www.edinazephyrus.com
October 28, 2016| 37:2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Features...............................10 Outside the Bubble: EHS students go abroad and more Opinion........................11 & 12
What’s Inside? E H S Ze p hy r u s, I s s u e 2
N ews a n d Po l i t i c s. . . . . . . . 4 & 5 Check out this issue’s head to head: Is America great?
Curious about how to get involved in politics if you’re under 18 years old? Turn to page 5
Culture.........................13 & 14 All things Halloween, Kanye, and more
Features................................6
EHS’s top Tweeters, the fall musical, Sports..................................15 Check out the Athlete of the and more Indepth...........................8 & 9 Month: Sarah Filby #NeverTrump? or #HillaryforPrison? Humor..................................16 Think Edina is boring? Check out Learn more about the election on Beyond the Bubble: Industrial Edina page 8 & 9
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Why Everyone Needs Feminism
Dear Edina High School, There are many definitions of what it means to be a feminist. According to Merriam-Webster, feminism is defined as the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. The key word in this statement is EQUAL. Feminism is not a system trying to tear men down or raise women above men. It is a system that benefits both genders instituted to promote the notions of equality in the workplace, the home and throughout all aspects of society. Sexism still runs rampant throughout the entire world today including the United States. Males and females make up roughly the same portion of the United States, about 49% to 51% respectively. However, you would never be able to tell if you looked at our representative government. Congress is supposed to represent and serve all American citizens, but if you look at the United States legislative bodies you wouldn’t be able to tell. In 2015, the House of Representatives had 84 female members in the 435 member body. The senate had 20 women representatives out of the 100 member body. This means that women politicians represent slightly less than 20% of Congress even though they make up over 50% of the population. Spheres of government are not the only area where women face prejudice. Currently, women outnumber men in college attendance and graduation rates. According to a 2013 study by U.S News women were 21 percent more likely to graduate from college and 48 percent more likely to have completed graduate school than their male counterparts. However, women make up a mere 22 of Fortune 500 CEOs and an even smaller percentage of CEOs in STEM fields. Drastic actions must be taken to change these statistics. Another major reason we need feminisn is that many women feel shame admitting they were sexually assaulted due to victim blaming or the the belief that legal forces will be unable to help them. When people are sexually assaulted, the first questions police officers should ask is “Are you okay?” but all too often, they ask “How were you dressed?” instead. Clothing doesn’t matter. Age doesn’t matter. Previous sexual encounters doesn’t matter. Yes means yes and no means no. Being a feminist means realizing sexual assault is an injustice and that we must stand together to break down the stigmas surrounding sexual assault. One of the most prevalent pillars of sexism is slut-shaming, which is heard all too often at Edina High School. When a woman makes the decision to engage in casual sex she is a slut or a whore, but a man engaging in similar behavior is perceived as cool and impressive. Women need to stop using slurs about each other because it just gives a man the justification to call them degradign names as well. On a similar note, if a woman chooses to wear lots of makeup she might just like the way she looks with lipstick and isn’t dressing to please a man. I realize this may seem like a radical concept but everyone should be allowed to wear and dress how they want to without name-calling or the threat of judgment. The patriarchy holds everyone back by perpuating gender stereotypes for both genders. If a little boy but wants to play with Barbies instead of race cars and enjoys crying after a good Nicholas Sparks movie, he should be able to! On the other hand, if a girl who hates wearing dresses and wants to be a NASCAR driver or an engineer when she grows up, she should be encouraged to do it! I have only grazed the topic of feminism and it is only from my extremely limited viewpoint. Feminism is an intersectional movement, meaning it connects with issues of racism, LGBTQ+ rights, trans-misogyny and class. I implore all of you to research and become more informed because there are countless more reasons why we still desperately need feminism.
“Objectification is never okay no matter what gender with which you choose to identify. People should never have to feel afraid or judged walking down the street and women especially should not feel the need to wear more concealing clothes just to stop someone from cat calling at them.”
Online
www.edinazephyrus.com Twitter and Instagram: @edinazephyrus YouTube: edinazephyrus Facebook: Zephyrus
On The Cover
Gillian Mousseau (Cover and In-Depth Art) Katie Manderfeld (Header)
Zephyrus Staff Editorial Board Lillie Westbrook, print editor in chief Isabel Thompson, online editor in chief Christina Orth, public relations editor Nikki Lund, art editor Colette Bruder, print copy editor
Anne Amen, online copy editor Rebecca Edgington, human resources editor
Tanner Jones Max North Ellery Mahlum Maren Naegele
Page Editors Jenna Simon Ben Gustafson Will Schwinghammer Greta Morton
Staff Writers Lily Jones Eva Hadjiyanis Morgan Sheehy Brooke Sheehy
Sincerly, Colette Bruder print copy editor
Simone Vaillancourt Matthew Egger Greyson Mize Cecilia Orth Anjali Aralikar Emma Bailey Photographers Zoe Cheung Josie Al-Najim
Grace Wolf Uma Bhati Artists Gage Aulik Sandra Chen Katie Schiller Advisor Sally Larkins
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
Minnesota Nurses’ Strike Recap Lily Jones staff writer
photo by Josie Al-Najim Signs around the city show support for nurses
Edina High School Recognized as Exemplary by P21 Will Schwinghammer humor editor Edina High School recently earned recognition from the Partnership for 21st Century Learning, or P21. EHS has been recognized as an Exemplar School for its efforts to prepare students for a 21st century world with new educational techniques and technologies, as well as teaching them skills needed for the modern world. Edina is the first school in the state to be honored with this recognition and is one of only 75 Exemplar Schools in the entire nation. The award was formally presented to EHS on Oct. 4, during a visit by representatives from P21 to the school. P21’s Exemplary status is given out each year to schools that best exemplify an education for the 21st century. According to their website, the organization’s mission is to “serve as a catalyst for 21st century learning… so that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops.” Winning schools teach curricula that emphasize global awareness, business and financial literacy, civic literacy, as well as health and environmental literacy. Schools must teach students about critical thinking and technology skills, so that they can continue learning throughout their lives. P21 looks for schools where “elements of Student Agency, Distributed Leadership, a Climate of Achievement, an Engaged Community, and the application of Evidence and Research” are parts of students’ learning; EHS fits the bill. Hard work by staff and students has created an engaging learning environment for all. The honor of being named Exemplary is given to schools that focus on creating wellrounded lifelong learners that have the skills to succeed in the future. “Our students are
entering a competitive, dynamic world,” said EHS principal Bruce Locklear in an interview with the district. “We must take with us the very best from past practices and incorporate new strategies to create a hybrid of how we deliver instruction and how students learn,” said Locklear. Such strategies included the new learning spaces added during the ongoing renovations, such as the newly updated Commons area. The school’s new layout is more open and conducive to group learning, but still has spaces for individual work to take place. As EHS changes, both physically and in its educational strategies, the school continues to strive for excellence. The P21 Exemplary recognition is a milemarker in the progress made so far, but the school will continue to develop into a space for 21st century learners and citizens. “One thing I know for sure is that we are in the business of preparing students for a future that is far different from the one we faced at their age,” said Locklear in an interview with the district. As the world changes, education must change faster in order to create effective global citizens. Being named an Exemplary school shows that Edina is rising to the challenge. photo courtesy of EHS Twitter
More than 4,000 Minnesota nurses have been out of local hospitals since Labor Day, when the strike began against Minnesotabased Allina Health. The strike was spurred by a sudden change from union-only health care plans to less favorable corporate insurance. The Minnesota Nurses Union eventually agreed to the shift in health care after a tedious 22-hour negotiation session, but they demanded compensation for lost benefits and a vote on possible changes to the plan in the future. This is when Allina abruptly broke off negotiations, claiming the union was asking for too much. The strike also stems from claims from nurses of long hours, unfair staffing levels, and workplace safety concerns. About 400 of the nurses on strike have decided to cross picket lines and return to work but the remaining nurses continue to fight for what they believe they deserve of Allina. Allina has hired more than 1,500 substitute nurses to fill the five hospitals affected by the strike. This is the second walk-out that nurses have enacted this year; they also went on strike for one week in June. That strike cost Allina about $20 million, and although they won’t disclose amounts, this is potentially costing them a lot more. This strike has also been costly for nurses; some have been forced to find side jobs to help compensate for the lost wages.
