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ACT an economic and academic divider page 8
Summer movie preview page 4
After the hack: The TVs soon returned to the normal programming
Economics team places 10th in the nation page 10
Students pull “senior prank” on TV monitors Administrators search for the perpetrators
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Rugby team goes for seventh straight state championship page 11
Isha Konety and Brooke Sheehy news beat lead and administrative beat lead
t 11:05 AM on May 4, the television monitors around Edina High School stopped displaying images of happy student athletes and reminders about college visits. Instead, the screens filled with homemade memes. Some included photoshopped pictures featuring EHS Principal Andy Beaton. One image, for example, depicted Beaton and administrative assistant Pam Berling standing next to a vending machine stocked with JUUL pods (e-cigarette cartridges). Other images displayed an altered version of the daily class schedule with made up (and certifiably non-school sanctioned) events happening at each hour of the day. Shortly after the images appeared throughout the school, administrators began to unplug the monitors. While shutting the monitors down, Principal Beaton discovered that flash drives had been plugged into each monitor and that the TVs had been changed to slideshow mode, allowing the pranksters to override the school’s slideshow and broadcast their own images. One of these flashdrives was found by Zephyrus staff members on a table underneath a TV in the third floor English wing and turned in to administrators. According to an anonymous source, the monitors were hacked late at night on May 3rd by a group of seniors as a “senior prank.” There has been speculation that these students may face expulsion or even arrest for trespassing into the school and tampering with the TVs. Currently, the administration is investigating how the students
had access to the building and monitors after school hours. “I’ve got some concerns about access to our monitors and the damage [done to our monitors],” Beaton said. Although the administration was not amused by the incident, some EHS students found it entertaining. “It felt like such a high school movie moment,” senior Medha Kaul said. Additionally, some students took to Twitter to share pictures of the monitors, labeling the incident as “legendary.” Some have speculated that the pranksters used the TVs in their caper as part of a critique of the TVs themselves. Dozens of TVs were placed around the school during this summer’s remodel but have seen minimal use. Many students were critical of the fact that school funding went to the TVs, when it could have been spent elsewhere, possibly on technology that would have a larger educational impact on EHS students. “The TVs haven’t impacted my life in any way. I’ve never used them for information and probably never will,” junior Annie Snyder said. The original idea for this year’s senior prank was for current EHS seniors to switch schools with Eden Prairie High School seniors for the entire school day. After many EHS and EPHS students refused to take part, the prank was abandoned. This cancellation created a void which a smaller group of seniors decided to fill. The student body has yet to hear whether or not the students involved in the TV prank will be reprimanded. Although the students have not been identified, administration is confident that they will be soon. “We have some good leads to whom it might be because we have a number of hallway security cameras, so it’s just a matter of time,” Beaton said.
Edina volunteers begin planning WEB PREVIEW annual senior party ‘Jersey Boys’ at the Orpheum will have you saying “Oh, What a Night”
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ecently, Edina High School underclassmen finished registering for next year’s classes. Seniors, however, have to consider registration for something in the slightly nearer future: the senior party. If you ask parent Julie Munderloh, the Volunteer Lead for this year’s party, it’s going to be a night to remember. “There will be a DJ, and there will be a magician and a hypnotist. Lots of fun things going on. Good food, lots of different food items throughout the night,” Munderloh said. Co-planner Sheila Berube, the Communications Lead, agrees. “This is an all-night party. A good portion of the school will be decorated. In the individual classrooms will be themed rooms, some will be passive entertainment and others will be active entertainment,” Berube said. One of those rooms is devoted to a community service project. Munderloh explains that every year it’s one of the most popular rooms. “Last year they made tie blankets. The year before they made
shoes out of blue jeans. This year, I don’t think it’s been decided. We’ll say it’s one of the surprises of the night.” To Munderloh, this is really one of the highlights of the party. “People really come together to do that, to make sure that we’re paying back,” she said. The senior party serves a purpose beyond being a fun night to Munderloh. “The main reason that we’re planning the party is to make sure that kids are safe on that night, that they’re not out driving around, going to parties, and not being safe. It’s a way to get everybody together to celebrate, keep our kids safe, and have a wonderful celebration.” The ultimate goal of this year’s senior party is to ensure that everyone attends. “In the past it’s been over 90 percent, 95 percent of the students attend. Anyone who thinks they can’t attend because of financial need, shouldn’t be a problem,” Berube said. Munderloh adds that financial aid is “pretty much no questions asked, just fill out a form.” To register, Berube says that parents can use a SportsEngine account, which some may have from having previously registered for athletics or for one of the dances. Otherwise, students can visit edinaseniorparty.org and register as a guest, no account required.