Edina is known for. It’s also important that we keep an open mind about the new administration. It’s inevitable that high schoolers will criticize their superiors. However, we have to give the new administration a shot at shaping their own image before we shape it for them. After all, it’s a hard job, and we students don’t exactly have a wealth of experience running a high school. We need to be understanding, especially with those who are doing their best to help us.

As much as we hate to admit it, change is generally for the better. No matter how much we protest, change is coming to Edina High School. Our options as students Gillian Mousseau and Andy are to accept these changes or to complain. Either way, Youngstrom (Cover & Inside Cover) these changes will happen. We all have a right to voice Incoming Editorial Board Page Editors Photographers Outgoing Editorial Board our grievances, but in spite of that, we have to remember Ben Gustafson, print editor in chief Lily Jones Josie Al-Najim Lillie Westbrook, print editor in chief the importance of keeping an open mind if we want these Jenna Simon, online editor in chief Eva Hadjiyanis Grace Wolf Isabel Thompson, online editor in chief Maren Naegele, manager Morgan Sheehy changes be successful and next year to be enjoyable for Uma Bhati Christina Orth, public relations editor Max North, art editor Brooke Sheehy Nikki Lund, art editor us all.

Ellery Mahlum, print copy editor Matthew Egger Artists Colette Bruder, print copy editor Tanner Jones, online copy editor Greyson Mize Gage Aulik Anne Amen, online copy editor Sincerely, Cecilia Orth Katie Schiller Rebecca Edgington, human resources editor Zoe Cheung, photography editor Greta Morton, head staff writer Gillian Mousseau Anjali Aralikar Will Schwinghammer Will Schwinghammer, head staff writer Emma Bailey Advisor head staff writer Simone Vaillancourt Sally Larkins

Zephyrus Staff

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 an open forum for student expression that recognizes the First Amendment guarentee of freedom of the press, and abides by Tinker standard. Opinions published in Zephyrus do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff, advisor, administration, or entire student body. Submissions and letters are printed based on space available. Anonymous letters may be printed only if a Zephyrus advisor or editor knows the author’s identity.

Letters should be mailed to the school or given to the advisor or a staff member. Zephyrus reserves the right to edit any letters for clarity and length.

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NEWS

Link Crew

University of St. Thomas Student Accidentally Shot

Ellery Mahlum print copy editor

Anna Gratzer outgoing staff writer

photo courtesy of St. Thomas University

MN Fish Threatened by Chemical Contamination The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies recently reported that lakes throughout the Northern United States and Canada are at risk of reaching dangerously high levels of chloride.

This pollution is caused by the excessive use of rock salt during the winter season for the improvement of road conditions.

The Cary Institute’s research revealed that of the 371 lakes studied in the region, lakes within the Twin Cities experienced the most dramatic increase in chloride contamination due to the high density of roads and sidewalks in the urban area. For instance, since 1985, the Mississippi River’s salt concentration levels have increased by 81 percent.

This pollution threatens the wildlife which depend upon the Northern US’s numerous fresh

bodies of water. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, one teaspoon of rock salt is enough to permanently pollute five gallons of water. This level of contamination would render many Minnesota lakes uninhabitable to native fish and plants. If salt pollution continues, the study predicts that lakes in the Twin Cities will be lifeless within the next 30 years.

Salt pollution also has dangerous effects on Minnesota groundwater. The MPCA reported that an estimated 30 percent of wells in the Twin Cities contain concerning levels of chloride.

Around 75 percent of Minnesotans receive their drinking water from groundwater wells.

Many environmental campaigns across the Northern United States have started advocating for a more conservative use of rock salt by businesses and homeowners. Avoiding the use of unnecessary amounts of salt is the best way to fight against chloride contamination.

Coming Soon to EHS...

Maren Naegele manager

Christina Orth outgoing public relations editor The Edina Library at 5280 Grandview Square is scheduled to undergo construction starting April 10, and will be closed for approximately four months. The project includes improvements to interactive learning spaces, the addition of quiet study and reading rooms, and the integration of technology throughout the building.

More seating and power plugins will be available for patrons, and the new design takes advantage of the building’s natural lighting.

Additionally, Edina’s 42-yearold Hennepin County Southdale Library is scheduled for site planning for the teardown at City of Edina public meetings in 2017.

There has not been a date set for construction. The project includes tear down and construction that will replace the existing library at its current location at 7001 York Ave South in Edina.

rton

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Edina Library Changes...

art by Greta Mo

photo by Grace Wolf

Tired of looking at the same course catalog? Well, you are in luck! Next year, Edina High School is offering a couple new classes that could spark a new passion or interest for many EHS students. Check out a few below.

Business Professionals of America (BPA) Student Store: BPA offers real-life opportunities to EHS students interested in business. From learning leadership skills, to writing a resume, to creating original graphic design work, or even having the opportunity to participate in the new EHS spirit store, BPA is a new class that cultivates business acumen on a level never before seen at our high school.

AP Computer Science class is sure to deepen your Principles: This course offers musical knowledge. Both classes an introduction to a broad field are divided into 3 sections that of computer science topics, not include aural skills (ear training, just one specific programming sight singing, melodic dictation), language. Students are encouraged writing skills (harmony and to express their creativity through chord building) and rhythmic solving problems, creating apps, skills (Dalcroze movement and and building a digital portfolio. rhythmic dictation exercises).

African American History: Make sure you are familiar with Want to study the roots of African note reading and instrumental or American History? Through this vocal music background if you’re course, students get to learn the interested in this class! history of injustice, prejudice, and discrimination that African American’s have had to face for centuries and continue to face something. Above all, students get to explore the richness of African American culture.

Music Theory Composition: Whether you are interested in Interested in business? Join the an introductory or advanced BPA spirit store! music theory, this composition

photo by Max North

If you haven’t already heard from the posters surrounding the school or the numerous announcements from Mr. Franske over the loudspeaker, Link Crew is a new program coming to Edina High School to help ease the transition of the ninth and tenth graders into the high school. The four teachers and one counselor coordinating this new program are Noah Franske (Math), Ryann Longley (Science), Allison Ronglien (Science), Dylan Hackbarth (Counseling), and Jon Buckley (English).

When asked why he got involved with Link Crew, Mr. Franske said, “The five of us do our best to promote this kind of positive environment in our classrooms and our lives all the time. When we heard about the opportunity to extend that energy to the entire school through a program like Link Crew, we jumped at the chance.” Next year, select juniors and seniors will be mentoring incoming freshmen and sophomores, each one guiding a small group of about ten students. These positive role models will provide the 1400 new underclassmen advice and ensure that their transition into a new school in a new building runs effortlessly. Link leaders will check in with their group of underclassmen during the new advisory time next year and will follow up with them outside of school where they can connect on a more individual basis.

“The goal of Link Crew is simple.

We want to create a positive culture at EHS where ALL students feel included and want to come to school every day!” said Mr. Franske. Link Crew connects positive leaders and incoming freshmen together to form a lasting relationship The Link Crew coordinators (from left that will help integrate them into the to right): Longley, Hackbarth, Buckley, high school community. It’s proven that Ronglien, and Franske. having a positive experience the first

On Friday, April 7 at approximately 8:25 p.m., a University of St. Thomas student was accidentally shot in his dorm room located in Flynn Hall. A student was handling his gun in a nearby room when it mistakenly discharged, which caused the bullet to propel through a shared wall, grazing the top of the victim’s head. The injured student was then taken to the hospital immediately in need of surgery. However, he is now in stable condition and doctors are anticipating a full recovery. Authorities determined that the shooter did have a valid permit for their gun. Regardless, firearms are strictly forbidden from University of St. Thomas’ campus. Although the University did not identify either of the students involved, Fox News revealed the victim to be Paul Rousseau, age 22. St. Paul police are currently investigating the situation to determine whether or not the shooting was truly as accidental as it appears. The shooter is no longer on campus and will face consequences for his mistake. One EHS graduate that currently attends St. Thomas, Matilda McFerson, reflected on this event. “I was very surprised...because UST has a no gun policy.” McFerson said, “My thoughts go out to that student, hoping they recover quickly.”

Jenna Simon online editor in chief

year of high school can lead to increased success throughout your high school career. The program also helps create an anti-bullying environment where students are more interconnected and care about respecting themselves and others.

Link Crew is not just a program at Edina, but is implemented in schools around the country. The Boomerang Project certifies teachers to be Link Crew leaders through training conferences, preparing them to implement this training into their school’s orientation day for the incoming students. The teachers work with the leaders to create a fun, spirited environment for the incoming students who will receive a tour of the school and get acquainted with the other students and Link leaders.

Every teacher coordinating Link Crew has gone to a three day training program that prepares them for the best and most effective ways to implement this new program in our school.

A lot of effort has been put into making this new program successful at our high school and hopefully it will welcome the freshmen into the high school next year and ease one of the many transitions that will be taking place.