The union held a strike fund which made them able to issue hardship payments to some nurses involved. On Sept. 10, union leaders ended three days of negotiations with Allina. Union negotiators urge the nurses not to approve the offer from Allina, saying the negotiations were unsuccessful. Allina is being accused of “union-busting” by frequently reporting updates on how many nurses have crossed the picket line, while the union has been accused of spreading lies about Allina. To gain more insight on this conflict, Zephyrus talked to Heather Sullivan, one of the nurses striking against Allina Health. “This strike is about more than just health insurance. It’s about the safety of patients and nurses and the voice of the union. The proposals that Allina has put forth since February have all been very similar and have poorly addressed issues regarding patient safety, workplace violence and protection of nurses through our healthcare plans,” said Sullivan. She has worked at the mother-baby center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, the largest Allina facility, for over 19 years. “The way Allina has handled this contract is like a slap in the face. They would rather spend hundreds of millions of dollars on temporary nurses and staffing for the strike than work with their own nurses on a fair contract,” said Sullivan. On Oct. 3, thousands of union members voted on the latest proposal to hopefully get them back to work. Negotiators are reporting the offer makes gains in what the nurses are looking for but still left most voting nurses dissatisfied. “There are mistruths and actually quite honestly lies being spoken about not only our organization, but other organizations too in how finances are being managed,” said Allina CEO Penny Wheeler, defending her stance in MPR. As the strike surpases a record breaking 40 days on Oct. 9, still no contract agreement has been reached. Update: After the time of press, the strike ended on Oct. 11 with a contract agreement.
Dr. Locklear accepts P21 award on behalf of EHS
Minneapolis Police Department’s New Transgender Policies Greyson Mize staff writer Policies regarding transgender individuals have continuously been a controversial topic in the news. Most policies have revolved around the issue of biological sex, the most infamous being North Carolina’s bathroom bill. Deemed discriminatory by President Obama, the document received national attention and outrage. Less publicized were a series of appeals in Minnesota attempting to restrict bathroom access to transgender citizens, the most recent of which was a bill backed by senator Scott Newman. The discussion was quickly shut down by governor Mark Dayton, but not before Newman and the supporters of his policy could express their opposition to President Obama’s ruling. However, a new progressive policy was introduced by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Designed to give transgender individuals who are encountered by Minneapolis police the ability to define themselves correctly, this policy allows those being questioned by forces to tell officers their preferred pronouns. “It’s about learning, growing, and understanding the people we serve,” said Harteau at the Minneapolis City Hall press
conference. “In the city of Minneapolis, we have a growing number of transgender and gender nonconforming people and we need to be able to connect with them properly,” said Hartau. Additionally, the policy prohibits officers from stopping and frisking citizens to determine biological sex, or to devalue the individual’s gender identity. “Too long police have treated transgender individuals without considering their constitutional rights and without considering their transgender status,” Teresa Nelson, legal counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union told the Star Tribune. “I think this reflects a new reality in which courts are increasingly recognizing that discrimination against transgender people is sex discrimination,” said Nelson. Andrea Jenkins, the transgender oral history project director at the University of Minnesota, also had some insight on the future of relations with police officers. “I think that it not only will impact the lives of transgender people, but hopefully it will impact the thinking of police departments all over the country as they interact with the transgender community,” said Jenkins. Phil Duran, the legal director at OutFront Minnesota also spoke at the press conference, expressing the importance of consistently updating the Minneapolis Police Force’s policy. “The understanding of the transgender population evolves, the
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needs evolve, and the understanding of how to respond from a public policy standpoint evolves,” said Duran. “Will this policy answer every question and address every conceivable situation that could arise? Probably not,” said Duran. In past years, the nonprofit OutFront Minnesota has been a huge player in LGBT+ policies and issues. The organization has worked on many past cases, including; The Minnesota High School League’s decision to allow transgender students to play on sports teams, Scott Newman’s bill set to obstruct citizens from bathroom use, and now the policy protecting transgender rights involving Minneapolis police forces. Representatives from OutFront MN have always made their aid and support available. “We’ll continue to work with the city and the police and mayor’s office to respond appropriately to those kinds of situations, but at OutFront we take heart in seeing this kind of policy and the commitment of the Minneapolis police and the commitment of the mayor’s office and the city council,” said Duran. As she wrapped up her speech, Mayor Hodges offered a heartfelt statement to Minneapolis transgender citizens. “We see you, we hear you, you are us and we are you. You are our friends, you are our family, you are our community, you are our neighbors, and we are proud to stand for you in the work that we do in the city of Minneapolis.”
Getting to Know Our Vice Presidential Candidates Anjali Analikar staff writer
Isabel Thompson online editor in chief In the 2008 election, millennial voters were drawn to President Barack Obama. Early on in the 2016 election, many young voters gravitated towards Senator Bernie Sanders. As election day draws nearer, Hillary Clinton is struggling to lock down the youth vote. Even Obama is aware of her awkward attempts to appeal to young people. At the 2016 White House Correspondents Dinner, he joked, “You’ve got to admit it though, Hillary trying to appeal to young voters is a little bit like your relative that just signed up for Facebook. Dear America, did you get my poke? Is it appearing on your wall? I’m not sure I’m using this right. Love, Aunt Hillary.” It’s not that young voters want to vote for Trump; in fact, two thirds of millennials have deemed him unqualified to serve as President. Young people who aren’t enthusiastic about Clinton are now stuck deciding between not voting at all or voting for a third party candidate. While Clinton cares about of issues that matter to many young voters, such as free college tuition, climate change, birth control, and income inequality, the main reason she doesn’t have the “young vote” is because she has been deemed untrustworthy. Clinton has proven so untrustworthy
that in fact only 11% of voters believe get the young vote, Clinton has taken that Clinton is “honest and trustworthy,” to social media and has started using a recent NBC news poll showed. The Snapchat as a way to communicate main cause of this is the Benghazi with teens. She has even taken to scandal which led to questions about her using buzzwords like “awesome” to infamous email server. While it has never demonstrate a fun and hip side. These been proven that Clinton has partaken in attempts have been called out on social illegal activities, her 11 hour hearing on media, as many teens react negatively to Benghazi led by Republican members this ‘try-hard’ version of Clinton, finding of a special committee raised suspicion. her unrelatable. If there is anything that millennials hate, Clinton’s best shot to gain the it’s being lied to. In this election Sanders millennial vote is through the upcoming came close to beating Clinton in the debates, during which she must prove primaries, in large part because so many herself the better candidate. Focusing on people responded to his refreshingly the issues millennials care about most honest approach. Despite Clinton being intensely will work to her advantage as a well-rounded candidate, she has been long as she remains factually consistent in the spotlight for so long that there and does not succumb to Trump’s insults. is bound to have been poor press and publicity, and many are tired of hearing the Clinton campaign associated with scandal. While her caution around the press has caused suspicion amongst voters, the reason behind it is valuable. Her campaign is doing their best to present a polished candidate, something that the Trump campaign hasn’t prioritized. While recent polls have shown Clinton pulling ahead, there is still a lot of work to do. While doing her best to Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
Being Politically Involved as a Student Christina Orth public relations editor Youth turn-out will make or break this election. For the majority of Edina High School students, the 2016 presidential election may not seem like a big deal since they can’t vote in it. But being too young to vote doesn’t mean you’re too young to care. The leaders of today influence our tomorrow, and the opportunities for EHS students to get involved in the election are numerous at EHS. First and foremost, develop an informed opinion. Follow the debates on the news and join one of the various clubs and organizations. FOX, Politico, The New York Times, CNN and even Zephyrus are a few of the news outlets available via multiple platforms covering the election. Flipping on the TV in the morning, enabling notifications on the news app on your smartphone, tuning in to NPR on your commute home, and following the candidates and commentators on Twitter will broaden your perspective on different issues. Don’t underestimate the use of social media platforms to interact and network with your fellow peers and representatives. EHS clubs like the Young Liberals club, the Young Conservatives club, Youth for Social Justice, and the Black Student Union are great places to connect with others passionate about current events and discussion. “Having a respectful place to learn, discuss and debate different issues in our country helps shape who we are and strengthens our leadership for the future,” said Young Liberals member Kristie Olson. Get involved in the political process. Whether it be as a volunteer student representative for the school board or city council, as an intern, or as an election judge, there is no shortage of opportunities within Edina. Student representatives on city boards share ideas on how to improve their community and gain experience in city government. They can additionally volunteer on committees for specific city projects. Similarly, with a few hours of training through the city of Edina, students can be election judges who check in people to vote, help
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citizens with same day registration, and ensure everyone is at their right precinct on Election Day. They serve to make the voting process smoother and more efficient for voters. “Political science is a field I might want to go into, so I thought this was a good way to start getting involved and understand how the process works,” said 2016 election judge Emma Clark. No matter the extent of someone’s involvement, if the experience furthers your interest in the field, you have taken your first steps in becoming an engaged and informed voter. Internships vary from year to year in Minnesota, but there are a variety of intern opportunities in the offices of state legislators, school board offices and government officials. Senior Sam Parmekar interned with state Senator Melisa Franzen’s 2016 re-election campaign this summer. From door knocking targeted audiences to training other volunteers, interns can make a difference by elevating the level of political discourse. “It’s really fun to be able to talk with voters about issues that I care about and issues they care about… Our democracy functions best when we have an active and engaged voting populace,” said Parmekar. So speak up! There is no reason why your voice shouldn’t be heard. Just because you can’t cast a ballot this November doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to a wellrounded opinion. Listen to Uncle Sam!
photo courtesy of auburnuniversitty.com
Tim Kaine (left) and Mike Pence (right)
Why Can’t Clinton Relate to Millenials?
