March Issue 2020

MARCH ISSUE

LHS TATTOOS

Madeleine Kemper pg. 38

JUST KEEP SWIMMING Lilli Eppinga pg. 36

STATESBUDS

Kaden Fossum & Ree Baireddy pg. 16

LOOKING STATELY Sara Croghan pg. 24

YEARBOOK

tents con table of

enter tainment

features

4

It’s their forte- Alexis Miller

5

Well that’s embarrasing- Nicole Schmitz

6

Best Buddies- Chloe Harbaugh

8

Best excuses for late homework- Olivia Brost

10

How it became my name- Nyah Thaemert

11

The time I- Taylor Schmitz & Anna Engels

14

Graduation checklist- Kathryn Sweeter

38 LHS tattoos- Madeleine Kemper

STATESMAN

The Statesman’s purpose is to inform and entertain with an honest and accurate approach. The opinions of students, staff members and faculty are expressed in a tasteful manner. The Statesman is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the Journalism Education Association. The Statesman was awarded a Pacemaker in 2007 and was nominated for the 2012-2013 year. The Statesman has received Superior and best newspaper in the state of South Dakota. The editors and adviser take responsibility for the content of the Statesman.

Editors-in-Chief: Taylor Ericson, Timothy Stolp, Genna Sheriff, Carly Wheeler & Cathleen Weng Feature Editors: Cameron Rhode & Kathryn Sweeter Entertainment Editors: Chloe Houwman, Nyah Thaemert & Nicole Schmitz Sports Editors: Landon DeBoer, Morgan McDonnel & Spencer Wasmund Perspectives Editors: Daniel Bethke, Sara Croghan & Slater Dixon Photographers: Jaida Sorensen & Chloe Harbaugh Business Managers: Cameron Rhode & Jazlyn White Staff Writers: Grace Adler, Ree Baireddy, Avery Blackman, Olivia Brost, Kyla Clark, Abbie DeKramer, Anna Engels, Lilli Eppinga, Mara Fendrich, Kaden Fossum, Henry Haft, Chloe Hartje, Hunter Hauck, Caleb Hiatt, Madeleine Kemper, Dani Koang, Anna Langseth, Charley LockwoodPowell, Alexis Miller, Avery Nelson, Easton Plourde, Brita Quello, Adyson Sand, Taylor Schmitz, Molly Wetsch, Carson Woods Adviser: Katie Kroeze

9 St. Patrick’s Day- Morgan McDonnel

16 Statesbuds- Ree Baireddy & Kaden Fossum 19 Soft White Underbelly- Anna Langseth 20 Changed- Chloe Houwman 24 Looking stately- Sara Croghan 26 72 hour juice cleanse- Jaida Sorensen 27 Stranded and afraid- Henry Haft

perspectives 22 UBWHY?- Spencer Wasmund & Hunter Hauck 29 Behind the stained lips- Dani Koang 34 The one inch barrier- Mara Fendrich 40 Journalistic integrity- Landon DeBoer 41 Should students grade their teachers?- Chloe Hartje 42 Unplugged- Carly Wheeler

sports 23 Track preview- Avery Blackman 30 Breaking boundaries- Charley Lockwood-Powell 31 The madness begins- Caleb Hiatt 32 One peat, two peat, 7 peat?- Brita Quello 36 Just keep swimming- Lilli Eppinga

by Alexis Miller

The LHS band has been widely renowned as one of the finest in their field, not only in South Dakota but also in the Midwest. Throughout the years, the band has had their share of success.

Recently, they were able to achieve a high stature at the South Dakota All-State Band.

In the Spring of 2019, the LHS band secured a state record. 47 of their students were accepted into All-State Band, a number that has not been reached by any school in over 70 years.

“To put things into perspective, the closest school to beating our record only sent 16 students last year,” said LHS assistant band director, Sam Anderson.

Remarkably, the LHS band has been able to maintain this streak for 22 consecutive years.

They have sent a similar amount of students each year and the directors strive to continue this trend in the future. This time around, LHS instrumentalists will make up 25% of the All-State band; the program accepts 172 students annually, 44 of whom will come from LHS. Band members as a whole claim to owe this achievement to the staff and directors.

“Our music faculty motivates students to perform and audition to the best of their ability,” said LHS junior and trumpet player Zac Carlson.

Both students and directors acknowledge that their communication and teamwork with all of the music departments creates an encouraging environment.

“Here at LHS, we want everyone to be successful,'' said Anderson. “The band is able to collaborate and support the other music groups here. There is a trend of stability within our fine arts programs and a variety of options for every student.”

Although the fine arts departments rally around one another, they could always use the support of others.

“When there are people out in the audience rooting for you, it totally changes the dynamic of your performance,” said LHS junior and french horn player Eden Hodgins. “In a sense, you’re playing for them.”

There are many upcoming events and season highlights for the LHS band, including the South Dakota All-State Band. The pressure is on as the weekend of All-State approaches. On March 26-28, students accepted into the program will begin their time of preparation for a final performance on Saturday, March 28, in Mitchell, SD. In addition, on April 6, select LHS concert bands will be performing at the Washington Pavilion. This is considered the most formal performance of the year, which will showcase standard concert band repertoire. Finally, on May 5, all seven sections of the LHS band will complete their final concert of the year. This show is especially entertaining for students because it features songs from this era's pop genre.

The LHS band directors, parent advocates and instrumentalists encourage fellow students to attend as many events as possible. The support and enthusiasm from students is truly what carries the spirit of the band.

“We could always use a few more familiar faces in the audience; it's a real confidence booster,” said Carlson.

Embarrassing moments often appear without a blinking light or a horn; there is no warning to brace yourself for the gut-wrenching discomfort that floods your entire body. These situations arrive with no regard for your feelings, setting or schedule.

Embarrassment shows no mercy to anyone, including LHS teachers.

Although bashfulness after a mistake or an event not going as planned can happen many times throughout a lifetime, there are certain childhood memories that one cannot escape.

“When I was younger, during swimming

by Nicole Schmitz

lessons, we would jump off the low dive and grab onto the instructor’s arm and then swim over to the ladder,” said LHS Special Education teacher Tanya Bjerke. “I thought that it looked like something I could do. So, one time during open swim, I convinced a younger neighborhood friend to jump off the low dive and I would hold out my arm and she could grab it. However, when she did it, I ended up trying to hold her above water while I was under and we had to be rescued by the lifeguard. I was SOOO embarrassed. I don’t think I ever told my parents what happened to this day.”

With the opportunity for a fun dress up day, the chance for embarrassment is not far behind.

“On college alma mater spirit wear day my first year, I had just had a baby

and couldn’t fit into my spirit wear from USD, so I wore an Iowa State shirt from my friend because I wanted to wear jeans,” said LHS ELL teacher Emily Koo. “Then, a teacher who I really didn’t know well asked me some very specific questions like what dorm I lived in and my favorite professor and I just stood there like an idiot.”

Along with the unfortunate event of loss for words is the pain of losing a pair of pants to a whiteboard.

“About five years ago, I was teaching, and I rubbed up against the whiteboard marker tray and I caught my pants on it,” said LHS math teacher Eric Rice. “It ripped a hole from the waist of my pants down into the leg of my pants.”

It is guaranteed that there is an abundance of embarrassing moments to come in your lifetime.

Remember to take each one with a grain of salt, chances are you will laugh about them later.

BY CHLOE HARBAUGH

BEST BUDDIES

AVA LEONARD & DAX HUEZO-VARGAS

6 STATESMAN

There is no doubt that high school can be one of the most challenging times of a person’s life. Students with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDDs) have additional challenges navigating schools.

LHS senior Mitch Eichacker saw this problem around our school and wanted to solve it. His solution: Best Buddies. Eichacker first learned about Best Buddies while attending a convention at RHS. Eichacker knew that LHS had many students with IDDs and wanted to bring the club to LHS. The club officially started at LHS two years ago. At first, it was just Eichacker and a few classmates that he had recruited.

“It started kind of small with just me and the people I could recruit, mostly seniors,” said Eichacker.

“In our two years here, the amount of members, including underclassmen and upperclassmen, have grown.”