To stay updated, follow the Link Crew Twitter account @EdinaLinkCrew!

POLITICS

Gorsuch: Scalia 2.0 Concentration Camp in Chechnya Lily Jones page editor

photo courtesy of ABC News

On April 7, 10th circuit federal judge Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the United States Supreme Court on a 54-45 vote along party lines after nearly two months of Senate debate.

After his nomination by President Trump on January 31, Senate Democrats mobilized to resist Trump’s pick, their efforts parallelling the Republicans’ treatment of Obama nominee Merrick Garland last year. Since Antonin Scalia’s death last February left the seat vacant, the high court has stood at a precarious 4-4 liberal-conservative split. The opening on the bench has left politicians scrambling and hoping to reshape the nature of the court.

Despite the resistance from Democrats that Gorsuch faced during the confirmation process, he has an indisputably impressive resume. After graduating from Columbia, Harvard, and Oxford, he clerked for two Supreme Court justices, worked at the Department of Justice, and ultimately was appointed by President George W. Bush to the 10th Circuit Court.

Gorsuch, who will take office shortly, has prompted many Americans to wonder how he might change legal precedent. Most legal analysts agree that this confirmation won’t fundamentally change the leaning of the court because Gorsuch is very similar to his predecessor, Scalia. Scalia strictly followed the legal ideology of originalism, which states that the court ought to interpret the constitution as it was understood at the time of its conception over 200 years ago. Originalists consider only the words of the law being reviewed, not legislators’ intent or the consequences of the decision. Gorsuch is likely to follow in Scalia’s footsteps and abide by the same legal philosophy during his time on the court.

A few of his more conservative beliefs worry liberals. He has taken strong stands in favor of religious freedom, as well as a broad view of the Fourth Amendment, which bars unreasonable government searches and seizures. He has also raised controversy on labor decisions, being called anti-union and anti-worker for favoring corporations over employees in several cases. He will likely provide the fifth vote on a case making employees allowed to “free ride” on the backs of union members. “Unions will have an increasingly difficult time raising the money necessary to pay for the negotiations that give employees those benefits,” said Adam Winkler, professor of constitutional law at UCLA. Liberals also have good reason to worry about future Supreme Court decisions on women’s rights. President Trump promised his supporters to only nominate judges who will overturn Roe vs. Wade, and even through Gorsuch has never ruled on abortion, he has shown a willingness to limit women’s access to health care, allowing Trump to follow through on his promise. In all, the court will return to a very familiar dynamic, with the moderate Justice Kennedy holding the decisive vote in many divisive cases.

Gorsuch’s swearing in on April 7

photo courtesy of dazed.com

Greyson Mize page editor

On April 1, the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta published an article uncovering a shocking atrocity. Reportedly, more than 100 men in Chechnya who are rumored to be gay have been abducted and taken to a concentration camp in the North Caucasus area where they are tortured for information and sick amusement. Russian LGBT activists think these actions could Aerial view of the camp in Chechnya be a response to an earlier attempt to organize humiliate them by saying, ‘This is your a pride parade in Chechnya, resulting in the husband,’ or ‘This is your son. He’s gay, do government increasing their efforts to get rid of what you have to do with him.’ The implication gay men in the region. is that in a highly traditional Chechen society, Although this news has spurred national being gay is a stain on your family’s honor. It outrage, such offences against minorities have stains the clan, so this can provide the rationale occurred previously in Chechnya. Former Vice for an honor killing.”

President Joe Biden released a statement on While honor killings are horrible in their April 14, affirming the need to assist LGBT own way, the Chechen concentration camp is people escaping Russia and acknowledging not a response to a personal offense, but instead the Russian territory’s poor political record. a message from the government that LGBT “Unfortunately, the human rights abuses Russians will not be tolerated. The selection perpetrated by Chechen authorities and the seems to have been done in waves, the first culture of impunity that surrounds them means group of men suspected to be gay rounded up in that these hate crimes are unlikely to ever be early March and the second at the beginning of properly investigated or that the perpetrators April. The Novaya Gazeta has already identified will see justice,” he said. “But that does not three men that have been killed inside this mean that we should fail to defend basic human camp, with a promise of more to come. Those rights, fundamental freedoms, and universal who are not killed are tortured using heavy values.” electrical currents and physical force, aiming to In response to the outcry against the get information concerning other gay Chechens concentration camp, Chechen authorities denied from the prisoners. the existence of gay men in Russia, insisting Multiple detainees have escaped, going into that if they did exist, their families would kill hiding and sharing their stories through aliases them. While Putin has been asked to condemn to news sources. Many speak of cramped rooms the abductions, his only response has been to and abuse, one escapee telling Novaya Gazeta insist the Russian government “does not have he had paid the Chechen police thousands of any reliable information about any problems in rubles a month to ensure his safety before being this area.” arrested anyway.

Rachel Denber of the Human Right Watch Ekaterina Sokirianskaia, Russia project explained the Chechen attitude towards LGBT director for the International Crisis Group, individuals in an interview with Michelle told MailOnline: “The story is very much Garcia. “In some cases, the authorities developing...victims are escaping.”

T h e U N ’s P o l i c y o n G e n o c i d e Anne Amen outgoing online copy editor

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Sudan...has been fiercely resisted by the country’s officials, fueling pessimism over the prospects of them ever deploying,” according to foreignpolicy.com. Furthermore, key contributor Kenya currently refuses to participate in the process. In concurrence with the UN policy of internal discipline in opposition to genocide, “in some areas, Sudan has acted or made promises to act, but more time is needed to assess its commitment. And it has not begun to dismantle the architecture of these abuses,” according to Human Rights Watch.

The United Nations’ continued policy of primarily internal management of genocide falls apart in countries that have no system in place to discipline the guilty party. In addition, the international community’s reluctance to take decisive action against militant genocidal groups results in the continued targeting and destruction of innocent communities.

Despite the UN’s denunciation of genocide in policy, the organization is taking little practical action to prevent its repeated occurrence across the world.

The UN symbol over the Syrian flag art by Anjali Aralikar

The United Nations Office on the Prevention of Genocide condemns genocide as a crime under international law which the world has a responsibility to prevent and to punish. Despite this denunciation, genocidal conflicts still occur across the world. The UN identifies the root cause of genocide as “the gross inequalities associated with [identity related] differences in terms of access to power and resources, social services, development opportunities and the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms.” However, despite its clear understanding of what causes genocide, the UN has failed to resolve some of the most pressing current genocides, including the Sudanese conflict against non-Arab populations and the targeting of the Yezidi people in Iraq by terrorist cell ISIS. One reason for the UN’s silence may be their belief that “the duty to prevent and halt genocide and mass atrocities lies first and foremost with the State” (un.org), but political climate and policies within the affected region often make local action difficult or impossible.

Combined with a stagnation of interest from the international community, this policy results in ongoing atrocities.

In the case of Iraq, internal aid is virtually unattainable; according to Human Rights Watch, “Iraq has no provisions in its domestic law for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.” A committee was recently established by the

Kurdish government to attempt to document and investigate the massacre of the Yezidis, which resulted in thousands of fatalities and the mass displacement of the Yezidis to refugee camps. However, no captured ISIS members have been investigated for their crimes, with the exception of several unfair trials. In response, the UN convention officially declared genocidal circumstances in Iraq and enacted “plans to process (government-assisted and privately sponsored) refugee cases out of northern Iraq,” according to TheStar.com. However, these plans currently apply only to Syrian refugees, and would bring no relief to the Yazidis languishing in nine camps in the Kurdish region. Furthermore, efforts to save specific groups are difficult because according to UN.org, a selection of UN representatives believe that selectivity in addressing extremism should be avoided: “Protecting certain religions alone presented certain risks; victims should not be identified according to their faith.”

In Sudan, recent years have seen attacks concentrated against the civilian Darfuri population. Carried out by a government-funded and armed militia, these attacks were the first genocide of the 21st century, continuing today. In recent years, the UN has attempted to take action, with the United States finally proposing an arms embargo against Sudan after a delay of more than two years. However, “a separate U.S.-backed push by the United Nations to send more than 4,000 additional U.N. peacekeeping reinforcements to South

FEATURES

It’s Nerf (f )or Nothing Will Schwinghammer head staff writer With spring finally here, an age-old Edina High School tradition has come with the warm weather.

The annual Nerf Assassins games kick off at the beginning of every April. This year, as usual, the seniors and juniors have a joint game, while the sophomores play separately. Nerf Assassins involves finding members of other teams and shooting them with a foam Nerf dart, then tweeting a picture of the “kill” as proof. Teams are required to tag two opponents each week in order to stay in the game, and the last team remaining wins the cash pot. The Edina Public School District does not condone the game, and cautions participating students to be careful while playing. This year, 271 students took part in the upperclassmen game, with a total cash pot of $1,355. The sophomores had 356 players register, with a total pool of $1,780.