photo courtesy of Google
photo courtesy of voanews.com
With each passing day, our federal election draws closer and closer. For new voters, it’s important to make an educated decision whilst considering all names on the ballot. Part of this process is to consider the running mate of each candidate. You might not think vice presidents are all that important. As you probably remember from government class, the main role of the Vice President is to preside over the Senate, which involves a lot more sitting around than expected. This is because the Constitution strictly limits the powers of the Vice President in the Senate; he can’t vote unless there’s a tie and he can’t actually speak directly to the Senate unless asked. The other best known vice presidential role is to be there to assume responsibility if the President dies, which has only happened in eight of the 44 presidencies. Although it’s easy to dismiss the role of the vice president as minor, doing so would be a mistake. Nowadays, the vice presidency isn’t a meaningless position, despite its limitations. We’ve learned that vice presidents can actually be incredibly influential. Presidents, especially inexperienced ones, rely on the advice of their Vice Presidents. In the case of President George Bush in the early 2000’s, many of his policies were heavily influenced by Vice President Dick Cheney. For a president with very little political experience, this means their more experienced Vice President will probably end up heavily influencing their decisions, as was the case with the Bush-Cheney presidency. The current Vice Presidential candidates are Mike Pence and Tim Kaine. Mike Pence, the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, is currently the governor of Indiana. As a member of the Tea Party and a strong supporter of military action, he is the ultra-conservative candidate expected to balance out and provide a fall back for his lesser experienced running mate and hopefully tie together the party base before November. Many of his views are similar to his fellow conservatives. He’s anti-immigration, anti-affirmative action, and has an A-rating from the NRA. Tim Kaine is a Senator from Virginia and a member of the Democratic party. He has been a supporter of social justice for most of his political career and was an advantageous pick for Vice President, since he will probably guarantee Clinton the state of Virginia, which has traditionally been a swing state. Many of his views are also similar to his fellow Democrats; he’s introduced bills to increase gun safety and voted against repealing Obamacare. Just like presidential candidates, it’s also important to know about vice presidential candidates. Even though popular opinion can lead you to believe that most vice presidents are just picked for their specific political advantage (i.e. candidates from the swing states), that doesn’t mean they still shouldn’t influence your vote. Vice presidents are technically half of the face of our nation. They represent America almost as much as the president does. So consider your vice presidential candidate just as seriously as you would a presidential candidate, and then vote.
POLITICS
FEATURES
EHS Fall Musical Spells Success
Excel Through Extracurriculars Morgan Sheehy staff writer Speech, Debate, Model United Nations, and Mock Trial are some of the most profound and rewarding opportunities that all Edina High School students are welcome and encouraged to take part in. Each offers its members a variety of skills that can help students suceed well into their future. Speech team is a highly competitive activity where students compete against different schools inside their conference. There are 13 distinct events that Minnesota High School Speech offers to participants, varying from impromptu speaking to prose reading to dramatic interpretation. Everyone entered is automatically enrolled in three preliminary rounds and judged against fellow competitors in each one. They vie for the opportunity to make it to the final round of the tournament, increase the team’s overall score, and earn individual trophies or medals. “Last year my duo partner Henry Junker and I, who is a senior this year, did ‘The Lion King’ as our piece. The first two minutes of our piece was literally us running around, making animal sounds, and singing the opening credit song. We actually
placed 9th in the state last year. It was an amazing experience,” said Saumya Mangalick, junior captain of the EHS speech team. Overall, speech offers students a chance to participate in a competitive, creative environment. Debate has members constantly working together, building a sense of trust and teamwork. Students are continuously researching as well as writing casework in order to compete in Lincoln-Douglas (LD) and Public Forum debate at the local, regional, and national levels. LD debaters present and argue oneon-one, with one side affirming the chosen topic and the other side debating the resolution. Public forum is a form of debate where partners work together to argue a topic of national significance in a way that the average person would be able to understand. “I participate in Lincoln Douglas debate, or LD. I’ve learned great public speaking skills, as well as how to think and speak on my feet. I’ve learned that I need to know both sides of an argument in order to win and analyze an argument to find its strengths as well as its weaknesses,” said sophomore Noel Hayward, a returning member of the JV debate team. Both forms of debate present students with skill building in research, writing, and public speaking.
Model UN is an enriching extracurricular where students act as delegates and committees in the United Nations. High schools around the country put on conferences, where the exceptional delegates from each committee are recognized and receive a certificate of excellence. Model UN teaches students the importance of solid research, public speaking, debating, writing skills, and the significance of critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership prowess. Mock trial allows students to imitate a trial, while learning about the legal system in a competitive role play. Just as if they were in a real-world court, trials consist of the prosecution, defense, and witnesses. Similar to debate, mock trial forces participants to think and work on their feet, getting points across when under considerable pressure. Mock trial members develop expertise in the expression of thoughts and ideas in a realistic situation. Overall, EHS’ speech, debate, Model UN and Mock Trial programs are a fun, competitive, and enriching high school experiences. The advantages given to students by these academic extracurriculars include skills that will help prepare them for their futures, and continue to benefit them for years to come.
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Edina High School’s Top Tweeters Maren Naegele features editor
photo by Grace Wolf
Edina High School’s 2016 fall musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” is a musical about a group of ‘eclectic’ kids who are all trying to win first prize in the Putnam County spelling bee to qualify for Nationals in D.C. The original Broadway musical was rated R for comedy, but adjustments have been made to make it appropriate for high schoolers and families. EHS junior Anamaya Shore and sophomore Natalie Bartolomei play the character of Olive Ostrovsky, a shy and quirky girl who has read the dictionary cover to cover. “Olive is kinda quiet and keeps to herself and she also has a very interesting relationship with words. Her best friend is the dictionary-- that’s one of the songs” said Shore. She and Bartolomei share the part of Olive in their double-cast role. “We work together to develop a character and each person is going to put a different spin on a character. My counterpart [Anamaya] is amazing and as a sophomore who’s working with a
junior, I have a role model to follow,” “Magic Foot,” a large production said Bartolomei. Being double-cast, number with the entire chorus and however, does not mean any less choreography, about his character’s work for the two busy students. spelling technique. Vanderbilt is in They will both perform in each show the school choir and auditions for either as the main character or as almost every single show. “I’m a big part of the chorus. Shore is involved part of theater and it’s a big part of in DECA, music outside of school, my life,” said Vanderbilt. The cast has and theater. “I just love performing, been working hard at each rehearsal the environment of people is really after school from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 good and it’s a great extracurricular p.m. so be sure to show up at the activity,” said Shore. She suggests musical’s premiere on Thursday, Nov. to look out for the song, “My 3, or its continued performances on Unfortunate Distraction” sung by Nov. 4 and 5! Jack Fisher and Michael Rodriguez who are double-cast as the character Chip. Bartolomei is in the school choir and did theater throughout middle school. “I just really like it. If I didn’t do it I wouldn’t have much else to do,” said Bartolomei. Drew Vanderbilt plays William Barfée, a nerd with nasal congestion who talks like Kermit the Frog. Watch out for his favorite song, Drew Vanderbilt plays William Barfée
art by Sandra Chen
Cecilia Orth staff writer
Tweet, tweet, Edina! It’s time to talk about Twitter. School run accounts like @edinahornets or @edinaschools keep EHS students in the loop about school and community events. However, the most popular tweets in Edina’s Twittersphere are penned by some of EHS very own students. Zephyrus did some digging to discover which EHS students are receiving the most retweets and favorites as well as what it takes to create the best tweets in EHS. Senior Peter Daly (@I_P_Daly, #TeamFollowBack), junior Katherine Harkman (@Katherinenugget), and sophomore Luke Jessen (@lukeforstudco, @luke_jessen) are all popular on Twitter. In fact, they happen to be some of the top tweeters at EHS. So what makes them retweetable? To start off, their tweets are genuinely relatable to most of the student body, whether they’re making jokes about the lack of air conditioning at the high school or about how much we all wish summer would never end. And some are just absolutely hilarious. For example on Daly’s Twitter feed, you can expect to find his most popular tweet about how he made his younger sister shovel after it had been snowing all day. The tweet currently has 33 retweets and 277 favorites, which is pretty impressive in the Twittersphere. Jessen’s most popular tweets stream from his student council campaign Twitter, that he started last year and continues to tweet off. “My most popular tweets are on my student council page that I made during campaigning season. [For example] I had this one where I was showing that I was being a good citizen, so I pretended to save a cat from a tree, but really it was my dog,” said Jessen. Harkman’s best tweets, on the other hand, are random thoughts and moments from her daily life. “My most popular tweets are probably my Vine-famous Vines and daily thoughts that go on in my brain,” said Harkman. One of her top tweets, which has over 120 favorites, is a picture collage of selfies that she took of herself on the first day of school. Her parents were not able to be with her, so she took the initiative and took them herself which made the tweet even more hilarious. Inspiration seems to be the key to being a top tweeter. Most of Jessen’s tweets are often generated from the help of friends and family. “Lots of people [give me inspiration]. My campaign manager Jack Linton, he’s a huge help. Peter Rock, he just inspires me to be the best I can be,” said Jessen. While, for others, the idea of a creative tweet comes more freely. “My tweets just come to me naturally. One night I was laying in bed, about to fall asleep, when I thought to myself, ‘Are vegans allowed to have Twitter beef?’, so I pulled out my phone and tweeted it,” said Daly. Overall, Twitter is a great way for EHS students to bond over the hardships of the construction happening everywhere in Minnesota, as well as the random thoughts that go on in others’ heads. And if one day you want to become a top tweeter too, take it from Daly and remember, “If you want to be a successful tweeter, go with the flow. Take advantage of whatever is the talk of the school, whether it’s Doc Loc’s legacy, or how slow sophomores walk in the hallway,” said Daly.