Best Buddies takes students with IDDs and matches them with students without IDDs. The club now has around 30 members. About 20 of them are matched with buddies, and then there are about 10 people that are not matched but are still involved with meetings and fundraisers and still get to have fun. The pairs are chosen by the executive board, the adviser and the RISE teachers. Once the pair is matched, they do what friends do; they hang out in and outside of school whether that involves going to the movies, playing video games, hanging out or eating out.

Trey Naasz, LHS’s current Best Buddies’ adviser, learned about the club from Drake Bachmeier, the club’s former adviser. When the club was looking for a new adviser, Naasz was on their radar.

“I had [already] built a pretty good relationship with Yonni and Dax, who are members of Best Buddies, and my interactions with them is always a fun part of my day,” said Naasz. “When Mr. Struwe and Dr. Raeder came...and asked me if I wanted to become the new adviser for Best Buddies, I didn’t even have to think about it; I just said yes.”

The club is made of the buddies and their pairs, the associate buddies, the executive board and the adviser. The executive board, which consists of seniors Eichacker, Kate Sargent, Emily Hall and Taylor Ericson, meets in a smaller group to plan events and make decisions. They do the majority of the planning and behind the scenes work, making sure everything runs smoothly.

The buddies bring the fun. They are just like any other member of the club. They participate in all the group events and just have a great time.

Associate buddies play a big part in Best Buddies.

They help with fundraising, participate in the large group events and just help the club in general.

Although they are not directly paired with a buddy, they still show up to the group events and help everyone have fun.

The club’s adviser, Naasz, plays a significant role in the club. He contacts the people to help plan for Best Buddies’ big events and helps in coordinating those events by finding spaces for meetings and parties and supplies. Naasz is passionate about the club, which has led to him finding more activities for Best Buddies

TY SHAFER & TYLER TOWNSEND

JAELA LAMMI & CHLOE ROBINSON

CHASE HELLAND & JALEEL DEAUVILLE MITCH EICHACKER & YONNI PENA

EMILY HALL & DAX HUEZO-VARGAS MORGAN MCDONNEL & KAYLEE BLOOM PONCELET

KATE SARGENT & JAELYN GALLOWAY to do.

“The biggest thing about Best Buddies is that it is student driven,” said Naasz. “The students who are involved run it.”.

Best Buddies is hoping to grow in membership and the amount of activities they do in the upcoming years.

“Our executive team right now is all seniors...so we are trying to find people to fill those spots,” said Naasz. “Ava Leonard is taking over as president, and we are still trying to find people that want to take it over.”

“We need to have the younger kids spread the word around, whether that's through social media or posters in the school,” said Leonard. “I know people want to join, so I am really excited to see the progress we can make next year.”

Naasz believes the club needs to be promoted by the students, faculty and staff to help its success as well.

“The biggest thing is just promoting it and getting kids and parents aware of what Best Buddies is,” said Naasz. “Once people get aware of it and think that it’s something fun that they want to do and be involved in, that’s how we are going to grow.”

LHS junior Ava Leonard joined Best Buddies

two years ago when Eichacker told her that they were looking for people to join the club. Leonard was excited to join because she has always had a special spot for kids with IDDs in her heart.

“I love Best Buddies because generally most students do not get to interact with kids that have IDDs,” said Leonard. “It’s fun being able to know their names, seeing them in the hallways and getting to hangout with them outside of school.”

Another member who joined Best Buddies when it first started is Kate Sargent, a senior at LHS. Sargent also joined two ago years when the club first started.

“I like that you get to build such a close relationship with all the kids, and you get to be influential in their lives and high school careers,” said Sargent.

Best Buddies puts on multiple events and fundraisers. Since the club does not get any money from the Sioux Falls School District, all of the money that they fundraise stays in Best Buddies.

Upcoming events and fundraisers include a friendship walk and a Polar Plunge. The Polar Plunge will be held on April 18. The Polar

Plunge is a Special Olympics fundraiser where participants jump into freezing cold water.

The event will be held in the parking lot of J & L Harley-Davidson, 2601 W 60th St N, Sioux Falls, SD. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and the plunge starts at 1 p.m. Best Buddies is trying to help raise money for Special Olympics. Anyone at LHS can be involved by registering for the plunge at plungesd.org. When registering make sure you join Sioux Falls Lincoln’s team. Those interested should talk to Jennifer Dubois, Naasz or a student in Student Council or Best Buddies.

The Friendship Walk will be held in Brookings on May 2. The purpose of the walk is to spread awareness for inclusion. If people are interested in getting involved in any of the Best Buddies events or they want to learn more information, talk to Naasz or a member of Best Buddies.

PHOTOS BY STATESMAN 7 CHLOE HARBAUGH & TAYLOR ERICSON

Best excuses for late, missing or incomplete homework.

by Olivia Brost

Cindy Cummins English

“Miss Cummins. Here’s my homework.

Don’t mind the spot on it. I threw up last night, but I wiped it off.”

Matt Daly History

“I had a student tell me he left it in his backpack which is in his friend’s trunk who is out of town.”

Monica Conover Spanish

“She said she was partying too much over the weekend to get it done.”

Chris Ernster Science

“A student told me he was playing Minecraft until five in the morning.”

Regan Meyer History

“He told me he worked on it on a party bus over the weekend and left it on there.”

Jared Jansen Math

“I had a student come to class saying she got married over the weekend, with a ring and all.”

Trent Dlugosh History

“Four of my grandmas died.”

8 STATESMAN ARTWORK BY CARLY WHEELER

Typically, St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that is celebrated by few in comparison to the big holidays that occur in the fall and winter. Although it is an underrated holiday, it has an abundance of potential to bring joy and excitement to anyone.

by Morgan McDonnel

Irish Blueberry Scones Recipe Ingredients: 1¾ cup all purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into pats ½ cup dried blueberries 5 tablespoons milk 1 egg, plus 1 more beaten to brush on top

Directions: Step 1: To start off, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients of flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. After it is whisked together, add the butter with fingers until it is all worked in and follow with the blueberries.

Step 3: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the milk and egg together. Once whisked, add the mixture to the dry ingredients and slowly mix until all combined.

Step 4: Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough a few times. Divide the dough with a knife or cookie cutter into eight equal wedges. After splitting them up, separate the scones with space between on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Step 5: Place scones in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are lightly browned. Once taken out of the oven, serve with butter and enjoy.

Mr. Murphy’s Irish Gifts

St. Patrick’s Day parade

Mr. Murphy’s Irish Gifts, located in downtown Sioux Falls, is South Dakota’s one and only Irish Gift Store. This shop is open yearround but thrives tremendously in the month of March. The gift store ranges from Irish apparel all the way to jewelry and house decor imported from Ireland. Mr. Murphy’s Irish Gifts is a great place to stop by to purchase green apparel for the holiday.

This year, Sioux Falls is hosting the 41st annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. The parade takes place downtown at 2 p.m., beginning on 13th Street and continuing all the way down Phillips Avenue until 5th Street. The parade is designed to include and interact with the public as various groups ride down the street in Irish themed floats and costumes. Stores and restaurants are all open, welcoming everyone.

The public is encouraged to line the streets with chairs to celebrate and indulge in all of the St. Patrick’s Day fun that downtown Sioux Falls has to offer. All proceeds of the parade are donated to Special Olympics and other children’s charities in the Sioux Falls area.

Fife and Drum “St. Patty’s Day bash” To kick off the holiday fun, the El Riad Shrine opens their doors at 11 a.m. on March 14 with a day full of various activities and entertainment. Games and food are provided along with free admission.

To close the night off, the Khartum Pipes and Drums enter at 8:30 p.m. to fill the stage with loud drums and bagpipes. The Khartum Pipes and Drums travel down from Canada every year to the Sioux Falls El Riad Shrine to perform and celebrate the great holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, with the city of Sioux Falls.

Samweli Yoweli, 12

by Nyah Thaemert

A name is how a person gets your attention, what you write on top of your homework assignments and is the surface of who you are as a person. But how do we get our names? Here are some LHS students that have unique meanings within their names.

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“Yoweli is my grandpa’s first name, and Samweli is for Samuel in the Bible because my parents are pretty religious.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“A lot of people do not know how to say my name. I try to say Samweli Yoweli because it rhymes and that usually helps people learn how to say my name.”

What are your feelings about your name? Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“I want to keep my name because I am super proud that my name rhymes.”