Nerf Assassins is organized by a group of students known as the commissioners, despite the district’s official statement that the game is not sanctioned.

The commissioners of the 2017 upperclassmen game are seniors Macs Balcer, Quinn Smith, Johnny Wedl, Luke Cohen, Jake Epple, and Gracie Taylor.

According to the commissioners, they inherited the responsibility of organizing the 2017 Nerf Assassins

game from last year’s coordinator, Ryan Spades.

In addition to their roles as managers, the game commissioners are also participating in this year’s Nerf Assassins. They still feel that they will be able to ethically perform in both capacities. “We are not too concerned about conflict of interest due to the fact that we have all the power being that we are holding the money,” said the commissioners, speaking collectively. The commissioners keep the money secure during the game, and transfer it directly by hand to the winning team.

As a result of the game being banned on school grounds, most of the action takes place without the watchful eyes of the commissioners, meaning that deciding who has been killed is left up to the honor of those playing. Players are required to tweet a picture of their “victims” to the game’s official Twitter, but this casual reporting system can lead to some controversy. Since they can’t tell what did or didn’t happen, the commissioners are sometimes confronted with the need to make a judgement call.

“We don’t necessarily catch cheaters as much as analyze situations and decide amongst ourselves to see who should move on or not,” said the commissioners. This may not always be completely accurate, but the commissioners strive to deliver the most just and fair results possible with every controversy.

Senior May Term

Edina’s Longest Snapstreaks Since its initial launch in 2015, the popularity of Snapchat’s snapstreaks has been rapidly growing with Edina High School students.

The Snapchat app tracks and records the number of days in a row two users send snaps to each other. These continuous days are known as the users’ “snapstreaks.” Zephyrus asked, and you responded. Here are a few of Edina’s longest streaks:

743 Days

Christian Ramirez & Megan Meckey

672 Days

Paola Reyes & Paulina Garduno

658 Days

Margaret Brandt & Middy Hoffman photos courtesy of Zoe Cheung

Edina Robotics: World Champs?

Christina Orth outgoing public relations editor

photo courtesy of gofundme. com

Senior May Term is an off-campus experience for seniors to connect what they’ve learned at Edina High School to the real world. This educational opportunity allows students to independently create their personal learning programs by combining critical thinking skills with their interests. EHS seniors Josh Everts, Julia Eckberg, and Lucy Rankin are planning to explore their passions through their senior May Term projects.

Josh Everts for the Future Along with senior Nico Iskos, Everts will be outfitting an existing bike with electric components to make an electric bike. Their project, “E-bikes as Sustainable Transportation for the Future,” focuses on finding cheaper alternatives to make the electric bike more accessible. “I’m most excited to ride the electric bike when we’re done,” said Everts. His advice to incoming seniors doing SMT is to, “start early”. We weren’t sure what we wanted to do, so figuring early what you want to do and who you want to do with would be the best way to do it,” said Everts.

Julia Eckberg’s Helping Hands While Everts will be staying in-state, Eckberg’s project takes her out of the state to Taos, New Mexico. She’ll be joined by seniors Rachel Wittmer, Rayna Fordahl, and Katherine Johns to build a home for a family in need. They’ve partnered up with Habitat for Humanity, an international, non-governmental, and nonprofit organization, as a part of the organization’s Collegiate Challenge. “I’m excited to actually go and build because that’s something that I would never do here. I feel like I could learn some useful trade skills that might come in handy, you never know!” said Eckberg. Their goal is to raise $750 by May 14 to help cover the expenses for equipment, materials, and professional staff to build a home. Visit www.gofundme. com/habitatforhumanity-Taos to donate to their cause.

Lucy Rankin to the Rescue Rankin will be volunteering with local dog rescue agency Underdog Rescue to help organize adoption events, communicate with local businesses, and reach out to families looking to adopt. Underdog Rescue is a foster-based rescue organization dedicated to rehabilitating and placing dogs in permanent homes that Rankin has volunteered with in the past. “It’s a great opportunity to give me more business experience, and since I’m going to major in something business-related it’ll help me in the long run,” said Rankin. Her advice for incoming seniors? “Pick something you’re actually going to enjoy and will help you, don’t just do it to get out of class,” said Rankin.

Habitat for Humanity building a home

Simone Vaillancourt page editor The Edina High School robotics team, the Green Machine, will travel to St. Louis, Missouri this month to participate in the FIRST Robotics World Championships. The team earned a spot at the championships when they won the Regional Chairman’s award in Duluth previously this year. They later qualified a second time by winning the Regional Engineering Inspiration Award at the University of Minnesota.

FIRST Robotics is a world-wide program that focuses on inspiring youth and young adults to get engaged in STEM (science, technology, math, and engineering).

The program holds hundreds of regional competitions around the United States, and has recently established competitions in Europe and Asia. Each year, 600 winning teams from all of these areas come together to compete at the FIRST Robotics World Championships.

The Green Machine has been a registered FIRST Robotics Competition team since 2005, and, in their 12th year, will be attending the world championships for the tenth time. At the competition, the team’s robot will compete in matches against other robots to score points and help their alliances win.

“FIRST Championships is another opportunity for our team to compete with [our robot],” said Aiden Swann, who operates the team’s robot at competitions. “This is an important event for the team to demonstrate our hard work this season, both with our robot and awards like Engineering Inspiration and Chairman’s.”

The Green Machine is busy preparing for

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their trip to St. Louis; before leaving, they hope to make sure that their competition robot is running smoothly. This means hours spent in the workshop and lots of time devoted to brainstorming and planning competition strategy. “Our build and programming subteams have spent the last two weeks making our robot and coding ready for champs.

Specifically, we are modifying the [gears and robot code] to work more often,” added Swann.

“We have also been working on refining our judge presentations.”

By winning the Regional Engineering Inspiration Award, the Green Machine’s championship travel fee will be paid for by NASA. The team will also have the opportunity to give their award-winning Chairman’s presentation at the world championships, giving them a chance to be featured in the FIRST Robotics Hall of Fame.

Team Safety Captain Brandon Schenck was part of the Chairman’s Award presentation team, a group of three students who worked to sum up the team’s yearly accomplishments for judges at each competition. Schenck looks forward to giving the presentation again, and is equally excited to be competing against other FIRST teams on a global scale. “This is the biggest FIRST event of the season and personally, my favorite,” said Schenck, “I am excited to meet teams from all around the world and see how their robots compete! This event is where our team needs to be at it’s best.”

The Green Machine will compete in several matches throughout the competition, which lasts from April 26th to the 29th. Update: As of April 30, the Green Machine ranked 26th overall in the Carson division.

IN-DEPTH

Generation

Z

An inside look at the culture of our generation

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FEATURES

School’s Out for Summer Anna Gratzer staff writer

Margaret Ahmann Elects to Enlist

The summer is a time to kick back, relax and enjoy doing nothing. However, many graduating seniors take the opportunity to travel on amazing trips during the summer. The destinations vary, but the purpose is the same: seniors want to go on an unforgettable adventure before they leave for post-secondary education or careers, and Zephyrus has discovered some of the coolest summer plans.

In early June, senior Alexandra Joas will travel to France with her mother, two of her cousins and her aunt.

“I’m going to France, but more specifically Paris, and to the Normandy area, Omaha and then Bordeaux,” said Joas. This trip is an opportunity for Joas to improve her extensive knowledge of French and reconnect with French culture. “What inspired this trip is that after fifth grade I went on a Back To Back Trip with Normandale [Elementary School] and so I really wanted to go back to France after that,” she said. Joas will have a busy ten days filled with sightseeing and much more. “I’m most excited about speaking French with the people, being immersed in the culture, and of course good French food,” reflected Joas.

Another Edina High School senior will spend her vacation on the west coast of the United States. “I am going to California for a month,” said Makena Naegele.

This student has a personal connection to California.

“I used to live there, my family is there,” said Naegele.

As of yet, Naegele plans on going on this adventure by herself. “Anybody who wants to go is welcome. But I’m going by myself,” she said. Besides enjoying the sun, Naegele will spend time with family and friends. “I am most looking forward to going to Disneyland and to see my friends,” said Naegele, “I’m really excited.”

Another EHS senior who will be traveling abroad is Addie Christianson. “Right after graduation, I am taking a ship to England. It is a week long ocean-liner trip. And then I am going to be spending five days in London,” she said. Christianson will be going on this two-week long journey with her grandparents and brother as a graduation present. “My grandparents always wanted to do something special. They took my cousin to Paris when he graduated and it something that they always wanted to do,” said Christianson.

Although, these trips sound like a lot of fun, they also require vast amounts of planning and preparation.

“Some of the biggest challenges may be budgeting.

Packing, figuring out what to pack,” said Naegele. Even some of the logistics of traveling can create problems. “I would advise you to know how to navigate in an airport especially internationally,” said Joas.

Overall these EHS students encourage others to follow suit and travel whenever the opportunity presents itself. “Traveling is fun,” said Christianson. Naegele summed it all up saying, “Have fun. Be spontaneous.”