IN-DEPTH
art by Gillian Mousseau
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America is great Ben Gustafson in-depth editor As election season comes to an end, Americans will soon be able to rest easy. No longer will we be bombarded with news of the presidential candidates’ latest gaffs and antics. Nonetheless, we will soon be forced to accept one of the candidates as our president despite the seemingly never-ending mayhem of this year’s political campaigns. Whatever the cause of this chaotic rhetoric may be, I believe it stems from a cynical view of the United States. Just look at Donald Trump’s famous slogan “Make America Great Again.” The phrase assumes that America is not already great, which speaks directly to the Americans who feel as though the United States economic and political systems are rigged against them. For instance, many voters see Hillary Clinton’s long string of scandals as an example of the government’s corruption. However, even though our country is going through unsettling times, we must not let any political rhetoric distract us from the greatness of the United States of America. Surely, like any other country, the United States has flaws. We have been the perpetrators of incredible injustice. Our greatest shames include the institution of slavery and the suppression of Native Americans, both case studies in inhumanity. That being said, countless other nations committed similar atrocities and it was accepted during that era in history. I am not trying to justify these
OPINION: Head to Head horrific acts. I am only saying that it is impossible to denounce the United States for these acts without vilifying that entire era of world history. Thus, what separates the United States from other countries is how we have progressed. Since then we have relentlessly sought to guarantee American values for all. To remind ourselves of what the United States stands for, one has to look no further than an American coin. Every American coin is engraved with three principles that no other country in the world shares with us: E Pluribus Unum, In God We Trust, and Liberty. First, “E Pluribus Unum” is a Latin term which means “out of many, one.” Unlike European countries, American society is built upon the assimilation of foreign cultures. For instance, in Germany, Turks remain Turks for generations. In the United States, you are considered an American as soon as you decide you want to be an one regardless of your religious, ethnic, or cultural background. The second value that America embodies is “In God We Trust,” which refers to the notion the our rights are derived from a spiritual source. Therefore, no human, not even royalty or great thinkers, can take our rights away from us. Finally, as we all have heard many times before, the United States is founded upon the right to liberty. Some say that other countries have liberty as well, which is true, but no other country fully embraces all of our values. For example, the values produced by the French Revolution, “liberty, equality, and fraternity,” also included liberty. However, the equality embraced by the French is in
direct conflict with the American value of liberty. Whereas the French, along with many other Europeans, believe that everybody should be guaranteed to end up as equals, the United States embraces the idea that everyone deserves to be born equal with equal treatment before the law and an equal opportunity to become whomever you want to become. Without a doubt, every country believes in their own exceptionalism, but nobody can argue with the power and good-will of the United States. “When trouble comes up anywhere in the world, they don’t call Beijing, they don’t call Moscow. They call us. That’s the deal,” said President Barack Obama. The United States has the most powerful military in the world, the largest economy in the world by 7 trillion dollars, and the largest functioning democracy in the world. But what separates us from the rest of the world is how we use this power. Without the United States, Adolf Hitler would have conquered Europe. In addition, no other country in the world comes remotely close to the United States in private charity. Per capita, Americans give three and a half times as much as the French, seven times as much as the Germans, and 14 times as much as the Italians. In order to continue to improve as a country, we must always remember that to truly be American is to “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty,” said former president John F. Kennedy. As long as Americans uphold American values, the United States will continue to be great.
Is America Great? Lillie Westbrook print editor in chief The United States is a country obsessed with its own greatness. At every public gathering, from sporting events to political rallies, you’ll hear the national anthem or the pledge of allegiance. I am extremely grateful to live in this country. I do not take my freedoms for granted. But the United States of America is not the greatest country in the world. I find that it is impossible to say that any country is the greatest in the world. There is no defining, groundlevel measure to gauge a country’s greatness. America, however, is overly obsessed with the victories of its past to the extent that it prevents any progress forward. Americans are so afraid of admitting fault that when First Lady Michelle Obama said that her house was built by slaves, the public roared in protest. We so often gloss over the human rights’ violations that took place in our nation’s history even talking about slave labor in the nineteenth century is seen as a daring political act. Although it may be hard to swallow, the United States is a country built on the bodies of indigenous and people of African descent. Our great cities, including New York City and Washington DC, only became available to white Americans after European settlers murdered the Native Americans who were living there before them. Some of our most famous landmarks, like the White House and the transcontinental railroad were built by slaves. Severe breaches of human rights in America like slavery, Indian reservations and boarding schools, Japanese internment camps -- things so clearly against the American foundations
of liberty and justice for all -- are swept under the rug because the victims were people of color. American slaves were emancipated in 1865, but African Americans were -- and are -- continually stepped on and disadvantaged. After the Civil War, ex-slaves and their children were trapped in a kind of economic imprisonment through sharecropping deals. The right to vote was withheld for decades via unfair reading tests and property requirements. Segregation was legally ended in 1964, but the United States is still culturally segregated. Edina, a rich suburb with phenomenal public schools, is primarily white. Inner city schools, where resources are limited and teachers are pushed to their limits, are overwhelmingly black. Largely black neighborhoods are the first to be cut up with roads and superstores. A K-Mart was put in on Lake Street in Minneapolis, splitting the predominantly African American neighborhood in half. The effect of this was to isolate residents and make travel more difficult for anyone coming through the neighborhood. The government said the goal was to help out a “bad” neighborhood. So many Americans are loathe to admit to domestic injustices that attempts to tackle important issues stall for years, sometimes forever. The racially biased criminal justice system is still waiting to be reformed. The rate at which young black men are needlessly shot by police has only begun to be addressed, to much panic and reactionary violence. America was never great. Citizens are so obsessed with our past “exceptionalism” that we long for a day in the past, not for progress in the future. Our desire to return to
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an imaginary time when America was perfect and nobody (meaning white people) suffered prevents the country from moving forward. We can only become great if we admit to the past, in all of its horror, and move forward to a new tomorrow. If we embrace the values this country was founded on - liberty and justice - we may one day be truly great. But only if we collectively agree that our nation was never great. Only if we see that the only greatness that awaits us is in the future.
America was never great
OPINION Down Ballot Voting, the Two Party System, and the Search for Reform Brooke Sheehy staff writer
art by Katie Schiller
In the state of Minnesota, the common belief is that a vote for Trump or a third party candidate is a vote thrown in the trash. It can seem as though if you don’t vote for the most popular candidate in your state or if you don’t vote for one of the two major parties, your choice won’t make a difference. Your vote is one of the most important rights you have, so don’t just give it to anyone. Give it to someone who has earned the right to have it. The truth is that the two party system is broken, and continues to divide Americans. Citizens of the United States are forced to choose between two unpopular candidates, inevitably, one will be elected to lead our country. As citizens, we feel obligated to vote, and because of this feeling, we end up electing the “better choice” of the two even if we are not that enthusiastic about that choice. This reality has divided the American voters into three different groups: Clinton fans that are irate at Trump, Trump fans that are irate at Clinton, and everybody else who dislikes both choices but are being instructed to choose between the two of them. Many of us feel it is our duty to vote, yet many Americans of us do not put in the research to know who is the best candidate. Instead, our votes go directly towards the candidate of the party we identify with, without any idea of the candidate’s beliefs, values and goals. The mindset that you must always vote for the candidate who is running for your party needs to change. It seems as though if you affiliate yourself as a Democrat, Clinton is bound to get your vote, and the same goes for Republicans with Trump. We have made it too easy for candidates to get votes, when in actuality, they are the ones that should be campaigning to win you over to their side. It is their job to get you to believe that they will make a better America. If anything, you are obligated to decide for yourself whether or not any of the running candidates have done their job well enough to have won your vote, and if they haven’t, do not just freely give it away. The candidate you choose to vote for should be your choice because you truly believe that Clinton will do a great job in office, that Trump is the best candidate to help restore America, or that Gary Johnson, Jill Stein or other third party candidates have interesting perspectives that you believe could serve them well in office. Look closely and see if the candidate you support really matches your values and beliefs, or if you simply choose them because they are running for your party. Choosing a candidate based on their party is an old-school way of thinking that has got to change because most of the population is moderate and should be choosing based off of common core values and beliefs. It is imperative that America moves away from the broken two party system. Once we start voting with our hearts as opposed our party, we will be taking the real steps towards repairing the American system.