Ayush Patel, 10

Petra-Zlata Iva, 9

Godgave Pelo, 11

Temesgen Haile, 12

Ramsey Folkerts, 12

Dasani LaCroix, 10

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“The definition of my name means ‘the period of life’ in my language.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“I’ve never had a substitute pronounce my name right the first time, and some of my teachers still can’t pronounce it right.

I tell teachers to start with ‘I’ then ‘U’ and ‘Shhh’ and that helps them get the hang of my name.”

What are your feelings about your name? Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“I like my name because it is unique and different, and it is also a conversation starter.”

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“My name comes from Ethiopia, and it means ‘thank you god.’ My parents are pretty religious so that is how I got my name.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“Pretty much anytime there is a substitute teacher they struggle to say my name. There was one who called me ‘Te-mas-ka’ and that was pretty painful.”

What are your feelings about your name?

Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“I don’t really like my name, but I don’t hate it either. I kind of tolerate it and I understand if people mispronounce it horribly. I wouldn’t change my name if I could.”

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“My grandfather’s name is Peter and so if I was a boy my mom was going to name me Peter, but since I am a girl, she named me Petra. Since I am Russian, she added Zlata because it means ‘golden’ from our Russian heritage.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“A lot of people just give up trying to pronounce my name, so they just call me Petra. They also sometimes call me ‘Petra-Latte’ or ‘Petra-Ze-lata.”

What are your feelings about your name?

Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“Sometimes I want to change my name, but other times I really like it because it is really unique. So [in the end], I don’t think I would change it.”

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“My parents named all of their kids [based] off of things in their life. My brother was named Dakota because we live in South Dakota, my sister was named McKennan because my dad proposed to my mom at McKennan park and I was named Ramsey because my parents lived in Ramsey, Minnesota before they had all of us.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“In my younger grades, most people would spell my name with a z or with just weird spelling.”

What are your feelings about your name?

Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“I wanted to change my name when I was younger, but now I think I like it because it has a lot of meaning.”

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“My aunt gave my mom the idea to name me Godgave. There wasn’t a reason for why she did.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“There are so many times when we have a substitute teacher they will say ‘Good-ga-giv.’ It makes me mad, but I also think it is funny.”

What are your feelings about your name? Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“I like my name because I am a Christian and it is a holy name.”

What is the story behind how you got your name?

“I got my first name because my mom and dad like to drink Dasani water.”

Do you have any funny stories of people trying to pronounce your name?

“In elementary school [the students] couldn’t say my last name.”

What are your feelings about your name? Would you change your name if you could, or do you like your name?

“Sometimes I wish I could change my name because people sometimes make jokes like ‘Oh what’s your middle name, Aquafina?’ But at the same time, I like that it is unique.”

The Time I...

BY Taylor Schmitz & Anna Engels

While many students may feel like their lives have been mundane, some LHS students have experienced a surprising variety of odd encounters and have many stories to tell. From funny secrets to great accomplishments, this TTI (The Time I) Disney Channel spin-off will surely change the way you view the peers who you previously perceived as boring.

Allison Weeden, 11

“It was my freshman year and I was in the musical, The Christmas Story. Around the end of the story, the family goes to a Chinese restaurant because their neighbor’s dog destroyed their turkey. During the scene, we had a fake duck that the waiter would bring in and rip the head off and all of us would be surprised. But during the dress rehearsal, the duck was angled towards me. When the waiter pulled it off, he used more force than necessary, so the duck went straight to my face and hit the bridge of my nose. I got a bloody nose on stage, but I kept going to finish the show. I had to sing an entire song and while I was singing in my 1940s costume, I was wiping my nose as well. I initially tried to hide it by covering my face and everybody thought I was breaking character, but I wasn’t. When I took my hand off everybody just gasped because there was so much blood, and by the end [of the show] I looked like a zombie.”

“The time I finished my novel was one of the proudest moments of my life. I challenged myself to write one, which meant writing more than 50,000 words. In November there’s a challenge called National Novel writing month where you try to write a book in one month, but I didn’t have the time because of school, so I wrote it in two and finished it at the end of December. It was more of a struggle than people would believe. I wrote in my spare time and I stayed up at night to finish writing it. The book is about a girl and on her grandpa’s deathbed, he gives her a clock and it says, ‘end of the world’ in Latin at the bottom. Three years after he dies, the clock finally starts ticking and she has three days to figure out how to save the world.

At the end of the year, I had written a 75,000 word novel. Seeing my dream through gave me such a sense of accomplishment that I've never felt before. I’m still in the editing process but I’m hoping to get it published in the future.”

Emma Johnson, 11

“One time I was visiting my old school with a bunch of other kids who went there also.

There was construction on the road in front of the school so there were traffic cones everywhere. We decided that they took a lot of our childhood, so we were going to take a traffic cone. The school is right on 26th street so the road was always really busy too. We had to stop in the middle of the busy road, jump out and grab a huge orange traffic cone that is way heavier than you would think, and run back into the car before getting honked at. Then we dropped it off at our old principal’s house and got the heck out of there. It was so much fun and probably the most I have ever laughed in awhile.”

Katie Van Zee, 10 “The first time I went to an NFL game, my stepdad and I left after school and drove from Sioux Falls all the way to Appleton, Wisconsin. [It] was Packers vs. Vikings and Mr. Daly and I had a bet that the loser had to wear the winning team’s jersey to school for the full day. After the Packers won 21-16, he had to wear my brand new Aaron Rodgers jersey that I bought in Green Bay. Not only that, but he had to wear it again after the Packers beat the Vikings in week 16.”

Levi Roberts, 12

PHOTOS BY CHLOE HARBAUGH AND CATHLEEN WENG

BY KATHRYN SWEETER

As LHS seniors experience the last few months of their high school years, many are realizing what they want to accomplish before they leave for college. Places, people and memories they used to take for granted are now all things they should take advantage of in the next few months before they are no longer as easily accessible. Here are some tasks to complete to help commemorate and reflect on your high school experience.

Eat at your favorite restaurants: Until the summer is over, our favorite restaurants, shops and places that hold a special meaning will be jampacked with seniors trying to soak up every last minute they have left in Sioux Falls. Bagel Boy, Phillips Avenue Diner and Juice Stop, all Sioux Falls classics, will be busier than ever as we try to eat as many bagels, shakes and smoothies as possible.

Hug your mom:

Or your dad, sister, brother — anyone who you are close with that you will not have the luxury of spending every day with while in college. Even though you hate to admit it, chances are you will miss them dearly, so make an effort to spend time with your loved ones. You should realize your time with them will be limited in the next four years, so appreciate them even more.

Take a senior trip:

Whether it is a weekend getaway to Omaha, NE or a week in the Bahamas, go on a trip to commemorate your high school experience because you have earned it. While on the trip, have fun, but also take the time to reflect on how many things have changed over the past several years of your life. Bring your friends with you so you can all be together one last time before you venture separate ways.

Do something crazy:

We all have an idea in our head of something crazy we have always wanted to do but were too anxious to go through with. Now is your time. Do it. Whatever it may be, you should complete that crazy dream of yours because if you do not, you may always wonder what it could have been like.

Take pictures: From now until the end of summer, fill your camera roll with countless pictures and videos. Take candids, selfies and all other types of photos that represent the adventures or trips you take, the days you spend at the lake and the people you surround yourself with during the end of the school year and summer. When you go to college, you will want to have these memories hidden away on your phone to look back on. Maybe even make a cheesy compilation of videos with an artsy song in the background. Although it may seem clichĂŠ now, you will appreciate having it later.

Keep your grades up: With only a couple months left of your high school career, it is very easy to let your grades slip away from you as senioritis kicks into full gear. After working hard at maintaining good gradwwes, you owe it to yourself to finish out your last year with those good grades. Even if you are accepted into college already, put in the effort to complete your work to the best of your ability.

Visit your favorite locations in Sioux Falls:

The city of Sioux Falls, SD has been a lifelong home to many of us. Before you leave for college, you should visit the places that have helped make this place feel like home to you. A childhood home, a location that holds memories of family traditions or maybe just the place of a memory you enjoyed. These areas will help remind you of the community and activities in Sioux Falls, SD.

Spend time with your friends:

For the rest of the school year and summer, spend copious amounts of time with your friends. Go to LHS sporting events together, hang out on school nights and spend the whole summer together. Chances are you are as close to them now as you ever will be, so make the most of your friendship. Even though you may be separated from your friends in college, do everything in your ability to stay in touch and maintain your relationships with them.