Colette Bruder outgoing print copy editor As seniors at Edina High School make future plans, several have bravely elected to enlist in the military.

Senior Margaret Ahmann began contemplating this idea a few years ago. She said, “I’ve always tried to be like my grandfather. He was a strong man and very successful in the military. I’d like to unique and be part of something more than myself. I want to make a difference serving.” Her grandfather’s and great grandfather’s service in both the navy and the army inspired her to enlist as well. “There’s no better route to go than that so I picked it,” Ahmann said.

Unfortunately, Ahmann has faced backlash from her peers, but that hasn’t tampered her excitement. After receiving backlash from her peers because of her choice to enlist, Ahmann said, “Most people are choosing college and that’s great too but I’d like to do something different. There are so many benefits you can get out of going to the military and it bugs me that people don’t see that...but I don’t let it get in the way.” She already feels the other recruits are “a second family” and describes them as her “brothers and sisters.” They all share the same patriotic goal, however, enlisting in the military involves much more than loving

the United States. Ahmann spent a day and a half at a hotel where she went through a medical evaluation which she described as “very intense.” During the evaluation, medical professionals take fingerprints and ask a variety of questions. Ahmann estimated that roughly one in five do not make it through this part of the screening process.

Afterwards, there is an exam, known as the ASBAB that tests in a variety of different subjects including mechanics, math, and English.

After Ahmann received her test results, she chose to work for administration out of the several jobs that were offered to her. She then signed a four year contract. After her contract expires, she has the option of signing another four year contract or going on to attend college. Currently, she spends two days a week at a training center in Bloomington. There, she works to meet certain fitness goals and will attend bootcamp in South Carolina in mid August with the other female recruits. There, recruits “get broken down as a civilian and built up as a marine,” Ahmann explains. Among the fellow recruits, there are 30 total from various high schools in the area. Out of the 30 recruits, only three are female. Ahmann feels empowered to be among them. Ahmann said, “I’m most excited about getting my job in administration and getting some administration skills.”

Miming on a Mission Emma Bailey page editor As Americans, we are very privileged to be living in a more developed country than most. With that, it is important for us to consider those who aren’t as fortunate.

Wooddale Church’s high school mission trip helps students do just that, and a little bit more as well.

“I have to mime for kids. It sounds strange here, but over there it’s a huge thing. It really helps to get across the message. The kids love it, even though here we think it’s a strange thing to do,” said Vickman.

Junior Kai Vickman will be travelling through Guatemala for two weeks this summer providing aid for those that are less fortunate. The mission trip group has split their workload into five teams: Children, Medical, Sports & Drama, Service, and Mime. The Children’s Team helps busy parents by providing a daycare for children. Every year, the Medical Team sets up a renowned clinic that attracts people from miles away. The Sports & Drama team travels around Guatemala to different cities teaching school kids about sports and theater.

The Service Team works to give aid where they see fit. Lastly, the Mime Team provides entertainment for people around Guatemala. “I have to mime for kids. It sounds strange here, but over there it’s a huge thing. It really helps to get across the message.

The kids love it, even though here we think it’s a strange thing to do,” said Vickman. The Mime Team works to tell stories without using their words to overcome the language barrier between them and their audience. Vickman will be traveling around both rural and urban Guatemala to put on

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performances for citizens of all ages.

Senior Tre Meyer went on the same trip last year and was on the Mime Team as well. “We did these performances, about thirty minutes long, and we would do a few different skits.In between them, we would go out and give our story and disciple to people,” said Meyer.

The Mime Team was very busy, giving around two or three performances a day.

Both Meyer and Vickman expressed that they were a bit uneasy about learning to mime, but excited for the friendships made and lessons learned in the process. It takes around 50 hours of training to really learn to mime, and precision is important to make sure that stories are being conveyed correctly.

“I think everybody should do something like this because it really helps to open up your perspective,” said Vickman.

photo courtesy of Tre Meyer

photo by Zoe Cheung Christianson is heading to California this summer

The Marine Corps Gains a Hornet

The Mime Team performing for Guatemalan children

Head to Head CC Orth page editor

Morgan Sheehy page editor

something agreed on by society, so how can a person be inherently good if ‘good’ is not an objective concept?

How can we say humans are innately good when every single being has an instinctive mindset that leads one to lie? We have all lied in one way or another.

Some lie more than others, whether it is on a daily basis or every once in awhile. No matter how big or small, lying has been a part of human nature from the beginning. It is not something that is taught

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photo by Grace Wolf

There has been one question that has repeatedly been asked throughout humanity: fundamentally speaking, are humans inherently good or bad? For thousands of years, philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau have clashed over this question, taking stances on the far ends of the spectrum. Are we a savage people kept in check by the rules of society (Hobbes), or are we good in nature but corrupted by civilization (Rousseau)? Many feel we should give our race the “benefit of the doubt,” but in all honesty I am going to have to take the side of Hobbes. Humans, from the start, have been inherently bad. In the beginning, survival was the only mentality we had. We are born with the disposition to be evil in order to do whatever it takes to assure our own well being. Children are easily influenced and have to be taught what is right and what is wrong, based on the rules of the culture that

surrounds them.

Humans are not inherently good because the concept of good is something agreed upon by society. For example, in some societies today, particularly in the middle east and regions of Africa, it is considered good to stone disobedient women. In the United States and Britain, however, this practice is considered inhumane and wrong. In other states, such as extreme Islamic countries, the thought of women allowed to go out in public dressed in “revealing clothing” is barbaric. Good and bad is

participant to choose between acting selfishly (maximizing individual benefits at the cost of the group), or cooperatively (maximizing group benefits at the cost of the individual).

When participants were forced to make a quick, intuitive decision (within ten seconds), their decisions were associated with higher levels of cooperation even at the cost of themself. However, if the participants had more time to reflect (after at least ten seconds had passed), their decisions were associated with higher levels of selfishness. The results show that humans’ first instinct is to cooperate. Hobbes was wrong; we are fundamentally good.

Babies are humans with minimal cultural influence; they’ve never been to school, can’t speak or even control their own bodies, and their minds are still innocent. Unfortunately, babies don’t talk, but they can communicate through reaching for things they like and want. In order to discover whether six- and ten-month-old photo by Grace Wolf

The question of whether humans are inherently good or evil has challenged people since the beginning of time. With stories of ISIS, North Korea, and political conflict filling our news feeds, it’s easy to marvel at human cruelty and adapt Thomas Hobbes’ pessimistic view that humans are inherently evil.

However, through science and experiments, it’s been proven that humans are naturally good as Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued, and we are predisposed to act cooperatively even at our own cost.

Humans are biologically programed to be cooperative and good natured. According to neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman, connecting with others is as fundamental as food and water. We are hardwired to seek relationships because, unsurprisingly, research shows being with loved ones helps decrease stress and boost our mood. In order to stop simply surviving, we’ve adapted to live together through sharing our basic desire to interact, trust, and share.

The ability to love is built into our bodies. When we fall in love (which only takes about a fifth of a second), euphoric reactions occur in our brains. According to Syracuse University Professor Stephanie Ortigue, it’s the same euphoric feeling as using cocaine, which also releases chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline and

vasopressin. Our brains function in a way that makes love a physically gratifying experience.

What sets humans apart from animals? It’s our unique level of concern about another’s well being. These traits are innate and emerge as young as 14 months. According to the journal ‘Infancy,’ three to five-year-olds are less likely to help someone a second time if they have been rewarded for doing it the first time. For example, a four-year-old shares their toys with a friend, and the parent gives them a cookie as a reward. If given an extrinsic reward, they are less likely to share their toys next time. This shows that at first, humans are motivated by genuine concern instead of a desire to look good in the eyes of society. It’s when we associated good with extrinsic rewards that we lose our impulse for good.

Intuition is often automatic and effortless, leading to action without insight or reason.

According to researchers from Harvard and Yale, our intuition is to act cooperatively.

In their study, researchers required each

infants are instinctively bad or good, a team of Yale researchers acted out helping and hindering scenarios. In the first situation, the square puppet would help the circle uphill; in the second situation, the triangle would push the circle downhill. After the show, the helper and the hinderer shapes were placed on a tray and brought to the participant. The babies overwhelmingly preferred to reach for the helping square. This tells us that babies do not need to be taught the difference between friendly or malicious intentions and that instinctively, they prefer helping over hindering. It suggest that babies are born with certain moral capacities and it’s on this foundation that adult morality is built.

Yes, evil individuals exist. However, they’re naturally good. According to neuroscientist Dr. Gary Marcus, the brain is relatively complex. Our brains are pre-wired which means flexible and subject to change rather than hardwired, fixed and immutable.

If we were hardwired, humans could never change and our personality would be the same despite any experiences we may encounter.