Tragedy and the Media Annie Amen online copy editor
This nation has faced an overwhelming amount of tragedy in the past decade. Acts of hate, terror, and fear are all over the news. More people than ever are personally impacted by conflict, while the flags outside of banks and government offices are perpetually lowered to half mast. And the greatest tragedy of all? When we pass these national symbols of mourning, we don’t react with horror or shock. We think: “Again? I wonder what happened this time.” More than ever, our circumstances require us to react with empathy and conviction against our common enemies of fear and danger. Instead, we have become desensitized to violence that used to fill us with horror, simply because it has become more and more commonplace. Take, for example, the rate of gun-related crimes in 2016. The Gun Violence Archive catalogues 291 events and counting which resulted in injuries and/or fatalities to multiple people. The Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which “four or more victims are injured or killed [at one location], excluding the perpetrator.” Sadly, due to the publicity of crimes with a much higher victim count, four is beginning to sound positively tame. And it shouldn’t. Any loss of life should be viewed as an atrocity that ought to have been avoided. But with seven out of the ten worst shootings in American history happening within the past ten years, lower-profile cases are becoming less and less concerning to the general public. There are several implications of our growing indifference to frequent crime. First, the victims and their relatives do not get the support they need from their community. High profile cases take on a state close to martyrdom; national or even international attention turns to those affected. While mourning these losses and working to prevent them is important, we are in danger of forgetting that murder is a deeply personal crime. Instead, we twist our crusades against violence to suit our personal agendas, rather than to directly help those affected. We cannot allow a direct correlation between lives lost and public sorrow to continue. All death and violence should be treated as equally abhorrent, and communities taking action against violent crime should focus on preventing any casualties at all. Second, becoming acclimated to violence numbs us to the reality that we could be someday be affected ourselves. The idea that “violent crime is common, but never happens here” not only distances us from the very real struggles of our nation, but decreases our attentiveness to the needs and potential dangers closer to home. According to The Trace, 71 people were killed in terrorist attacks in the United States between 2005 and 2015. In that same time frame, 301,797 people died as a result of gun violence. These more isolated cases are overshadowed by the shared horror of a mass attack - when in reality, individual deaths make up the vast majority of killings in our country. In Minnesota, it is especially easy to feel acclimated to yet isolated from publicized violence. CBS Minnesota reports our state as holding the 7th lowest rate of gun-related deaths in the United States. In comparison to other states, we feel safe. However, rates of gun-related crime have drastically increased in the past year, and we continue our lives with the attitude that danger is far away. This desensitization to brutality in our country must stop. Every life lost is equally tragic-- not just the high profile cases deserve our attention and empathy.We must break the cycle of resignation in order to enact change and prevent future tragedies.
R i g h t s i n S c h o o l : H o w Fa r S h o u l d T h e y G o ? Greyson Mize staff writer
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and the freedom of religion clause in the First Amendment addressed gender and religious bias. These policies branch out into other student rights as well. Classrooms may not be segregated by sex, and all classes should be open to any who wishes to take them under Title IX. In addition, children who do not speak English as a first language as well as disabled children cannot legally be denied opportunities at the school given to any other student. Ultimately, the way these modifications affect your school career is mostly up to you. Deciding to behave inappropriately on campus is an action with consequences that cannot be blamed on any “unfair” system. However in the same regard, don’t forget your protections. Federal laws are there to protect you, learn your rights and use them to your advantage.
art by Katie Schiller
Freedom is the principal on which our nation allegedly stands. Day after day we hear it, but if freedom is so important to our political leaders, why do we have restricted rights in school? The simple answer is that we don’t. Laws and policies applied only in school scenarios are meant to protect students. Designed to cater to the needs of both teachers and learners, these rules move not to restrain public education attendees from doing things they’re dying to do, but instead to create a safe environment for students to explore their interests. The rights American residence receive come from the Constitution and its 27 amendments, but certain sets of rules and regulations (including school policies) add their own restrictions. According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, the additions can take the form of regulations to the extent of the laws, as well as increased protections, but the school administration is barred from taking away any pieces of the Constitution; only modifications can be made. Arguably, the most infamous example of “restriction” in school policy is the limitation placed on free speech, a guarantee provided by the First Amendment. However, people often forget that free speech has limits everywhere. No matter
who you are or what you represent, if your words and the actions you pair them with are considered a threat to the safety of another, or slander meant to harm someone’s reputation, you can face legal action. Nearly the same principles apply in public schools; if the use of free speech disrupts the classroom environment, the student in question may be punished accordingly. This rule applies online as well, but with a few exceptions. Schools cannot control how you use the internet outside of school, but while you are on campus, especially while using a school computer, teachers and staff can apply the appropriate consequences if you are caught looking at or doing something you shouldn’t be. While a school free of any restrictions is the dream (or perhaps not if you’ve read “Lord of the Flies”), those regulations are in place to keep everyone attending in a safe place to learn. School is a place to be educated and grow; that’s what comes first. While drawbacks apply to certain laws, plenty of protections that benefit the students exist. For example, schools are not allowed to discriminate based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. The Supreme Court’s 1955 Brown v. Board of Education erased any legal question of racism in school administrations, while Title IX of the Federal Education Amendments of 1972,
CULTURE
St. Pablo in St. Paul: Kanye in Concert
Eva Hadjiyanis staff writer
art by Sandra Chen
Radio stations are always holding contests and giving away free concert tickets. But when most people hear about these contests, they believe that their chances of winning are slim. The truth is, there are many ways to get free concert tickets in Minnesota, and winning is possible especially if you put your mind to it and tackle the task with a systematic approach. Alexandra Zykova, a sophomore at Edina High School, has had great luck in the world of winning concert tickets. She has won on four separate occasions, and had the chance to meet some of her idols. Zykova enters into every contest that she is interested in, and has won by calling in to radio stations and entering her email into drawings. Her meet and greet with Troye Sivan, one of her favorite artists, was her most memorable experience because of his inspiring charity work. These kinds of opportunities are possible for anyone who does a little research and then puts themselves out there - and has a bit of luck on their side. The most well known way to win tickets is to call a radio station during the live contests and hope that your call is chosen. These call in contests happen regularly on channels of all genres. “Keep calling until you actually hear the winner,” advised Zykova. If there are multiple tickets being offered, asking friends to call in as well is a great way to improve your chances. The stations often have more than one set of tickets available, so research what times they are holding contests and try to call in every time. The websites of the radio stations outline each contest and post regulations regarding them. Another way to win tickets is by using social media giveaways. Check on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the websites of radio stations, music venues, or the bands themselves. “Find all your resources to find tickets. If you want to find a meet and greet, go to all radio stations that you think might play their music and just see if they have any contests going on,” said Zykova. These contests can sometimes be won without the need to listen to the radio and are often less of a hassle than calling the radio stations over and over. Entering with email or via text is a simple and effective way to win tickets. Some of these contests have rules that state that one person can enter more than once, so reading the guidelines can substantially improve your chances of winning. If you want to win free concert tickets, do your homework and research all of the venues that have contests available. The more avenues you pursue, the better your chances are of acquiring the treasured gems are. Ask yourself, how much are these free tickets worth to me? And if the answer is a lot, then put in the time and hope for the best. A little patience, persistence, and luck may take you a long way on your search for free tickets.