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PHOTOS BY KADEN FOSSUM & REE BAIREDDY

S TAT E S B U D S

In Sioux Falls, as you drive down Western headed towards West 41st Street, one will see a Shopping hub to your left along with Scheels Sporting Goods Store. What some fail to notice is a little gem called All Day Café, where they serve an array of dishes with top-notch reliable service.

I dined at All Day Café on a Saturday night. To my surprise, it wasn't overly busy, and I was seated almost immediately. In the quick time of being seated, the waitress greeted me and took my drink order. Their food selection had a range of prices from expensive to reasonable; I didn’t think any of their meals were cheap.

I eventually made up my mind and ordered the mac and cheese, priced at $11 and with the addition of chicken the price was raised to $14.

It took around 15 minutes for me to receive my food. The mac and cheese was nicely presented, and the chicken was well seasoned and tasted great on top of my pasta. I enjoyed my meal, but the main downside that stood out to me was the portion size. When paying $14 for pasta, I feel one should have a fairly substantial amount of food, but that was not the case for this dish.

Taste-wise the mac and cheese was spectacular, and it would de�initely get me to come back again, so props to the chef.

JOHNNY CARINO’S

With only one location in Sioux Falls, Noodles and Company has become a fan favorite for noodle lovers.

With their diverse menu, people are able to get food that varies from cultures around the world. From their Asian section to the classic Italian noodles, anyone can get anything they desire for their pasta needs. When I went to the American fast-casual restaurant with a couple of my friends, I decided to get a small order of the Alfredo MontAmore with Parmesan Crusted Chicken which cost $9.25 due to the addition of meat.

It took my food around 15 minutes since it was a Saturday night, and the restaurant was semi-crowded.

This meal seemed almost comparable to something I would expect in a four-star restaurant. The pasta was a perfect blend of vegetables and creamy alfredo sauce. Although I added meat to my pasta, the spaghetti noodles would taste just as good meatless. Personally, I would recommend adding meat just to get an extra �lavor. However, the meal is not for the small-stomached.

This bowl of pasta �illed me up, and I thought I was going to implode by how hearty and cheesy the meal was. The noodles were doused in four types of cheese and there were multiple types of vegetables such as roasted mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes. The taste is unlike any of the other pasta on their menu due to the enormous blast of �lavors.

The first thing I saw when I walked into Fazoli’s were the bright, vibrant colors, which immediately drew my attention. The restaurant contains a large sitting area along with a plethora of food choices, all at a fairly moderate price.

I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese for $6.99.

For around an additional dollar, one can upgrade to a combo meal, adding a piece of pizza or a choice of a salad to your meal. Fazoli’s is truly a bang for the buck. All the workers were respectful, and ordering my food felt like a breeze. While waiting for my food, they continuously brought out fresh breadsticks, which came free with my meal. I was overly impressed with the start of my Fazoli’s experience.

It took around 10 minutes to receive my food, and my initial thoughts were that it looked pretty appealing.

After a couple of bites, I realized that its looks didn’t lie.

I thought it tasted fairly good. There was a substantial amount of food, and I was surprised by how much pasta one actually receives. The one factor about my meal that was disappointing was the fact that my chicken in the pasta was only lukewarm. This didn’t bother me that much, but in some people’s standards that would ruin the whole meal.

by Kaden Fossum

Fazoli’s

All day Cafe

Located off of Louise near Century Stadium 14 and XD, Johnny Carino’s is a classic Italian chain restaurant that serves Italian cuisine with a modern and familiar �lare for the American community. When I visited, I was immediately seated and greeted by the friendly servers. On the menu, we could order multiple types of Italian food ranging from types of lasagnas to classic Italian dishes such as Baked Cheese Tortellini and Classic Cheese Ravioli. I ordered the Classic Fettuccine Alfredo which cost $10.99. The cost would have risen if I added chicken which would cost $3, shrimp for $4.50 and adding both would cost $4.

Right when we ordered, we were instantly served with their iconic bread and oil, which is the perfect appetizer for an Italian restaurant. The food was served in less than 15 minutes with a presentation that was on par with a restaurant in Italy. When I took a bite of my meal, I was disappointed by the overly sauced pasta. The plate seemed more like a soup with a side of pasta. The fettuccine tasted �ine with the texture of a normal noodle, but the sauce was overseasoned and tasted like an average sauce that I could have bought from a grocery store. The meal overall seemed underwhelming due to the fact that I believe I could make just as good as a fettuccine alfredo in the comforts of my home for half of the price.

NOODLES & COMPANY

PHOTOS BY KADEN FOSSUM & REE BAIREDDY

by Ree Baireddy

STATESMAN 17

SOFT WHITE UNDERBELLY

BY ANNA LANGSETH

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SOFT WHITE UNDERBELLY’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

My daily boredom usually leads me to spending an unhealthy amount of time on the Internet. A few weeks ago in one of these states, I stumbled upon a video on my recommended page on YouTube. The thumbnail was an incredibly clear black and white photo of a woman that had piercing eyes and an obvious look of exhaustion in her expression. The title was “Crystal Meth Addict interview-Lin ‘’ and immediately, I watched it.

Taking in the heartbreaking story this young woman shared, I proceeded to watch around 10 of the other equally as terrifyingly real interviews on the Soft White Underbelly channel.

Mark Latia is an accomplished photographer from the U.S. He has worked

with major companies like Apple, BMW and adidas. In 2016 he started the YouTube channel Soft White Underbelly to share interviews he filmed of people living on the infamous Skid Row in Los Angeles, CA. These people check most of the boxes that society generally sees as inferior. A quick scroll through the channel’s many videos will reveal that those interviewed are drug addicts, prostitutes, pimps, gang members and others with fear-inducing labels.

The titles of the videos give a glimpse into the lives of those interviewed.

But a glimpse is often very misleading. The titles tacked on to these people are only a small part of who they are. The interviewer,

Latia, asks questions that prompt a deeper look into the pasts of the interviewees. Most of them focus on their childhood and how they ended up in the situation they are in. An absolutely awful childhood is a common story that is shared. Stories of every form of child abuse are told through the mouths of the affected.

Along with the heartwrenching stories of childhood mistreatment, the interviewees often share countless accounts of abuse, poverty and addiction in adulthood. Most of the people featured in this series are living on Skid Row, a neighborhood in Los Angeles known for the large homeless population that inhabits the streets, living

in meek blue tents. This neighborhood is not known to be an easy place to live.

Referred to as “the streets” by many of the interviewed participants, the area is described as a place where survival is the way of life.

This series is an eyeopening experience to life on the streets in the U.S..

As we sit here in a place very far away, most of us in comfortable living situations, media platforms, such as Youtube, have been able to share the real emotional effects of suffering and a glimpse into one of the worst places to live. The Soft White Underbelly channel is a beautiful example of this and rightfully represents a group of people who are usually ignored.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUSTIN BIEBER’S INSTAGRAM

BIEBER’S NEW BEGINNING

by Chloe Houwman

Canadian superstar Justin Bieber is back, but is he better than ever? Bieber has been in and out of the media’s eyes over the years, so it is difficult to figure out where he has been, and more importantly, what he has been doing.

Bieber’s rise to fame seemed to happen overnight. He was first discovered through his YouTube channel in 2008 by Scooter Braun, a party promoter who happened to come across Bieber’s channel. Within a week of being discovered, Bieber was flown down to Atlanta. From there, his career skyrocketed. Over the next year, Bieber would release his debut album “My World,” which was a hit among teenage girls. When the album was first released, 137,000 copies were sold within a week, according to Billboard. From that point forward the world would know the name, Justin Bieber.

His launch into the music industry proved to be a lot of pressure for a young kid to handle, and over the next 12 years, Bieber would have many highs and lows in his personal life and professional career.

20 STATESMAN

In 2010, Bieber released his second album “My World 2.0,” an extension of his original album which is considered the second part. This album went platinum and reached over 3,300,000 album sales and rose to the top of Billboard 200, a list of the top 200 albums in the United States for that given week, in April of 2010. Bieber also went on his first tour to promote the album, which continued into 2011.