When you are born, you are innately good, but your experiences and environment can change who you are. For example, an abused child grows up to be a killer, but they’re still a human who’s inherently good. They may be evil now, but they were good before encountering abuse. We should always do good because that’s how we’re naturally built.

but something that happens impulsively by natural tendency.

Lies happen frequently in all our lives, usually in the form of countless small deceptions. The truth is, we lie far more often than we really need to. The part of the brain that is in charge of the flight or fight response still has a difficult time believing that we are not in more trouble than we actually are. Instead of running away, we make up lies. Some are small lies to escape minor consequences; others are bigger lies, told to bend the reality of situations.

If we think back to the beginning of time before civilization, we see humans at their most basic selves. With no car, clothes, house, we revert back to our animal instincts.

We impulsively fight to live. Our instincts have no morals and tell us to do anything to survive, no matter the repercussion. However, as humans have progressed through time and become more civilized, we have naturally embraced the light and let our better selves take control to tame the animal within.

art by Katie Schiller

OPINION

The “Blue Collar Billionaire” Ben Gustafson & Tanner Jones print editor in chief, online copy editor

and social welfare. FDR was intent on avoiding and rooting out elitism.

He assembled an inner circle of people from across the country and of varying socioeconomic backgrounds. The ideals he carried through his administration reduced income inequality, rescued the United States from its greatest financial crisis (with the help of WWII), and sparked the economic boom of the 1950s and 60s. By working for the working class (“the forgotten,” as FDR called them), FDR worked for America.

Democrats have decisively abandoned this cause, and Clinton’s 2016 Democrats look a hell of a lot like Hoover’s 1932 Republicans (a notoriously elitist coalition).

Today the New Deal is being systematically deconstructed and its beneficiaries are facing hardship. The Democratic Party is worsening this trend. When Bill Clinton signed NAFTA, the left abandoned their working class roots in favor of college-educated professionals. In the Democratic party’s eyes, true American heroes are those who profit from technological innovation, globalization, and prestigious college educations. In other words, Democrats are elitist. They rub shoulders with Wall Street (Obama bailed them out after the recession and the Clintons are notoriously close with Goldman Sachs), patronize entire

art by Grace Wolf

If you read Breitbart or Infowars— preferred media outlets of the so-called “alt-right”—you’ll recognize the phrase “class warfare.” Class warfare is the idea that America’s left-wing liberal elites are intent on exploiting and destroying middle-America’s humble working class. The left is quick to refute this claim. Citing the Obama-era’s prosperous economic climate, characterized by low unemployment and booming stocks, establishment Democrats ignore and perpetuate class warfare and contend that, thanks to Democrats, America remains an economic juggernaut. “We probably managed this [recession] better than any large economy on Earth in modern history,” said Obama. This could not be farther from the truth. Democrats have surrendered to right-wing fiscal policies and signed the death warrant of the working class. In the process, the party dealt a fatal blow to their own credibility and jeopardized America’s economic stability.

The Recession Recovery, engineered by former President Obama and his allies, forgot middle America. By bailing out Wall Street (one of the first things he did after taking office in 2008) Obama conceded America’s sovereignty to the big banks, and a decade since, the working class continues to suffer.

Median income is currently well below where it was before 2008, and blue collar workers share of gross national product hit an all time low in 2011. Obama and the rest of the Democratic establishment stood idly by as the constituency that built their party, the working class, imploded. In the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton contended that “America is already great,” yet she and her constituents were dumbfounded as to how President Trump won the election on the backs of blue collar laborers who didn’t agree.

Rather than take this powerful demographic seriously, liberals antagonize them. Hillary Clinton went as far as to label Trump supporters a “basket of deplorables.”

Unsurprisingly, this didn’t garner her votes. In fact, contrary to common belief, not all Trump supporters are racist. Trump might be a bigot, and he’s certainly a fear-monger, but that isn’t why people voted for him. As James Carville

once put it, when designing Bill Clinton’s campaign strategy in 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid.” People, more than anything else, vote for economic issues and this is why Trump was victorious. Minnesota, for instance, wasn’t a point away from going for Trump because of his plan to build a wall or enact a “Muslim Ban.” Union workers in the Iron Range voted for him because he’s promised to bring jobs back to America and rescue manufacturing.

Despite his wealthy background, Trump often defends the working class in his rhetoric. In fact, at the Republican nominating convention, Trump was introduced, paradoxically, as the “blue collar billionaire.”

While Democrats frequently complain about inequality in America, they fail to offer anything substantive (instead, Elizabeth Warren-types prefer high-minded policy jargon). If he saw the party today, Franklin Roosevelt would be livid. The coalition that he built was firmly rooted in Midwestern populism, economic reform,

demographics (writing them off as unenlightened bigots), and ultimately, perpetuate class warfare.

The current-day Democratic narrative ignores poor farmers entrenched in poverty and favors those who earn liberal arts educations and pursue “creative” and “innovative” careers. The offspring of Hollywood, Silicon Valley and the Ivy Leagues have become the party’s strongest spokespeople. Since Clinton, Democratic presidents have been entrenched in elitism.

Perhaps the best modern example is when, in 2009, Lawrence Summers, the former President of Harvard, orchestrated Obama’s Wall Street bailout strategy. Not only do they offer bad advice, the party’s current cronies are often corrupt elites. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, for instance, were unabashed monopolists. Their enormous corporations ignored government regulations, abused overseas production practices, and suffocated competition. Rather than punish them (as

FDR, Truman, or Johnson would’ve), liberals deify them. Not only are the lifestyles of these individuals unattainable for most Americans; these individuals are also actively exacerbating inequality.

Rather than acknowledging their flaws, Democrats like to think that their cause is righteous and that anyone who disagrees must be racist or sexist. The self-righteousness of the Democrats is so pervasive that discourse between liberals and conservatives is practically non-existent, both in Washington and elsewhere. With the Democrats, their former advocates, ignoring and condemning them, the ballot is the last place where middleAmericans can express their resentment.

This is something of a paradox. The working class loathes Democrats for their elitism, and yet elected Donald Trump, perhaps the most elitist politician in memory.

Noted political scientist, Thomas Frank, addressed this phenomenon in his works What’s the Matter with Kansas (2004) and Listen, Liberal (2016). Modern conservative movements, Frank argues, have convinced middle America to vote against their own selfinterests. Trump, who is hardly representative of Middle America, overcame his image by promising to save the working class. He won’t.

Trump’s right-wing economics, including deregulation and tax cuts, will only exacerbate middle America’s hardships. The problem is, Democrats aren’t putting up a fight.

Instead, they too have grown elitist. At least Republicans acknowledge middle America; Democrats treat them as second class citizens.

Liberal collapse isn’t simply an American phenomenon. Conservative movements have been springing up worldwide (Britain’s withdrawal from the EU and Marine Le Pen’s popularity in France are the most obvious examples). When will liberals learn that simply being offended doesn’t solve problems? When will they understand that retreating to a safe space instead of engaging in discussion isn’t productive? Persuasion requires engagement and respect. Democrats must stop ignoring and silencing those who disagree with them because even if they don’t, the ballot certainly will. The party must acknowledge its shortcomings, abandon its antagonization, and engage in open discourse with average Americans.

Should You Have an Opinion on Something You Have Not Experienced?

Brooke Sheehy page editor Too many times have I heard the phrase, “You are not entitled to have that opinion.

You have no idea what you are talking about.” I may only be a sixteen-year-old sophomore who just got my first real paying job, have yet to take my first ACT or SAT and have no idea what college or profession I want to end up going to for college, but I have still been able to shape opinions on matters that have no black-and-white answer.

The definition of an opinion can vary from person to person, but I believe the term means: a view or judgement that has no right or wrong answer. There will always be some people on one side, some on the other, and many in between. With that said, I believe

that even though you have not experienced a certain situation before, you can still have a certain stance on that topic.

For example, one of the most controversial topics out there is abortion.

In this situation, there is no right or wrong answer, just the different shades in-between.

My opinion, at this point in my life, tends to be more on the conservative side and I would consider myself pro-life. With that said, I have never been pregnant. While I am completely entitled to have an opinion on abortion, I have no right to judge anybody who has been put in the situation of having to choose whether or not to have an abortion. As for the different shades of grey concerning abortion, when it comes to endangering the mother’s life or a baby resulting from rape, I especially have no

right to judge in those decisions because I personally do not know what I would choose if I were under the same circumstance. I am simply allowed to say that I am pro-life.

Many times have I also heard from friends and family, “I will respect your opinion, but it is not correct.” If an opinion has no right or wrong answer, then how can your opinion ever be wrong? It is the way that opinions are phrased that determines how discussions end: either with a chuckle and a pat on the back, or fists balled up with someone lying on the floor. The trick is to express opinions as self-reports, rather than objective fact. For example, if you assert, “That movie was awful,” people can come back at you with objective evidence, saying, “This movie wasn’t awful because it got 4.8/5 stars on Rotten Tomatoes.” However,

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if you instead say, “I thought that the movie was not well written,” people are more likely to respect your opinion even though they do not agree with it.