Tanner Jones opinion editor On Oct. 10, I had the good fortune of attending Kanye West’s Saint Pablo tour at the Xcel Energy Center. Following a nine year hiatus from Minnesota as a result of three sudden cancellations, and recent claims that family issues may bring his tour to an end, fans were understandably anxious. But West did show, only as he could: arriving 80 minutes late and allowing no one to open for him. West’s reputation as temperamental and egotistical is bad enough, and in the final moments before the show, resentment was tangible. He could not afford disappoint He didn’t. At 9:20 p.m., the lights dimmed, and the audience was rocked by the heavy bass of a new opening riff on “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1.” West rose on a floating platform through a smoky haze as the audience roared. “This is St. Paul and this is Saint Pablo, that’s Spanish,” he said. Lights beneath his platform illuminated the crowd just a few yards below. Fans were ecstatic. On the stage stood Yeezus alone, microphone in hand. West had a clear image in mind for the vibe of concert. He traversed the arena from above, twice signaling the crowd to turn on their flashlights to “make stars like space.” Periodically he reached into the audience; at these moments, with the gospel-infused songs of his latest album playing, Ye’s presence, as he surely intended, felt almost messianic. Along with Kanye’s trademark godcomplex came his notorious shenanigans. 30 seconds into his hit “Famous”--in which he attributes Taylor Swift’s fame to himself and calls her a b****--he cut the music to briefly
rant about political correctness. This kind of behavior is what you buy with a Kanye ticket, and for many, it’s simply part of the Kanye West experience. West, someone who is not prone to looking back, broke the mold a little with his setlist. He surprised audiences by minimizing his newer work, neglecting even to play the namesake of his tour, “Saint Pablo”, and instead focused on his greatest hits. This decision was perhaps favorable; the audience almost universally recognized the songs he performed. His nearly two hour setlist included tracks from all seven of his albums, and some of his more notable features on other artists’ songs such as “Pop Style” by Drake, “THat Part” by ScHoolboy Q, and “I Don’t Like” by Chief Keef. In my opinion, the two most memorable moments of the night involved songs from his latest album, “The Life of Pablo.” During “Fade,” a breathtaking laser grid shot over the stage. As West rose through it, he deflected beams of light into the crowd. The final song of his setlist “Ultralight Beam” (fitting with this theme), captivated the audience with its memorable lyrics and was perfectly complemented by Kanye’s swift departure from the auditorium on his floating stage. Saint Pablo-however unorthodox--was worth every penny, and I’ll definitely be there next time Fans enjoying Kanye’s Kanye’s in town. concert
photo courtesy of Tanner Jones
B est Ways to Win Concert Tickets
Here Comes Johnny Appleseed The Best Apple Orchards in the Twin Cities
Clean your pie pans, because it’s apple picking season! Minnesota is home to numerous vibrant and family-friendly orchards. If you’re looking to fit in a few more day trips before the snowfall inevitably begins, here are some of the most popular places in the state to pick apples. For the classic apple picking experience, a day at the Minnetonka Orchards is a fantastic choice. Located in Minnetrista, the orchard has great options for large any small groups. Their pick-your-own trees include 12 different varieties of apples, including Honeycrisp, McIntosh, and SweeTango. In addition to apples, Minnetonka Orchard’s attractions include a petting zoo and weekend music concerts. The orchard also offers accommodations for school field trips, birthday parties, or weddings, making it the perfect destination for almost any fall event. If you’re looking for someplace on the smaller side, Fireside Orchards in Northfield could be the place for you. Along with the pick-your-own apple varieties, they offer
bags of pre-picked apples in their onsite shop. In the shop you also can find gooey caramel apples, freshly made minidonuts, piping hot apple cider, and homemade fudge. Most importantly, don’t forget to take some time to smell the roses in their garden and seating area. Fireside Orchards is the perfect stop for a small group of friends who are looking for the apple orchard experience without all of the extra bells and whistles. Located in Belle Plaine, Emma’s Apple Orchard has something for everyone. In addition to their fresh apples, the orchard offers pick-your-own raspberries and pumpkins. But if you’re looking for something more than just picking fresh produce, you won’t be disappointed by Emma Krumbee’s General Store. The store features several knick-knacks and decorating items perfect for the upcoming holiday gift season. And who could forget the store’s full size bakery with hundreds of pastries, breads, pies, and more. Finally, the orchard is known for its annual scarecrow festival, which puts over 100 handmade scarecrows on display each fall. This year’s festival ends on Oct. 30, so don’t miss out! Last but most certainly not least, one would be remiss to not visit Sever’s Corn Maze. Located in Shakopee, this
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location has anything and everything you could ever want in an apple picking site. While Sever’s does have several pickyyour-own apple varieties from which to choose, they are best known for their fair-like activities, specifically their corn maze. This year’s maze features a challenge where your job is to find the different places where “Sever” is in the maze. For each correct “Sever” location you have found, you can be entered into a drawing for the grand prize, which is announced at the end of the season. In addition to the corn maze, Sever’s Fall Festival features a pumpkin patch, live performances, a giant corn pit, obstacle courses, and plenty more. On both a big and small scale, Minnesota has no shortage of options for people who are looking to pick fresh apples while enjoying a casual, fun outing this season. Make sure to get outside and enjoy the crisp fall air before the beautiful season comes to an end.
art by Sandra Chen
Jenna Simon news and politics editor
CULTURE
Beyond the Bubble: Houses of Horror Max North sports editor
art by Sandra Chen
Love fall? Love Halloween? How about haunted houses and hayrides? Minnesota is full of autumnal attractions that will scare you enough to make you sleep with the lights on. Here are three spots to check out. If you don’t like the terror in the confined four walls of a haunted house, you can go to Molitor’s Haunted Acres in Sauk Rapids. Molitor’s Acres is known as the scariest plot of land in central Minnesota. Take a haunted hayride through the Woods of Doom where you will be scared by ghosts, clowns, zombies, and other horror
figures. After the ride, you can sit down by the fire and enjoy some refreshments. If you’re not scared enough after the hayride, you can venture on to five more haunted attractions, or try out the zombie paintball shootout hosted by Annandale Paintball. Molitor’s Acres will be open until October 31 and costs $22 for the hayride, plus an additional fee for the zombie shootout. If you are one of those people who don’t find a traditional haunted house scary, Nightmare Hallow-Scream Park is the place for you. At Nightmare Park, customers choose their level of scare, and then spend the night in the woods playing games, and being frightened by monsters. The lowest level of scare ( the “Wussy” level) consists of many different monsters visiting you at your tent, but will let you sleep after 3:00 a.m. The moderate level, or “Skeleton” level, includes games and scary stories, as well as a handful of scares well into the night. Finally, the scariest or “Zombie” level includes games, stories, and continuous scares that will make you ready to scream at every moment. A typical Nightmare Park night starts with a horror movie and scary stories. Then, campers will play games in the woods followed by a short break. Finally, campers will
T h r i l l i n g Ye t Thrifty
Throwback Halloween Movies Greta Morton culture editor
Nikki Lund art editor
danger, to save her and the ghostly town from the forces of evil. Another Halloween classic is Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” While, it is debated whether or not this movie truly is a Halloween movie considering its Christmas undertones, this movie has the perfect amount of scare for Halloween. The animated musical film follows the activities of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King and leader of Halloween Town. Jack soon grows bored of the same routine that happens every year and wanders off, leading him to discover a portal to Christmas Town. Intrigued, Jack decides that he and his fellow residents of Halloween Town will take over Christmas this year. Disaster ensues as Christmas Eve draws nearer. To top off the night, we’ll go out with a bang. Watching “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is definitely the way to end this holiday. This film features the infamous Freddy Krueger, and the mayhem he brings in the nightmares of teens living on Elm Street. Unfortunately for these residents, the torment in their dreams isn’t pretend. Anything that happens to them in their nightmares happens to them in real life as well. Freddy gets his revenge for events in his past as he picks off the teenagers one by one. Who will be the last man standing? Hopefully, we haven’t scared you too much. Binge watching these spooky themed movies is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween, even if the holiday takes place on a Monday this year. Rest in peace this Halloween.
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photo courtesy of Sarah Filby
As the night of the beloved All Hallows’ Eve approaches, many scramble to find the perfect movies to binge watch alongside their bowl of candy corn to get into the spooky, Halloween spirit. The struggle to find just the right amount of “scare” for a night such as this is very common for those in a city as cozy as Edina. In order to make your Halloween as exciting as possible, here is Zephyrus’ list of top throwback movies. Who wouldn’t start with a classic such as “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”? This Halloween special features the Peanuts gang as they prepare to celebrate the annual holiday. Little Linus Van Pelt writes a letter to The Great Pumpkin, awaiting his arrival in the town’s pumpkin patch, while the rest of the group spends their night trick-or-treating and attending a classmate’s Halloween party. Of course, to Charlie Brown’s disappointment, he only receives rocks in his candy bag while Linus is upset that he’s the only one that believes in The Great Pumpkin. Will the spooky holiday figure show? Or will young Linus be let down by him and the rest of the Peanuts gang? Now, you can’t forget Disney Channel’s original Halloween movies. Students at Edina High School grew up watching movies like “Halloweentown” every year. The series features four films: “Halloweentown,” “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge,” “Halloweentown High,” and “Return to Halloweentown.” All four films focus on young Marnie Cromwell and her two younger siblings as they discover their powers as witches and warlocks with the aid of their grandmother: a witch and a resident of another world, known as Halloweentown. To their mother’s disapproval, the kids travel to Halloweentown just in time to see things go wrong in the cherished city. The siblings must work together as their grandmother is in
spend the rest of the night in their tent waiting to be scared. Nightmare Park recommends campers to be 18+, but 16 and 17 year olds can participate with a parent signature. The price depends on your level of scare but ranges between $49-$69. The park will be open on October 28th and 29th. Come spend the night and be left in fright. The last but certainly not least haunted destination is Scream Town in Chaska, Minnesota. Scream Town is a park with a total of eight different attractions including the Circus Asylum, the Ludicrous Labyrinth, the Crop Spawn, the Meltdown at Sector 666, the Redneck Resort, the Abandoned, the Oak Blood Forest, and the all new Phobia House. In the park, you could be scared at any moment, whether you’re walking from house to house or getting food from the many stands. In addition to the haunted houses, Scream Town offers a separately priced attraction called the Tamara Ester Project. This attraction consists of paranormal scares, voodoo, and other rituals. Scream Town will be open this year until October 30, and the regular admission costs $59. This Halloween season, I hope you can make it to all four of these attractions… and live to tell the tale.