Bieber released his first film at the beginning of 2011, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,” which is a documentary of Bieber’s life on and off the stage. Exceeding expectations, the film grossed $12.3 million the day it was released, according to UPROXX. Over the next few years, Bieber would release his second, third and fourth albums: “Under the Mistletoe” (2011), “Believe” (2012) and “Purpose” (2015). Bieber’s previous album, “Purpose” went on tour in March of 2016. The tour came to an abrupt end in July of 2017 when Bieber canceled the rest of his concerts. According to The Guardian, Bieber said that he needed rest and relaxation to become the man he wanted to be.

Bieber’s music and relationships were not the only things that caught the media’s attention; he was also getting in trouble with the law. Bieber’s first run-in with the law occurred in 2012. According to Teen Vogue, he was pulled over for going 80 mph trying to escape the paparazzi’s attention. This would be the first of Bieber’s many encounters with law enforcement.

He was also arrested for drag racing and driving under the influence on Miami roads in 2013.

Bieber’s encounters with the law continued until the end of 2014.

Bieber has been in a few serious and media popular relationships.

Bieber’s first public relationship

was acknowledged in 2010. He and actress and singer Selena Gomez would be known for their on again off again relationship that existed until the beginning of 2018. It is rumored that Gomez’s new album “Rare” is about Bieber, but Gomez has yet to comment on who exactly it is about or if it is even about anyone. More recently though, Bieber’s marriage to the American model, Hailey Baldwin, has been front and center in the media’s eye. Bieber and Baldwin met in 2009 after an introduction from Baldwin’s father. The two were friends for years until they officially started dating in 2016.

Bieber and Baldwin were not exclusive and their relationship ended a few months later. After time apart, the two were engaged in July of 2018 and married in November of the same year.

Their ‘quickie’ marriage was not the ceremony that Baldwin had wanted, and in September of 2019, the two held a ceremony in South Carolina.

Although Bieber had many personal developments throughout his teenage years, that did not stop him from continuing his musical career. Before Bieber released his newest album, he was a part of many collaborations, featured in many hit songs and launched a

“Justin Bieber still doesn’t really get the credit he’s earned. The “Justin Bieber string of celebrity still doesn’t relationships, the really get the bad-boy behavior, the credit he’s tattoos and everearned. The string evolving hairstyles of celebrity and hues — all these relationships, the things have had a bad-boy behavior, tendency to distract the tattoos and from the obvious, ever-evolving which is: That boy can hairstyles and sing.” hues — all these - Jeremy Helligar of things have had Variety a tendency to distract from the obvious, which is: That boy can sing.” - Jeremy

PHOTO PROVIDED BY HAILEY BIEBER’S INSTAGRAM

clothing brand. Some of the songs that he was featured in include: “Despacito”, “No Brainer”, “I Don’t Care” and “10,000 Hours.”

Bieber continued his own musical career when he released “Changes” in February of 2020.

This album was the first he had released in five years, and according to Bieber’s website, the album debuted with over one million global sales and streaming units. It was also Bieber’s seventh album to reach number one on Billboard. The album featured many other famous artists: Travis Scott, Post Malone, Clever, Lil Dicky, Kehlani, Summer Walker and Quavo. One thing was made clear in the album- Bieber knows his limits. He has managed to stay true to his voice, but also to himself. The pitches that he can reach and the melodies in which he can create cease to amaze his listeners. This album was released on Valentine’s day, and it is nothing short of a love song to his wife. He praises her and shares his love for her in the best way he knows how: through music.

STATESMAN 21

by Spencer Wasmund and Hunter Hauck Although Andrew Yang has dropped out of the Democratic primary, the Freedom Dividend, which defined his candidacy, has not been forgotten. Universal Basic Income (UBI) was part of his proposed solution to softening the blow of unemployment as a result of automation in the coming years.

The argument backing this type of proposal is mostly related to pulling those who are in poverty out of it. The general idea behind Yang’s proposal is that people who would be receiving UBI would be provided some economic security knowing they would be getting $1,000 from the government each month.

“I think it would be a good thing for economic security if a person wanted to take a chance on starting a small business,” said LHS Economics teacher Steve Blankenship. “They would have that money to fall back on and they’d be more likely to take a swing at a business venture.”

Providing a financial floor would

promote a nationwide sense of economic security that would be a huge boost for the economy. There would be the potential for more people to start spending their money on consumer goods, starting small businesses and investing in other businesses.

However, the cons that come with a plan like this are extensive. Paying for it is the main concern for many people. Another issue that has been brought to light involves deciding who exactly would be eligible to receive this type of government assistance.

Despite it being called “universal,” Yang’s UBI plan does not include every U.S. citizen. There are also concerns over the societal impacts that would come along with this plan. There is the potential that it actually ends up hurting the economy and employers more than it is benefitting the people.

It could seemingly incentivize taking more time off from work, requiring employers everywhere to spend more money on hiring more people for the same amount of labor.

Yang’s plan to pay for UBI includes consolidating some welfare programs, applying a value-added tax (VAT) of 10%, using “new revenue” and taxing both top earners and pollution. The tax burden of this plan, however, has many people tentative to latch onto the

“Yang Gang” train, and understandably so. While these methods probably would be enough to pay for UBI, a VAT would ultimately increase the consumer price index — even though Yang’s VAT wouldn’t necessarily be applied to groceries or clothing according to Yang’s website. Critics of UBI would rather the government reduce its spending on social programs than increase revenue through taxes.

Another one of the main arguments that Yang and many others with similar plans have used to support UBI is that it will help get rid of the stigma that comes with receiving government assistance since everyone would have it available to them. Although, allowing every U.S. citizen 18 and older access to $1,000 a month would cause a large amount of unnecessary government spending. Essentially everyone, whether or not they actually need it, would be accepting $1,000 a month at the expense of the taxpayers.

This would require the government, if everything else is kept the same, to potentially spend another $3.96 trillion per year if every U.S. citizen were to accept the monthly check.

That is almost eight times more than what is currently being spent on welfare programs each year, which is around $550 billion according to the Washington Post.

Like many modern economic policies, the concept of UBI is superficially pleasant but internally illogical. As much as it sounds like an uplifting idea, it would likely be paired with subsequent inflation. Ultimately, due to the negatives of UBI, we cannot support it.

KM AN

BY

AV ER Y

BL AC

each of the Sioux Falls teams compete for each event. The State meet is essentially the same thing, except it involves all of the South Dakota schools and is spread across multiple days.

“My personal goals are to beat my personal best in long jump, 17 feet 2.5 inches, and then also get the top LHS time for the 4 x 100m relay,” said Merkley. “My goals for the team are to win State For the and Metro.” hundreds of In order to achieve the ambitious goals, the LHS athletes LHS track athletes have set for themselves, involved in track training outside of the spring season is a necessity. and field, spring is Winter speed workouts, which started in synonymous with the track season, which officially December 2019, were a great way for athletes to either stay in shape or get in shape. However, the started on March 9. In 2019, most motivated track athletes took matters into both the LHS boys and girls their own hands, working out on their own to track teams were State champions, enhance their athletic abilities. Schroeder was one an impressive achievement in itself, of the athletes who placed an increased emphasis made better by the fact that it was the fourth year in a row the boys team won on off-season training this season.

“I’ve been practicing endurance training pretty the State meet. As a result, there are certainly high expectations for the 2020 often,” said Schroeder. “I’ve also been in the weight room a lot more this year.” boys and girls track seasons.

For many track participants, the season could With a total of 16 meets planned for the varsity and junior varsity LHS track not come soon enough. Head LHS track coach James “Jaws” Jarovski, in particular, is looking teams in 2020, the athletes will have many opportunities to compete, qualify forward to the season’s commencement.

“I’m excited just to get started,” said Jaws. “It’s for State and hopefully, win. Since the meets are spread out over approximately really just a fun group of kids to be around.”

Coming off of the two State titles won in the two months, there is plenty of time for athletes to improve upon their times or 2019 season, the LHS track team is certainly poised for success in the 2020 season, and Jaws is distances, depending on which events optimistic for the team’s performance this year. they compete in.

“I think we have kids on both the boys and the LHS junior Isabelle Schroeder, a middistance runner, hopes to cut time off of girls teams that are going to be really good,” said Jaws. “And those kids will be competing for State her main event, the 400m dash. titles.”