Of course self-reports do not count for much when someone is trying to persuade the other because you can always reply, “I have a different opinion.” I believe that you are entitled to have an opinion about everything regardless of whether or not you have personally experienced it, but you have no right to judge another person’s opinion especially if they have personal experience with the issue at hand. It is when opinions are expressed as claims about the real world that we find ourselves stuck in those Facebook fights, going back and forth at each other, claiming one another’s opinions are wrong.

CULTURE

Summer Entertainment Recommendations Coming to Local Theaters

Coming To Netflix

Underrated Binge-Worthy TV Shows

Greta Morton head staff writer

Max North art editor

Anjali Aralikar page editor

While summer is the perfect time to relax and enjoy time off of school, the extensive break can get a little boring. Going to the movie theater is a great way to get out of the humid Minnesota weather, so Zephyrus has compiled a list of highly anticipated films that will be making their appearance this summer.

“Annabelle: Creation” is the story of the infamous possessed doll and how she came to be. This horror film revolves around a dollmaker and his wife twenty years after the death of their young daughter. The grieving parents, willing to do anything they can to remain in contact with their deceased child, allow her spirit to enter into the doll.

However, with the presence of the new children in their home, a terrifying series of events begin to unfold. You can see “Annabelle: Creation” this summer starting Aug. 11.

“Wonder Woman” is a new superhero action movie set during World War I. The story follows an Amazonian princess and an American military pilot as he and his fellow soldiers wash up along the shores of her island. After hearing of the tragedies occurring in the outside world, the woman agrees to return home with them to try and end the war. It is during this time that she discovers her powers and true capabilities.

“Wonder Woman” comes to theaters June 2.

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul” is the newest addition to the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movie franchise.

The film, based on the novel by Jeff Kinney, follows the adventures of Greg Heffley as he and his family take a road trip to their grandmother’s 90th birthday party. Their trip continues to take wrong turns as Greg and his older brother Rodrick (#NotMyRodrick) attempt to visit a video game convention without their parents’ consent. This movie will be in theaters May 19.

On May 5, the Netflix original movie “The Mars Generation” will be released on Netflix. This documentary follows a group of kids who are working with NASA to plan future missions to mars. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and features Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Elon Musk, and many more.

“Blame,” releasing on May 20, will be the first ever Netflix Original Anime movie. The film was created by Polygonal Pictures, and follows the storyline of the ten volume TV series from 2004.

Finally, Netflix will release the series “War Machine” on May 26th. “War Machine” gives viewers the experience of soldiers in Afghanistan. The main character, played by Brad Pitt, is determined to make peace with natives and learn more about their culture.

Although the series has a very serious theme, it also has a very comedic spin to it, and is classified as a comedy Of the many movies being added to Netflix in the upcoming months, one of the most popular is “Moana.”

Expected in June 2017, this children’s favorite will be available for streaming at any time. For those who haven’t seen it, “Moana” features a teenage girl who is sent on a mission to restore a magical stone to a mother island. On the way, she meets a demi-god named Maui, and she struggles with his large ego.

The other major Disney movie coming to Netflix is “Queen of Katwe.” Released on April 25, the movie features a young girl who escapes the everyday struggles of poverty through the game of chess. Eventually, she becomes a top chess player in her country and looks to enter into international competitions.

Are your bored of endlessly switching TV channels or scrolling through Netflix, and then Hulu, waiting for the perfect show to pop into your line of sight? Wait no more, Zephyrus has you covered! Here’s a list of four underrated TV shows, all deserving of your time and ripe for watching: “Galavant” (2015): This show is a musical comedy which follows the tale of the knight, Galavant, who journeys to save his true love from an evil king. Filled with plot twists and pop culture references, this is a great TV show for fans of Monty Python and thespians alike.

“One Day at a Time” (2016): This hilarious, family-friendly sitcom follows the lives of a Cuban American family journeying through the ups and downs of life. It deals with issues such as race, gender, sexual orientation, mental illness, as well as many other current day issues in relatable ways that will warm your heart.

“The IT Crowd” (2007): This British TV series follows the lives of two socially awkward nerds and their technologically impaired manager who attempt to keep their IT Department running in complete social isolation. If you’re a fan of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” you’ll love this show.

“Don’t Trust that B---- in Apt. 23” (2012): This show follows the life of a small-town girl with big dreams living with her con artist roommate in Manhattan. It is the epitome of a Hufflepuff-Slytherin friendship and if you like “New Girl,” you’ll probably like this too.

“The Get Down” (2016): This drama follows the lives of a group of teenagers living in the Bronx during the late seventies.

It features multidimensional characters, a talented cast, as well as original songs which sets it apart from other dramas. If you like hip hop, disco, or historical dramas, this is just the show for you.

Summer’s Hottest Concerts!

With summer right around the corner, new opportunities to catch your favorite artists in concert abound. With so many artists and bands to choose from, why not just go to them all?

Maren Naegele manager Chance the Rapper, May 12, XCEL Energy Center

Florida Georgia Line with Backstreet Boys, July 16, Target Field Billy Joel, July 28, Target Field

John Legend, June 7, Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis

Bruno Mars, Aug 5, XCEL Energy Center Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth, Aug 6, XCEL Energy Center

Ed Sheeran, July 1, XCEL Energy Center

Justin Bieber, Aug 18, US Bank Stadium

Basilica Block Party, July 8-9, The Basilica of St. Mary’s ft. AWOLNATION, Gavin DeGraw, Cobi

Lady Gaga, Aug 21, XCEL Energy Center

The 1975, May 17, Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul

Queen and Adam Lambert, July 14, XCEL Energy Center

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Aug 26, XCEL Energy Center Pentatonix, Aug 30, Minnesota State Fair

art by Andy Youngstrom

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CULTURE

Everything You Need: A Girl’s Guide To Prom Beyond the Bubble: Waterfalls Becca Edgington outgoing human resources editor

If you live in Minnesota, you know that the 10,000 lakes are the reason for the state’s natural beauty. But what about Minnesota’s waterfalls? Explore your state this summer and discover Zephyrus’s favorite waterfalls: Minnehaha Falls - Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis : We all know and love these falls, but there is more to Minnehaha than the view. Not only is it this 53 foot waterfall close to home, but it’s also very versatile. In the summer, these falls serve as the perfect spot to hang with friends. Whether it’s having lunch at Sea Salt, hiking the mile long trail to the Mississippi River, or swimming in the shallow carved out part of the stream, you’re bound to fall in love. Although it’s closed in the winter, think of Minnehaha Park as an adventure without all the work, and by work I mean the 6 flights of stairs. The frozen falls in the winter are a magnificent view, but if you’re itching for an up close peek you still have a shot. You didn’t hear it from me, folks, but if you sneak down off the beaten track you can even stand behind the the frozen waterfall. But be careful not to slip--it gets icy!

Hidden Falls - Hidden Falls Regional Park, Saint Paul: If you’re looking for a nearby nature spot for your senior pictures, this waterfall is small and accessible. It may be a bit hidden but it’s less than a mile from the parking lot, so you won’t break a sweat. A bonus to this area is that it’s easy to explore, as the river isn’t very deep so you don’t have to worry about being swept away. Right next to the waterfall, there is a stone staircase that leads to the top so that you can see it from all perspectives.

It can also double as a great spot for a picnic if you don’t want to eat at the park bench in the parking lot.

Now I know it may seem a little far away, but trust me, these next waterfalls are worth the car ride. If you’re ever around Lake Superior there are tons of enormous and unique waterfalls that you won’t want to miss. Get your car keys ready because we’re roadtripping!

Devil’s Kettle Falls - Judge C.R. Magney State Park, Grand Marais: These waterfalls are not what you think when you imagine your basic straight falling waterfalls. There are two unique waterfalls. The first continues down the Brule River where is finally ends up in Lake Superior. The second waterfall goes into what is known as the Devil’s Cauldron, a round tumultuous pit. Now where does this pit lead you may wonder?

Well, no one knows, not even the scientists. Experiments have been done to solve this mystery such as pouring dye in the falls and sending objects over the edge to see where they go, to no avail. Curious? Me too. Go there this summer and maybe you’ll find out the mystery of the Devil’s Cauldron. But fair warning: it may lead you straight to the gates of hell.

Gooseberry Falls - Gooseberry Falls State Park, Two Harbors: If you’re someone who loves root beer, then this is the perfect spot for you to visit. The “river of root beer” flows into Lake Superior as a dark color; when it goes over the falls it froths and gives the impression of root beer. If you’re not into long hikes, the Gitchi-Gami trail is 2.5 miles which wraps around the river and brings you by the upper, middle, and lower falls. Also, if you contact the state park you can spend the night at one of their camp spots.