Halloween, one of the best times of year, but also one of the most expensive. With all the candy, spooky decorations, and most importantly, the costume, it can all add up to a hefty price. But have no fear, Zephyrus is here to help you not spend your entire paycheck on that cheaply made, overpriced costumes at Target. We came up with the best costume options that you can find at your local thrift store. Save some cash and still look great! Minion- One of the creepiest costumes that you can ever be is surprisingly easy to recreate! To be one of these creepy yellow walking beans, all you need is a yellow t shirt, a pair of overalls, black gloves, a yellow beanie/hat, and some goggles. All these items can be found for super cheap at Goodwill or any other thrift shop. Be something that kids love and anyone over the age of 13 finds immensely creepy. Cowboy/Cowgirl- One of the staples of any Halloween party is too see at least one person looking like they’re on their way to a rodeo or to milk a cow. What you need for this costume is a jean shirt, a pair of jeans, a bandana, and a pair of cowboy boots. Add a cowboy hat at your own risk. The nice thing about this costume is that you might already have everything in your closet! Be warned, it may look like you thought of this costume ten minutes before you left the house, but hey, at least you tried (a little). Robber- This is the costume that you should do if you are completely out of options. Head over to your thrift shop, grab a cart and get shopping. Throw in any black and white shirt, black pants, a black stocking cap, and a white pillow case. Take a sharpie and draw a dollar sign on the pillowcase (you may want to wash it thoroughly first) and there you go! A costume that requires minimal effort, yet still looks great in photos. Pineapple and strawberry- Do you and your best friend want to have the cutest costumes of the entire night? Well this is for you! To go as the pineapple and strawberry duo, you and your BFF only need a few things from the store. Buy oversized yellow and red shirts, and use a sharpie for the markings of the fruit. Find some thick green fabric and cut it into little strips to make the tops of the fruit. No doubt that this costume will put you in the running for cutest couple costume. Hipster- An oldie but a goodie. This classic costume consists of multiple things that are easily accessible at the thrift store. Head over to the wonderful flannel section and pick your poison. The more flannel the better. Grab some ripped jeans, old combat boots (sneakers work just as well), and a beanie. Pop the lenses out of some stylish glasses frames and there you go. Embrace your inner hipster and enjoy your Halloween by listening to music you’ve never heard of and drinking cold brew out of mason jars. Well there you have it, four different costume options that won’t break the bank and are easy to create. So hop on over to your local Goodwill, grab a shopping cart and start shopping. Have a safe and spooky Halloween!
SPORTS
Athlete of the Month Sarah Filby Fencing
Eva Hadjianis staff writer
Brooke Sheehy staff writer
A big change was in store for the Edina High School Volleyball program when Nicholle Higley was hired to replace Sue Webber as head coach this fall. The whole team culture changed when Higley, known as “Nikki,” started a new training program; team members agree she expects even more and pushes her team even harder than previous coaches. All five teams, Freshman A, Freshman B, B-squad, Junior Varsity, and Varsity, warm up together which creates a welcome environment and a unified front. “Nikki is bringing new energy to the team and since she was the JV coach last year she had fresh ideas while knowing the culture already,” said Masha Feldman, a Junior starter for the girls Varsity team. This sentiment was backed by others on the team. Higley’s practices have drastically changed the outcome of the matches, especially at the beginning of the season when the Varsity team won eight games in a row. These games were against some of the toughest teams in the state. The first home game of the season was against Cretin-Derham Hall, a private, Catholic school located in St. Paul. The student section was full and boisterous. The game was sure to be a tough one, because Cretin-Derham is always a team to be wary of, but the Hornets prevailed and won in four sets. The Cretin-Derham team later went on to be 13-1, Edina as their only loss. The Varsity team gained even more attention as their winning streak continued. “It felt really
good, we had good energy, we all really wanted to win so we put in a lot of extra effort. Having the fans there really meant a lot,” said Feldman. After winning all of their preseason games, Varsity was undefeated going into their conference matches. These wins show the true improvement of the team because in the 2015 season their final record was 4-18. The Hornets are in the best conference of the state, so every game is a battle. Whether against Wayzata or Eden Prairie, the Hornets gave each staterenowned school a run for their money. Between the high school seasons, many volleyball players play for various clubs to improve their technical skills. Most of the players will play for Minnesota One, Northern Lights, Vital, or Club 43. The teammates are sometimes on competing teams, but they continue to be friendly throughout the club season. Some of the players also are part of other high school sports, especially basketball, where the players use their height to their advantage. The underclassmen and coaching staff are looking toward next year, with big hopes. “We will have a lot of returning starters so I am excited to keep improving our individual skills and teamwork,” said Ella Haugen, a sophomore who starts on the Varsity team. With seven underclassmen on the Varsity team, they will have a set foundation for next season. The Edina Hornet Volleyball program is achieving new heights of success, and they look forward to continuing their growth in upcoming seasons.
Hard Work Pays Off For the Vikings Max North sports editor
photo courtesy of Sarah Filby
In 1960, the Minnesota Vikings became the NFL’s 14th franchise. Since then, they have made the playoffs 27 times, played in four super bowls, and have now called three different stadiums their home. Recently, the Vikings have made some major changes to their coaching staff, players, and stadium, and are looking to make a run for their first super bowl victory. On Jan 16. 2014, the Minnesota Vikings hired head coach Mike Zimmer to replace Leslie Frazier. Instantly, Zimmer brought in new offensive coordinator Norv Turner and defensive coordinator George Edwards. Zimmer was the former defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, and the Dallas Cowboys. In the 2014 draft, Zimmer began building his defense with the selection of Anthony Barr, and made a late first round trade to draft Teddy Bridgewater from the University of Louisville to fill the needed starting quarterback spot. After losing star running back Adrian Peterson to a season long suspension, rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Zimmer’s defense led the team to a 7-9 season, the best first season by a Minnesota Vikings head coach since Dennis Green in 1992. In the 2015 NFL draft, Zimmer used his first three picks to improve the Vikings defense. His first two picks were cornerback Trae Waynes, from Michigan State, and Eric Kendrick, a linebacker from UCLA. Kendrick was the roommate and fellow linebacker of Anthony Barr, who was drafted the year before. With his third pick, he selected defensive end Danielle Hunter, from LSU. These three picks were vital selections that help make up the Vikings defense today. The 2015 season gave the Vikings proof that they are moving in the right direction. The Vikings went 5-1 in their division and beat rivals the Packers in game 16 to win the NFC North division with a record of 11-5. In the postseason, the number three seed Vikings lost to the number six seed 10-9 after kicker Blair Walsh missed a 27 yard field goal with a little over a minute left in the game. Despite the
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photo by Chuck Whitlock
Senior Sarah Filby was seven years old when she discovered her passion for fencing. She decided to give it a try because her next door neighbor’s son was a coach at a fencing club. Dedicated to fencing at a young age, Filby has rarely shown interest in other sports and continues to strive to be her best at fencing. “I haven’t played many other sports because fencing has taken up so much of my time, and I also want to be able to continue the sport to the next level, reach my potential, and shoot even higher than that,” said Filby. “There is a huge amount of satisfaction I receive when I execute an action properly; executing one action properly in a competition is the result of hours and hours of practicing it to use it in the right situation,” said Filby. While fencing is considered a physical sport, it takes a lot of mental work as well. “You have to keep adding actions to your repertoire and often have to be able to make a smart decision when your impulse is to rely on muscle memory. You also have to work constantly on perfecting your footwork and point control. If you are sloppy in either of these areas, you will not be able to succeed in competitions,” said Filby. Similar to most children, Filby came to a point where fencing became discouraging and there seemed to be no point in continuing to practice and participate in the sport. Luckily she came to realize that perseverance is important and that she would need to push through and learn from the successful. Fencing has provided Filby with many opportunities, and has helped shape her into the sociable and responsible person she is today; this sport has taught her about sportsmanship, responsibility, maturity, and perseverance, especially when she travels internationally for competitions. “I have made so many friends all over the world. I really look up to one of my friends, Eleanor Harvey. She is Canadian and has also been fencing in college at Ohio State. This summer she went to the Rio Olympics for the first time at the age of 21 and beat an Italian woman, Arianna Errigo, who was ranked number one in the world, and ended up seventh in the whole competition,” said Filby. Almost 11 years later, Filby is currently ranked 12th in the world for fencing. From when she was featured in Zephyrus two years ago, she has come a long way. As her time comes closer to an end at Edina High School, she has verbally committed to Northwestern University for fencing. When asked if the Olympics was a possibility in her future Filby replied, “It is not a relevant goal right now, and is hard because I could sacrifice so much and still not qualify. Once I get to college and start training at a higher level, I will be able to better tell if there’s a possibility of that happening.”