“I would like to get my 400m time Regardless of the victories and losses, the LHS either at 60 seconds or under 60 track athletes are sure to have a very exciting seconds,” said Schroeder. season just by getting to train and compete LHS sophomore Lauren Merkley, a sprinter and long jumper, is also looking together.

“My favorite part about track is my teammates to push herself this season, as well as and coaches because they make it so enjoyable,” encourage her teammates to victory in the two most important competitions of said Merkley. “Everyone is so close- it feels like the season: State and Metro. During the one big family.”

Metro meet, the top varsity athletes from

P A T S R U N S D

FEATURING ELIZABETH DUMANSKY & EVALYN MULLEN PHOTOS BY SARA CROGHAN

STATESMAN 25

This may be Sioux Falls, SD, and this may be a high school magazine, but that is no excuse for an absence of class and fashion. LHS juniors Elizabeth Dumansky (in black shirt) and Evalyn Mullen (in white shirt) humored my voguish aspirations and played the laborious role of models for the day. These photos are the product of one 30 minute W.I.N. period, two girls, two jackets, one camera, a few studio lights, a white backdrop and myself. Let these photos not only attest to the beauty of these girls, but that great outcomes only require a vision and a tenacious drive. It was not glamorous. There were a lot of stumbles, unplugged lights, awkward poses and the small backdrop (it was quite small) provided an interesting challenge. The process did not have the feel of auence I would expect from a GQ caliber shoot, but it worked. One does not see how the photos were taken, they only see the product.

by Jaida Sorensen A 72 hour juice cleanse is supposed to get rid of all the toxins or impurities in your body that you don’t need.

A juice cleanse also helps with becoming more energetic, losing weight and helping clear up the skin. Let’s see if it works.

Juice #1: Liver and Kidney Detox Ingredients: 6 apples (remove the seeds) 10 small cut pieces of beets 1 bunch of celery 1 lemon 2 tomatoes 15 carrots (juice last)

Day #1: This juice wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Even the smell was actually really good. The first taste impressed me. It wasn’t sour at all but instead kind of sweet. Although the after taste wasn’t the best, I can still truthfully say that I would drink this on a regular basis. I could taste the apples and celery but none of the other ingredients. All the ingredients made two large water bottles of the juice which was a pretty good amount. I had to ration myself a little bit when drinking it because that was all I could drink that day, besides water. I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t hungry, because that is the opposite of the truth. Around 5 p.m. I heard my stomach growling so loud that I’m sure China could’ve heard it. But nothing was worse than when my parents made dinner that made my mouth water, and I just had to sit there drinking my juice.

Day #2: This juice was terrible. I hated every moment that I had to take a sip of this awful mixture. I had to plug my nose when sipping it because it was that bad. Imagine sour greens with small seeds here and there.

Juice #2: Green Drink Ingredients: 4 apples (remove the seeds) 2-3 cucumbers Small handful of parsley 2 large handfuls of spinach 1 bunch of celery 1 tsp ginger

The plus side of today was that I definitely felt more energetic and happier. I’m not sure if that had anything to do with the juice but I felt more alive. This day I had work for five hours which helped me stay busy so that I would not think about my hunger as much.

I had to use the restroom a lot though; it was almost every other hour that I would be soon using the bathroom. At first, I was a little concerned but then I remembered that I have only been drinking liquids for the past two days. I finished the first water bottle, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish the second one.

Day #3: This juice only made one water bottle, which was a little depressing, because that meant I had to really ration myself for the whole day. I only got one bottle of nutrients, which might have been the point because it is the last day. This juice was very sour because of the two lemons, to the point where I had to plug my nose sometimes to drink it. Also, after every sip my face looked like a baby’s would after his first time trying a lemon. My stomach didn’t really growl today, which I am very thankful

Juice #3: Super Colon Detox Ingredients: 10 cut pieces of beets 1 bunch of celery Small handful of cilantro 1 cucumber 1 tsp ginger 2 lemons 10 leaves of romaine lettuce Large handful of spinach Small handful of parsley 15 carrots (juice last)

for because then my peers at school wouldn’t glare at me for bringing a bear in the class. I can definitely say I had lots of energy today, because right after school, when I got home, I started cleaning my room and doing laundry. Let me remind you, I never do chores around the house, and to say my mother was surprised to see me cleaning was an understatement.

My opinion: I really enjoyed this 72 hour experience. I loved the way I felt after and I definitely did lose some weight. I would recommend this to anyone who thinks they need to feel more energized or wants a fresh start. I will be doing this once a month because of how much I enjoyed it.

by Henry Haft

After constantly playing an online game called GeoGuessr, my classmate, Daniel Bethke, and I were inspired to go on a journey similar to GeoGuessr in real life. The plan was simple, Daniel and I would be blindfolded in the LHS parking lot and then we would be driven to a remote location. Once we were dropped off, we would be forced to figure out where we are and find our way back to the school. We contracted a driver and a videographer: Genna Sheriff and Abbie DeKramer.

After a series of unfortunate events, Genna was stuck at work, so Abbie was our driver and we had to record ourselves.

There I was, sitting in the open trunk of my car with Daniel at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Our group planned to meet there at that time but our driver was nowhere to be found. Abbie came flying into the parking lot 15 minutes late and said, “get in.” Daniel and I put on our blindfolds and got into her car. We tried to feel every turn so that we could figure out where we were going, but with Abbie opening the windows and blaring mumble rap, it was hard to follow.

After about a 25 minute drive, the car came to a screeching halt. The doors were flung open and we were pulled out of the car; it felt like I was being abducted.

I took off the blindfold and everything was completely white for the first five seconds. Once my eyes adjusted, I looked around and knew we were far from the school that we needed to eventually return to. I kicked around the dirt on the road we were standing on and breathed in the toxic fumes rising from the Big Sioux River and Smithfield foods, formally John Morrells. I looked into the distance and saw downtown Sioux Falls along with the Cathedral. I knew exactly where we were. This was a mediocre job in choosing a spot.

It wasn’t a challenge to find my way back, it was just a very long walk. Daniel and I stood on top of a hill looking over the city thinking about the journey ahead of us. Abbie flew off leaving a cloud of dust and us in the middle of nowhere, stranded and afraid.

Daniel and I figured out that we needed to head south to get back to the school, so we started heading down a long winding road that went southwest down the hill we started on. We passed a huge industrial district and the state penitentiary. Did we make it back? Did we get abducted by aliens? Did we get hit by a car? Go to lhsstatesman.com and search for “GeoGussr IRL” to find out what happens during our miraculous adventure of a lifetime.

BEHIND THE STAINED LIPS

“Y

ou look prettier without makeup.”

“I look beautiful either way, thank you.”

It is a daily occurrence for many women, young and old. The backhanded compliment, the unwanted opinion. It is sad, really, when the world thinks they have a say in our appearance. I think a simple “you look nice” would suffice. Whether you would like to believe it or not, it is not a compliment to tell someone they look “prettier” one way or another. And what sucks most is that it can come from anyone - even the ones we love the most.

One day, as I was finishing up my makeup, my dad stood in the doorframe of my bedroom and asked me why I wear makeup.

“Why do any women wear makeup at all?

It doesn’t make sense to me why someone would want to paint layers over their skin to feel beautiful,” he said to me. I proceeded to answer his question with this simple statement: “Because I want to.”

Because we want to.

“But you look pretty without makeup,” he said, “You don’t need it.”

I then went on to explain that not all women wear makeup to make themselves feel prettier. It may play somewhat of a role in the matter, but makeup is not only used to hide

insecurities and heighten societal standards of appearance. For many, it is a form of selfexpression. It boosts our self-esteem and adds a few details to glamorize the daily routine.

According to a GLOSSYBOX survey from her.ie, “Seventy-five percent of women said that they wear makeup every day. While 18 percent used it as ‘a tool to express their personalities’ and 11 percent confessed it was to attract a partner, 74 percent of respondents revealed that they used makeup to feel more confident about themselves.”

We use makeup as a tool to tell stories.