1) 2)

Compact powder/mirror Blotting papers (Target, Clean and Clear brand) 3) Mini mascara 4) Extra lash glue (if wearing false lashes) 5) Advil 6) Mini water bottle 7) Lipstick of choice for the evening 8) Bobby pins/hair bands 9) Mini hairspray 10) Makeup wipes 11) Body lotion

Some of the endless amounts of makeup options

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photo by Uma Bhati

photo courtesy of pinterest.com

For most Edina High School seniors, prom is an all night endeavor. But this isn’t your average sleepover, this is prom. Everyone knows you only get one, so you’ll want to do it right. Allow me to offer some tips and tricks to help my fellow senior ladies not only survive their prom but possibly enjoy it.

Start the day off right. Obviously, get plenty of sleep, have a big breakfast, and drink a lot of water; it is going to be a long day so you’ll need all the energy you can get. If you’re doing your own makeup the most important thing to take care of is your base, your own skin.

1) Wash your face with face wash and warm water 2) After rinsing away face wash, use a gentle exfoliant to take away dirt and dead skin cells. Rub exfoliant on face in circular motions, rinse, pat dry 3) (Optional) Use a mask to moisturize, brighten, or cleanse etc… (try Sephora sheet masks, $6) 4) Pour a toner onto a cotton round, wipe cotton round on face 5) Pat a serum of choice into face until absorbed 6) Add a moisturizing gel or lotion on top (hopefully with a little SPF) The right makeup for you is always hard to find. Staring down cosmetic aisles should be fun but usually just ends up leaving you flustered and overwhelmed. Here are some of my favorite makeup products in the order I use them.

1) Primer • NYX Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer, Target, $15.99 • Rimmel Stay Matte Primer, Target, $6.49 2) Foundation • L’Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation, Target, $9.59 • MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation, Sephora, $43.00 3) Beauty sponge for blending foundation and concealer • Beauty Blender, Sephora, $20.00 • Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, Target, $5.99 4) Color correcting • NYX Professional Makeup Color Correcting Palette, Target, $11.99 • Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid, Sephora, $28.00 5) Concealer • Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer, Target, $4.89 • Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer, Sephora, $28.00 6) Setting Powder • Maybelline Fit Me! Pressed Powder, Target, $5.39 • Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pressed/Loose Powder, Sephora, $30.00 7) Blush • Physicians Formula Butter Blush, Target, $9.79 • Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, Sephora, $38.00 8) Bronzer/Contour • Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer,

Isabel Thompson outgoing editor in cheif

Target, $14.39 Too Faced Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer, Sephora, $30.00 • Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, Sephora, $40.00 9) Highlighter • BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter, Sephora, $38.00 • Make Up For Ever Star Lit Liquid, Sephora, $24.00 10) Eyeshadow palettes • Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Collection, Target, $6.99 • Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo’s, Target, $3.49 • Too Faced Eyeshadow Collection Palettes, Sephora, $36.00 11) Eyeliner • L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Feline Noir Eyeliner, Target, $7.99 • Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, Sephora, $20.00 12) Mascara • Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara, Target, $5.79 • Benefit Roller Lash, Sephora, $24.00 13) Lips • NYX Professional Makeup Liquid Suede Lipstick, Target, $6.99 • Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks, Target, $5.29 • Too Faced Melted Liquified Longwear Lipstick, Sephora, $21.00 • Too Faced Peach Oil Lipgloss, Sephora, $19.00 14) Setting spray • Milani Make It Last Makeup Setting Spray, Target, $9.00 • Urban Decay All-Nighter LongLasting Makeup Setting Spray, Sephora, $15.00 Preparation for prom cannot be complete without packing your bag with a few things you might need in a pinch. Use these items to create your own prom night survival kit: •

Waterfalls are common tourtist attractions in Minnesota

SPORTS

Athlete of the Month:

Anna Klein

Golf Team Under Par, Not Sub Par Tanner Jones online copy editor

Cecilia Orth page editor

Edina Trap Team Aims High Will Schwinghammer head staff writer

photo courtesy of Anna Klein

Trap shooting is the fastest growing high school sport in the nation, according to the USA High School Clay Target League. The Minnesota State High School League was the first in the nation to recognize trap shooting as a sport and offer its students letter eligibility in 2008.

Since then, trap has exploded. Last year’s State Trap Championship in Alexandria, Minnesota, set the world record for the largest clay shooting competition. Edina High School’s trap team is small but steadily growing, with members from all four grade levels. Zephyrus decided took a closer look at our local clay-smashers as their season is ramping up this spring.

Trap is an individual sport. Participants stand behind a clay launcher at one of five stations. When it’s their turn, the shooter will call for a bird and take one shot. After five shots at a station, shooters rotate, for a total of 25 shots.

Scores are marked out of 25, hit or miss only, with no room to negotiate. Last year, Edina’s top gun was thensophomore Matthew Jensen, who shot 95/100 clays, and in doing so, set a new team high score. He tied for fourth place among varsity men. “It’s a great outdoor sport. It’s fun, but it takes dedication and practice to succeed,” said Jensen. Jensen has been shooting trap since he was 15.

Before trap, he was an avid hunter and shooting enthusiast, so “it seemed like a logical choice to try it out,” said Jensen.

Jensen isn’t the only rising star on the Edina Trap Team.

A number of women are also taking aim at moving up in the shooting world. Last season, then-junior Margeaux Pederson won first place among female novices. This year, six women represent Edina including junior Captain Delainey Thorud. Thorud comes from a gun-owning family, and was excited when she first found out about the trap team. “I figured that I could get better at shooting while also competing and being part of a team, and I love

Senior Anna Klein, recipient of this year’s Athena Award

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photo by Zoe Cheung

Anna Klein’s everyday grind consists of academics and a range of varsity athletics such as soccer, lacrosse, and hockey.

In recognition of her many sports and academic performance, Klein was named the 2017 Edina High School Athena Award recipient. “It was really exciting. I was personally surprised and I thought it was a big honor,” said senior Anna Klein. The Athena Award recognizes a student’s excellence or participation in either individual or team sports, along with his or hers academic performance and community engagement. “It’s [the Athena Award] for athletics and academics, mostly athletics though,” said Klein. Senior Anna Goldstein, one of Klein’s best friends and teammate for three years, wasn’t surprised that Klein won the Athena Award. “She’s a true athletic goddess with a wonderful personality and that’s why she deserves the Athena Award more than anyone else I could think of,” said Goldstein.

In Bloomington on Friday, May 5, Klein will represent EHS at an awards banquet along with other Athena winners from different high schools.

Klein followed in her dad’s footsteps by joining Edina’s hockey program. Klein’s interest in hockey “kinda just automatically happened when I first started playing. I stuck with it and I’m really happy I did,” said Klein. From the beginning, Klein was a prominent hockey player. “Even back in mites (a hockey youth program) when I didn’t know her at all, you could tell she was gonna grow up to be an all-star. She used to play on the boys teams, and still none of them could keep up with her,” said Goldstein.

This winter, Edina Girls’ Hockey won state for the first time after achieving the top seed in the Class 2A title game. At the Class 2A state tournament, they beat Blaine, a second-seeded team, in a 4-0 victory. On top of being a state champion, Klein was named a first team all-state hockey player along with teammates Emily Oden and Grace Bowlby. “She’s a one-ofa-kind tri-var all-star. But underneath that tough competitive exterior is a fun, warm-hearted person who could make you laugh any time of day,” said Goldstein. Despite her achievements, Klein credited her team. “We were really close this year... and I feel like everyone worked together a lot and we had great team chemistry,” said Klein. Additionally, the hockey team couldn’t have succeeded without their coaches. “We had a new coaching staff, they were awesome and they really helped us,” said Klein.

The Edina Girls’ Hockey team is coached by Sami Reber, a former Edina hockey player. Reber is the first female head coach to win the Class 2A title game.

A multi-sport athlete, Klein is currently playing Edina Girls’ Lacrosse and is one of the four captains of the team. Klein has committed to play only hockey at the University of MinnesotaDuluth.

With winter behind us, spring is now in full swing. Snow has given way to rain and sunshine, and basketball and hockey have given way to tennis, lacrosse, baseball, and golf.

For Edina, golf could be particularly exciting in 2017. The girls team, which leads the state in championships, is gunning for their third consecutive victory (a feat that’s only been accomplished seven times in Minnesota’s history) and the boys team, which finished third at state last year, boasts its strongest bench in years.

Girls captain Isabelle Ouyang said Edina’s strong roster is crucial to the team’s success. “We have such a deep team, so any of our players can play well. I have every confidence that with such a deep team, we will do well this season,” she said. To achieve this strength at the high school level, it’s important for the girls team to have a robust outreach and recruitment effort. Ouyang noted that this is one of the team’s chief priorities. “We want to expand the girls golf program and introduce girls to the game of golf,” she said.

In addition to competitive success, the golf team emphasises personal growth. Junior Jack Nasby said that this is one of the most valuable aspects of Edina’s golf program.