Filby (Canada) gets the point over her opponent
Changes Come to EHS Volleyball
2016 starting quarterback Sam Bradford upsetting end to the season, it was the Vikings’ best season since 2009. Excitement for the 2016 season was high from the fans, the players, and the coaching staff as the Vikings moved into their brand new home, US Bank Stadium. Over the past two years, the Vikings played at TCF Stadium while their 1.1 billion dollar stadium was built. In the 2016 draft, the Vikings continued to build their team with the selection wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and Mackensie Alexander, the cornerback from Clemson University. Just four days before the start of the regular season, Vikings third year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went down in practice with a torn ACL and was ruled out for at least a year. Within 48 hours, the Vikings traded a first and fourth round draft pick for the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback, Sam Bradford. The team’s hard work has paid off as the Vikings have gone 5-1 through week six, with victories over the Titans, rivals the Packers, MVP Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, and the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. The defense has created a nickname called the “Purple Reign” after they sacked former MVP Aaron Rodgers six times, and intercepted him late in the game to seal the win. They also sacked MVP quarterback Cam Newton eight times and intercepted him three times. From going 5-10-1 with quarterback Matt Cassel, to now being 5-1 with Sam Bradford, things for the Minnesota Vikings are looking up as they continue their quest to go to the Superbowl.
HUMOR
Beyond the Bubble: Industrial Edina Lillie Westbrook print editor in chief
EHS: Edina Horror Story Emma Bailey staff writer
Best Places to Flee to After the Election
direction when it comes to finding a new spot to lay down some roots. A good bet would be Sweden, the obvious Election day is nearing, which means that reason being that they have the highest asylum people are getting ready to run for the border. immigration per million inhabitants in Europe Let’s face it, who wants to stick around on a and the number of applications for asylum has sinking ship that will soon be commanded by increased by 50% in the past year. Another either a wannabe 20th century dictator who reason is that there are times in the winter picked up tyranny as a fun hobby or a woman when the sun won’t rise for a few days, so so technically challenged she can’t even use you could have a good couple days of just her email account correctly. darkness, aka, endless hours of sleeping time! You’re stuck between a rock and a hard Sweden also has some of the best and fluffiest place, or so you’ve all been told. In reality, pastries in the world. And the final reason is living in the United States is like watching the most important: No one ever checks on experimental theater: if you feel uncomfortable Sweden. Ever. at any time, feel free to remove yourself from Another great option is the U.K. Sure the situation. Although immigrating isn’t as their economy is in some turmoil right now simple as getting up and leaving a room, you but whose isn’t? Let’s take a moment to still have the choice to do so. Some Americans look on the bright side: the accents are very have figured this out quickly and have told aesthetically pleasing, you can drink at 18, and the world by angrily typing behind screens you won’t have to learn a new language. proclaiming that they will be on their way to Of course we can’t forget to mention Canada, should either of these candidates find Germany. They have the best youth themselves in the Oval Office come January. employment rates, college tuition is free, and But is Canada German bakeries are really the best renowned worldwide. (We we could come really value baked goods). up with? I know Over all, we know that America isn’t those of us who stay are really doing the royally screwed. There’s best right now, no way around that, but but we’re staying for those who choose to afloat for the flee, there’s still hope and time being. All no shame in leaving the Canada has to ship behind and snagging offer is a lifetime a lifeboat for yourself, of being attacked because the iceberg is by moose, being coming people. The deprived of Target iceberg is coming and and ending every it’s either screaming sentence with and orange or trudging “eh.” Lucky for along with a trunk full you, Zephyrus of colorful pantsuits is here to steer behind it. you in the right Airdropping into more hospitable lands Rebecca Edgington human resources editor
art by Katie Schiller
I can still vividly remember last year’s Halloween. I was staying with my cousin in Minnesota for the week. There was a Halloween party going on at the end of the cul de sac a couple houses down from where he lived. He invited me to come with him and, with nothing better to do, I decided to tag along. So, I threw on a white sheet, cut some eye holes in it, and we walked over to check it out. Upon walking in, I was greeted by all sorts of creatures: witches, animals, zombies, cheerleaders, jocks, superheroes, and things I had never seen before. I turned to my cousin to ask if he knew the host, but he was long gone. I decided to explore anyway; as I walked around, I didn’t notice anything special. It seemed like a typical Halloween party to me, nothing too out of the ordinary. I grabbed a glass of punch and made a beeline for the first chair I saw. It took me 20, maybe 30 seconds to realize there was a very pale girl beside me. “What are you disguised as?” I asked. “Why, I’m an Edina High School classroom. I haven’t seen the sun in ages,” she responded. A classroom? What the heck? These Edina kids were weird. I decided to move away for my own safety. In the kitchen, I met a boy who was dripping with sweat. His hair and clothes were soaked and most of the air within his vicinity was unbreathable. I asked him what his disguise was. “Disguise? This is my costume. I’m an EHS student! Get it, cause there’s no AC?” he said. I had absolutely no idea what these people were talking about and, frankly, I was not in the mood.
I passed by a group of cats on my way to the bathroom, and wasn’t surprised to find a long line when I arrived. I stood behind a construction worker, relieved that there were no “Edina High School” costumes in sight. The construction worker whipped around. “Wanna hear a construction joke?” he asked. I nodded, relieved that there was someone here who was able to make normal conversation. “Sorry, I’m still working on it,” he laughed. I didn’t get it. “Why’d you choose to be a construction worker?” I asked. “Oh, I’m not just any construction worker,” he said, “I’m an EHS construction worker. I work mostly in the parking lot, but sometimes I’ll help out with the occasional door additions here and there.” Suddenly, my urge to go to the bathroom was not so important anymore and I decided this party just wasn’t for me. When I got outside to leave, the streets were crazy. All the cars were trying to get out of the cul de sac at once, and nobody was showing any mercy. Glad I was within walking distance, I made my way out. As I was walking, the car behind me sped up and hit me! Instead of a sincere apology, all I got was a “Watch where you’re going, kid” from someone dressed as a giant bee. Luckily, the bee wasn’t driving very fast, so I was mostly uninjured. I walked very carefully through the grass the rest of the way back. Even then, people were still driving on the grass like maniacs, trying to get out as fast as they could. Once I was back, I went straight to bed. After the weirdest night of my life, I was ready to go back to Ohio where people wore normal costumes and drove on the roads. I didn’t think I could handle anything more about EHS or its dungeon-like classrooms, sweaty students, random doors, and insane drivers.
While the heavy 1920s lingo was hard to decipher, we gathered that Jay was attracted to a woman who had nice legs, while his friend found him to be intoxicated, and then Jay ate a donut. But who was the woman? What made her legs so great? And what, exactly, is “donut” code for? “For Lease” signs Just like the shining lights of Manhattan, the thousands of for lease signs draw tourists from near and far to our very own Industrial Edina. Take a tour of all the Pentagon signs, advertising modern office buildings. Look at the gutted structures that maybe-but-mostlikely-not once held people. Stare into the blue abyss of real estate giant Jay Jiovanazzo’s name on a sign right on a corner. Now before you sigh again and make the long drive to the dried-up teen hangout spots in the Twin Cities, think about visiting something a little closer to home. Hit up Gary with the latest Britney Spears single (he doesn’t know she’s no longer the Queen of Pop). Grab some worms and watch the mailmen picking up letters. And maybe, if you’re lucky, catch a glimpse of the legendary Big J. All excitement awaits in Industrial Edina!
photo by Josie Al-Najim
It’s often said that Edina is no fun after 10 pm on a weekend. For most Edina High Schoolers, fun with friends is only found in the Cities. Little do they know, a hidden gem awaits in the heart of their suburb: Industrial Edina. Zephyrus went out to find the best spots for some late-night fun right behind our very own EHS. Plunkett’s Pest Control Got bugs that the AP Environmental Science kids won’t take? Call Plunkett’s! These people are passionate about pests. Located on 74th Street, you can walk in and strike up a conversation with the guy behind the desk. Gary would love to chat you up about pests, politics, what the weather is like, has it snowed yet, what day is it, he’s been behind this counter since 2007, he can’t leave, he misses his family, funny pictures of cats you’ve seen, anything really! Don’t let his grayish pallor and sunken eyes turn you off Gary is an absolute delight. No wonder “Big J” won’t let him leave! When pressed on the identity of Big J, the little light left Gary’s eyes and he only responded “bad man.” Another fun mystery awaits in industrial Edina!
5916 Ohms Avenue “Why, did you see the gams on that Although it doesn’t have as flashy a bearcat? She could give the icy mitt to name as Plunkett’s, this sweet little shelter anyone!” is as welcoming as they get. An unmarked, “You’re absolutely zozzled, Jay. Lay off the darkened glass door acts as the backdrop for gigglejuice.” two green lawn chairs. As we overheard from a “Ah, bug off, mugsy. Pass me one of those passing 1931 Pierce-Arrow, “Don’t you know sinkers. [Furious munching.]” your onions? That’s Big J’s hangout, toots! You better go chase yourself, he’ll pop one in you before you can say applesauce!” The possible presence of the legendary Big J makes this spot even more enticing. A storm drain by the post office After an intense rainstorm, this drain is one of the hottest clubs for earthworms trying to make it back underground. Even more intriguing, a trained ear can pick up the sweet strains of swing music coming from underneath. Zephyrus also overheard the following bits of The storm drain, a local tourist attraction conversation:
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