To bring the creatures of our imaginations to life. For others, wearing makeup makes them feel and appear more professional in the workplace. Applying makeup can be seen as a form of self-care, it allows for some personal time. But everyone uses makeup for their own reasons. Personally, I enjoy the glitz and glamor of sparkly eyeshadows and false lashes. For many women, including myself, it makes us feel more confident. However, that does not mean that I need makeup to feel beautiful in my own skin, I just find joy switching up the everyday routine with different looks. I can show the world different versions of myself. I like to create images through makeup. It is fun to think of the face as a 3-dimensional canvas where I can

practice my art.

It would be a lie to say that there are not women and men alike out there who use makeup to hide insecurities. But it would also be wrong to generalize the entire beauty community by saying that it is our only goal. Anything, arguably, could be used as a method to stigmatize the standards of beauty. For a long time, it was seen as unfit for women to be without a corset under her clothing in order to appear thinner. And a poor man with drab clothing would be seen as inferior to the rich. Makeup, for ages, was used by men and women alike, to show one’s class, status and cultural symbolism.

Appearances matter. They always have. But in the end, it boils down to the individual. I do not wear makeup to please anyone but myself; it is merely part of an illustration of the story of my life. It makes me feel beautiful and allows me to be creative.

However, my story may differ from that of everyone else. But these are words to be taken into consideration. Before you ask someone why they wear makeup, ask yourself this: why does it matter? Because behind every stained lip, there is a story. And whether they choose to tell you is their decision. We do not need your validation or backward compliments.

PHOTO BY DANI KOANG

by Dani Koang

BREAKING

BOUNDARIES PHOTO BY JAIDA SORENSEN

PHOTO BY JAIDA SORENSEN

by Charley Lockwood-Powell Over the past three years, Morgan Hansen has been dominating South Dakota girls basketball. Now a senior at LHS, Hansen is looking to end her high school career with a State championship and to etch her name into the LHS record book.

With the state tournament starting on March 19, the LHS girls basketball team is expecting nothing less than a State championship title. They had an amazing season ending with a record of 14-6 and are looking to keep it going as they appear in the State tournament. Led by Hansen along with other seniors, the LHS girls team has a great shot at this year’s title. Hansen has been a backbone for past seasons and one of this season’s successes.

Hansen has been getting varsity minutes since she was a freshman.

Hansen has been working hard since freshman year.

Hansen knew that she wanted to play basketball in college from the start and began gaining attention from schools across the Midwest during her sophomore season, which eventually led to her signing with the University of South Dakota to continue her academic

30 STATESMAN

and basketball career.

“I knew all along that this is where I wanted to play basketball,” said Hansen. “It is going to be really cool playing under such a successful female coach.”

Hansen has been a top player throughout high school She has earned many awards including winning ‘All-State Team’ and ‘AllTournament Team’ her freshman, sophomore and junior year. Now in her senior season, Hansen is looking to add to her trophy collection and maybe get a State championship ring. This season has been very special for Hansen.

Not only has she led the team in scoring, but she has also recently joined the elite 1,000 point club and has also broken the school’s rebound record.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the 1,000 point club and break the rebounding record because I have worked very hard to get here,” said Hansen. “Now that I am here, it’s just a surreal feeling,” said Hansen.

Along with her work on the court, Hansen has had a longlasting impact on her teammates and acts as a role model to the underclassman. Hansen helps younger athletes and teammates get better by pushing them hard in

practice and making sure they are not slacking off.

“She has shown how hard it is to work to get to her level and what it takes to succeed in this sport,” said LHS sophomore and teammate Kaia Jensen.

To say the least, Hansen’s presence on the LHS basketball has had a huge impact on all of the players. By working as hard as she does, the younger players look up to her and want to work just as hard as she does. High school basketball has been a great stepping stone for Hansen as she makes her way into college basketball. These past four years are ones that she will not forget.

Her accomplishments here will travel with her and her name will always be on the LHS wall as one of the greatest LHS girls basketball players.

After this season, Hansen is going into a whole different world of competition. Going from high school basketball to college basketball will not be easy.

“I know I am going to work even harder than I already do,” said Hansen. “It is going to be way more intense, and I am going to have to learn to play at a quicker level. I have to make smarter

decisions because I know some decisions I make now won’t be very good in college basketball.”

This next season is going to be a tough adjustment for Hansen and will be a completely different lifestyle. She will have to learn to practice every day and keep up with all her classes when she is on the road for basketball.

“I am scared about balancing school and basketball because I know that I will miss a lot of classes during the season,” said Hansen.

Although there will be a lot of stress to come with their upcoming season, there is also excitment with playing at the college level: playing in front of thousands of fans, playing in high-class arenas and also the experience she will have with her future teammates.

“I am really excited for next season because I know most of my teammates and can’t wait to get in a routine with them and travel and be with them all the time,” said Hansen.

Hansen has surely left a mark in the LHS basketball program through her work ethic and her natural talent. Her hard work will follow her and will help her tremendously in the future.

T HE B E GI N S

BY CALEB HIATT As the month progresses, we get closer to the NCAA Division One Men’s Basketball tournament known as March Madness.

March Madness is a tournament of 68 college basketball teams that fight for the national title. Eight teams have a play-in game where they compete for their place in the field of 64. The bracket is divided into four regions, each with teams seeded one through 16. In each region, the one seed plays the 16 seed, the two seed plays the 15, the three seed plays the 14 and so on.

March Madness is a meaningful season of the year for sports buffs.

They get to see how their teams perform and how accurate they were with their predictions. While March Madness is vital to sports fanatics, it can also be entertaining to everyone who creates a bracket full of their predictions. Anyone has a decent chance at winning their group due to the overwhelming uncertainty and seemingly infinite number of outcomes that come with the tournament. The tournament is so unforeseeable that it is nearly impossible to predict what will happen. No one has ever created a perfect bracket.

According to the NCAA, the record was set last year at 49 correct predictions before failing in the 50th game. LHS math teacher Jared Jansen and LHS science teacher James “Jaws” Jarovski are two of the biggest sports enthusiasts at LHS and have been

making March Madness brackets for years. Even for them, winning does not come easy.

“I know that I’ve won relatively bigtime money twice since I’ve been [at LHS],” said Jaws. “That’s two out of 20 times, which is not a lot. It’s a lot of luck too.”

Even being veteran bracket predictors, Jaws and Jansen still have a tough time winning their groups.

They both have certain strategies that they use when predicting outcomes.

The tactics that they use are based on watching a lot of basketball games before the tournament, but it is difficult to watch every team play. So when Jansen is unsure, he reverts to his childish side knowing he has just as good of chance of getting it right as if he used a more complex strategy.

“If I’ve seen the teams play then I’ll try to pick who I think is better,” said Jansen. “But if I don’t know who to pick, then I’ll go with who has the better mascot. It’s a little kid strategy.”

While Jansen resorts to an unsophisticated approach in times of indecision, Jaws typically shoots for a more enlightened scheme.

“If they have an elite level player, like a Zion Williamson, they usually tend to win the questionable games,” said Jaws. “Stars usually win for me, like Ja Morant last year.”

The tournament is known for its unpredictability as well as its surprising amount of upsets. Year

after year, picking upsets proves to be the hardest part about predicting the tournament. Jansen and Jaws use similar methods when choosing their upsets.

“I know there is always going to be one 12/five upset,” said Jansen.

“I try not to do too many that are 13 seeds and above, even though they do happen, they happen less frequently so I try to stay away from them.”

Bracket competitions are widely popular among people of all ages, whether they involve a prize or are just for fun. Some LHS teachers have friendly bracket competitions among their classes in which students can receive small prizes as a reward for winning.

“Everybody fills out a bracket in all five of my classes,” said Jansen. “It’s mandatory ... The winner of each class gets extra credit and the overall winner gets extra-extra credit and a candy bar.”

For those in need of extra credit or those who just really aspire to win their bracket group, I suggest noting some of the same guidelines used

by Jansen and Jaws. In addition to previous advice provided by the two LHS teachers, they also recommend including Gonzaga and Baylor in the final four. They believe that Gonzaga is the most plausible champion, but other strong predictions include Baylor, Maryland, San Diego State and Duke.

BY BRITA QUELLO

With spring around the corner, the boy’s tennis season is upon us. This is not an ordinary tennis season or tennis team. The LHS boy’s tennis team has a 6-peat under their belt, but this accomplishment comes with added pressure and attention. This new season will be exciting to follow, with anticipation to continue the reigning State champion streak and to watch the phenomenal matches.