“The goal of being on the golf team is to become a better golfer but more importantly to become a better person off

of the golf course. Coach Ebner continues to remind us of important values that we will be able to use for the rest of our lives,” he said.

Both recreationally and at the professional level, golf tends to be a sport for individuals. However, on both the boys and girls team, students said their favorite part of golf is being on a team. “I’m really excited because we have a fun group of girls and a lot of returning players from last year’s team. We have great team chemistry which makes being a part of the team so fun,” said Ouyang. Jack Nasby had similar thoughts about the boys program. “The best thing about golf is playing on a team and competing as a team. During the summer we compete as individuals so it is fun to come together and compete as a team,” he said.

Focusing on personal improvement and teamwork has helped Edina develop a very positive reputation throughout the Minnesota golf community. “We are known as a very respectful team that has good core values that we will be able to carry for a while. We are very good competitors that can handle a loss in the right manner,” said Nasby. Of course, competitors also appreciate Edina’s success on the green.

“We’re known for being a tough team from a strong program that works really hard,” said Ouyang. Nasby noted that the longevity of the team’s success is what set them apart to competitors. “The Edina team is known to be able to compete at a high level year after year,” he said.

Trap team member Faye Douglas it!” said Thorud. Honing one’s shooting skills isn’t the only benefit the team provides. The team’s small size, with just 26 members this year, provides a tight-knit community.

“One of the best things about our team is that there is no pressure, it doesn’t matter if you hit five of 25 clays; if it’s your personal best then everyone will be excited for you!

Everyone is so inclusive that you will have a whole group of friends by the end of the first practice,” said Thorud.

Although there is currently a massive gender disparity on the team, the girls assured Zephyrus that this shouldn’t discourage anyone from joining. “This year we have more girls than ever before and we always want more, so that we can eventually work our way up to an even ratio,” said Thorud. Some of the girls enjoy the fact that there aren’t many women on the team yet. “I think it’s actually pretty cool to be one of the few girls,” said sophomore Faye Douglas. She wishes there were more women on the team, but Thorud hasn’t observed any bias against the few female shooters currently on the team. “I feel as though female trap shooters are respected for their role in the sport and are fully supported by everyone in the trap community,” said Thorud.

The trap season is already nearly halfway done, and Zephyrus wishes the team good luck going forward.

HUMOR

Edina Hornet Announces Retirement On Wednesday, May 3, the Edina Hornet announced his intention to retire from his position as the Edina High School Mascot. “I truly believe that with a new superintendent and principal coming on board and a new school configuration, it is a good time to announce my retirement,” said the Hornet. “This will provide a great opportunity for the next mascot to step in and continue the legacy.” The Hornet served as EHS’s mascot for 35 years, and plans to be involved in the search for the new mascot. Although the job opening has not yet been advertised, the former Edina West Cougar has expressed interest in the position.

Ner f or Nothing Matthew Egger page editor

art by Gillian Mousseau Max North art editor

photo courtesy of Pinterest

This is your chance to write an article for Zephyrus! Fill in the Mad-Lib below to create a wacky article for the Humor page. Be creative!

In today’s world, public schools are corrupt and overrun by __________ (noun).

Ever since my first day of school, I have felt that school is full of __________ (adjective) students, and bizarre __________ (noun).

The food in the cafeteria is __________ (adjective), and don’t even get me started on the __________ (noun). The cafeteria workers just stand there all day scooping __________ (adjective) __________ (noun), and all I do is sit in class all day wishing I was __________ (verb/action) instead of taking notes. The DECAfe on the other hand could be described in two words: ___________ and __________ (adjectives).

Most students don’t mind the __________ (noun), but when it comes to forums they just __________ (verb). I’m just glad that the school got rid of __________ (noun).

On test days, I always make sure to bring my lucky __________ (noun), and wear my lucky ____________ (article of clothing). In gym class, we often play games that involve too much __________ (verb), and I end up smelling like a(n) __________ (animal) for the rest of the day.

During collab, I often go to the __________ (place in EHS) and do the homework I forgot to do the night before. If I’m feeling extra tired, which is every day, I like to go to __________ (place in EHS) and take a(n) __________ (adjective) nap.

One of the worst parts of the school year is when my __________ (class) teacher decides to bring in their pet ___________ (animal). I just have to sit there and listen to them singing ___________ (Justin Bieber song), and watch them dance with their pet. It’s like watching __________ (reality TV show), but with a __________ (animal) as the main character.

Hopefully the school board approves the new principal’s request for giving students the power to __________ (verb) while at school. If that passes, I might be able to make it through the day without having to __________ (verb) at least five times.

As a Junior, all my parents seem to tell me is “You’re going to be in college soon. If you don’t learn how to __________ (verb) now, you will struggle later.” It seems like I’ve taken the ACT __________ (number) times now, and score has made __________ (adjective) improvement.

All in all, school has created a negative stigma surrounding __________ and __________ (nouns). Hopefully the new superintendent and principal will give us __________ (number) snow days, and will shut down all plans to __________ (action). As for Ric Dressen and Dr. Locklear, they will leave a(n) __________ (adjective) legacy.

“This is my Nerf gun. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My Nerf gun is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my Nerf gun is useless.

Without my Nerf gun, I am useless. I must fire my Nerf gun true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower, circa 1943 Ah, it is that time of year again. Nerf assassins: where boys and girls become men and women, respectively. However I worry that this generation doesn’t have what is necessary to win it all.

As a seasoned veteran of Nerf, serving two tours during the Great Nerf War of 1969, I’m here to provide some tips and tricks some of you millenial softies.

The ancient Greek rule that you are invincible if you’re naked is the key to success in your Nerf campaign. The naked rule is your best friend. Say goodbye to your favorite clothes; you don’t need them anymore. In order to survive, quite simply, you need to be naked all the time. Don’t worry about the police. They know it’s Nerf or nothing this time of year.

You’re going to want to have enough food in your car to survive a while. Odds are some hooligans will try to starve you out. You will get surrounded inside of your car with no possible route of escape. The enemy will be ready to camp out for multiple days to kill you and you must be ready for this.

Dig tunnels like a mother******* mole-rat. They say the reason we lost the Great Nerf War of 1969 was because of the enemy’s intricate tunneling of subterranean Edina. Slithering underground isn’t only a way to hide, it also gives you the ability to escape your enemy. You’ll want to have a couple of holes you can easily pop into every three or four feet. You might need help from some heavy machinery for this. I recommend a backhoe. These can be purchased at relatively low cost at Jerry’s Hardware.

Purchase a new house. Even better, nine or ten new houses. To remain completely under the radar, the enemy must not know where you live.

Sleep with your Nerf gun. Never should you ever be separated from your Nerf gun. Especially when you’re most vulnerable, as you are while sleeping. People will surprise attack you inside of your house in the middle of the night. Be ready.

Hire an armed guard or bounty hunter.

If you’re not big on staying up all night to protect yourself and your house, just pay someone else to do it.

Invest in good camping gear. More often than not, you’ll need to campout for days in front of your enemy’s house, eagerly waiting for them to emerge and craving their sweet death. I recommend REI. I hear they have this sort of gear.

Those are the most vital aspects for survival and victory. Keep those tips in mind, and you may just be the last one standing.

Arsenal of Nerf guns

Doc Loc(k) Gives Away The Key Eva Hadjiyanis page editor

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art by Gillian Mousseau

Next year, a new ruler will reign over Edina High School.

Andrew Beaton will have a tough job, and Doc Loc wants the transition to be as smooth as possible. Zephyrus recently acquired a crystal ball in perfect condition and was able to witness an important conversation between the two principals as they walk through the commons; let me set the scene for you...

Doc Loc and Andy Beaton are strolling through the commons. They are wearing their fanciest attire and walking in slow motion, looking around as if watching their subjects.

Doc Loc puts his hand on his successor’s shoulder and sighs.

“I think it’s time that you and I had a talk about what’s gonna happen here when I leave,” says Doc Loc. At that cue, slow jazz turns on over the intercom. The surrounding students get up and start walking to their next class (it is Friday and music is

their cue to begin to get a move on to their next period).

“Look, Andy. Everything the light touches is our kingdom,” says Doc Loc in a paternal voice. He motions to the commons, then to Fick auditorium. “Whoa,” said Mr. Beaton.

They continue walking towards Edina Performing Arts Center, and Doc Loc smiles knowingly at his successor’s reaction. “A king’s time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. In a few months, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king,” says Doc Loc. “And that’ll all be mine?” says the future ruler of the kingdom. “Everything,” Doc Loc repeats.

“Everything the light touches... But what about that shadowy place?” asked Mr. Beaton. He points at the EPAC parking lot where millions of dented and scratched student cars are parked. “That is outside of our borders. You must never go there, Andy. It is dangerous in that parking lot, especially between 3:10 and 3:35,” says Doc Loc. Andrew nods in response then remarks, “You better write all of these tips down for me, otherwise, I’ll never remember them.”