Coach Tom Krueger leads six varsity boys to the top of their flights by reinforcing the importance of playing with integrity and treating their opponents with respect, no matter the circumstances.

“There are two things that I want my players to remember whenever they are playing tennis for Lincoln,” said Krueger.

“The first is to act with integrity. Tennis really requires honesty from their players, so it is important that we are honest in everything we do. It’s also important to remember that no matter how many state titles we have won we still need to treat our opponents well. The second thing is to give everything you have no matter the situation. I hope my players never give up on a match, point or even a single ball. But I am really looking forward to the group of boys that we have this year because they are such high-class people and it is really an honor to get to coach them.

There aren’t any of them that I worry about what their behavior is going to be.”

With the whole tennis community watching every move of these athletes, they 32 STATESMAN

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have to present themselves in an honorable fashion.

LHS sophomore Gage Gohl uses the crowd’s eyes as an incentive.

“Lincoln does have a big target on their back as the team to beat this year, so that is a good motivation for us as a team to continue to stay focused,” said Gohl. “I use the pressure as motivation. I love to play off of the crowd’s energy and just enjoy every moment.”

The tennis community’s influence has not hindered the performance of the boys. At the beginning of every tennis season, the players compete against their teammates in challenge matches in order to seal the fate of what flight of singles and doubles they will play for the whole three month season. There are six varsity singles flights and three varsity doubles flights.

Being such a competitive and talented team, challenge match week can be some of the hardest matches of the year. Not only are the matches difficult, but playing some of your closest friends in very intense make-orbreak matches can be grueling. In one aspect, it is a blessing that the LHS boy’s tennis team gets to struggle during challenge match week because of the skill that is present. While some talent on the court may come naturally, most of the players still work extremely hard

to get to this point and prepare for the season.

“We are lucky as a team because our players play so many tournaments and pressure matches in the offseason that they are more than ready to handle the pressure of the high school season,” said Krueger.

The boy’s tennis season is in the spring so weather can be a large factor to work around, but they make it work. Since it is quite impossible to play on a court covered in snow, the least favorite part of the season for many boys is shoveling. They get the privilege of spending their first week of the season shoveling the courts.

“I am nervous about the inconsistent weather this year and how that will affect matches,” said EMS 8th grader Rocky McKenzie.

Each tennis season is special because the players are constantly changing. Some kids graduate or move away, and other kids join which makes the team a completely unique situation every year.

“The best part of the season is getting to hang out with such awesome kids,” said Krueger. “I really look forward to it every year and enjoy the season so much.

I am so psyched with the players we have this year. We are going to have a blast!”

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TOM KRUEGER

THE ONE As he accepted an award for his film “Parasite” at the Golden Globes, South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho started a cinephile revolution by mocking close-minded viewers.

“Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” said Ho in Korean, which was carried through by his translator. “Just being nominated along with fellow, amazing international filmmakers was a huge honor. I think we use only one language: the cinema.”

In the following month, “Parasite” became the first ever foreign film to win best picture at the Oscars. Since then, it appears everyone has lost their minds — including myself.

Ho’s words to the Golden Globe’s audience collide feverously with Hollywood’s slow-burning debate surrounding subtitles, in which the American attitude of impatience is tested on the accusatory waters of cultural insensitivity. So, is it actually racist not to read subtitles?

The answer is more loaded than you might think.

In order to respectfully and thoroughly dissect such a complicated question, I need to provide some background.

For as long as East Asian culture has obtained the interest of the American people, two types of viewers have been at each others’ throats: those who experience film and television in their original audio and read the closed captions, and those who listen along to the dubbed over versions in English.

Viewers who argue in favor of subtitles do so because they preserve the content the way it was meant to be. Voice actors are cast as the producer intended, which is telling of each character and how they come across to the viewer. Still, many who don’t speak the original language of the film complain that having to read the bottom of the screen takes away from the overall experience and gets exhausting in a matter of minutes, sticking with dubbed audio for its convenience and simplicity.

In terms of cognitive experience, however, this argument falls apart. Back in 1992, psychologists Gery D’Ydewalle and Ingrid Gielen published a study tracking eye movement and attention while watching movies with subtitles. They found that the overlapping of sound, image and text was not a distraction, but rather a balancing act that the brain adjusts to in time. In 2007, D’Ydewalle published another study on children participating in the same eye-tracking test. Apart from a slight increase in the time for the eye to transition from text to screen and back, their conclusion remained the same.

INCH BARRIER

by Mara Fendrich

They are not the only ones backing this area of research. Professor Tim Smith at Birkbeck, University of London and Professor Jeffrey Zacks at Washington University both argue that the presence of subtitles are not limiting cognitively; they are instead more engaging to the viewer. Simultaneously processing visual information and text requires more parts of the brain to function at the same time, but that does not make it any more laborious.

With this information, there is a valid argument that this barrier does not, in fact, pertain to a simple language barrier. It is instead built from an unwillingness to connect.

East Asian cartoons that reached the American mainstream, such as “Sailor Moon,” opened the door for similar shows, which lead to the current Western debate on the “right way” to interact with certain types of media. Those who grew up on those cartoons may have grown accustomed to media that accommodates English speaking viewers and their interests, which perpetuates a main issue with American consumerism: the sense of entitlement.

Closed captioning, though potentially annoying to neurotypical Americans, holds a higher importance. It is more suitable for those who are hard of hearing. It makes fast-paced movies easier to understand for those who may need it. And, as Indian academic Brij Kothari has proven through years of research, it helps children establish a connection between text and sounds, which furthers their ability to read.

Despite these counterarguments, people who side with dubbing maintain that they “don’t want to read a movie,” eventually creating a stalemate. That’s where Ho comes in. Now, with his remarks on the political implications behind the subtitle debate, the future of foreign films and their role in Hollywood is completely open-ended.

With the already booming interest of South Korean entertainment in America, Ho had ample opportunity to find success at winning an Oscar following his nominations, which had an unclear effect on the future success of other cultures’ films. Either Ho’s film completely opened the door for foreign languages and cultures to mix and become a prevalent part of American entertainment, or it set up only the success of films of its same nature.

It’s important to keep in mind for the American viewer interested in foreign culture, whether it be Bollywood, K-Dramas or otherwise, that culture does not exist purely for their entertainment. Each continent, each country and even each city has unique customs and ways of life that stretch far beyond amusement to the outsider. In separate interviews, Ho has made it clear that he doesn’t care about American audiences’ backlash regarding subtitles. He didn’t make it for them.

In avoiding the coveted celebrity status, Ho has left more than enough room open for the endless pursuit of his art. He has become the symbol of chaos that Hollywood has long feared, and all he had to do was exist. The politics, awards and glory that come after mainstream success are all secondary. He is simply here for the art. Nothing more, and absolutely nothing less.

As for that one-inch barrier, there is no way to tell if we as a people will cross it. If you were to ask me, I would say we’re only a centimeter of the way there.

JUST KEEP

SWIM

by Lilli Eppinga

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ith all of the popular sports at LHS—basketball, football, volleyball, among others—one activity often goes unnoticed: swimming. Sadly, since there is no pool in the basement, there is no LHS swim team.

You can find many competitive swimmers in and around the LHS hallways. Although swimming is not as popular of a sport in South Dakota as others, it has many attributes that make it a vigorous and exciting sport.

Two particular students discovered their love for swimming at a very young age; LHS juniors Katie Timmer and Madalyn McQuistan found their place on the Sioux Falls Swim Team.

“I started swimming competitively when I was six years old, but I started swimming lessons when I was six months old because I always loved being in the water and my cousins also swam so I was constantly surrounded by them and wanted to be like them,” said Timmer.

With lengthy practices, nerve-racking meets and one tight-knit swim team, swimming has become a core activity and a driving goal in the lives of Timmer and McQuistan over the years.

One aspect in particular that makes swimming special to them is the important friendships they have developed during the multitude of practices and meets.

“My favorite part about swimming is all the friends I’ve made in the past few years,” said McQuistan.

Just like any activity, the people that surround you greatly affect the experience

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of the sport. This means that a devoted team, such as the Sioux Falls Swim Team, is a gamechanger.

“We practice a lot, around eight times a week, so we end up spending a lot of time together which allows for a really close community and family type atmosphere on the team,” said Timmer.

No matter the activity, sport or job, there is always an opportunity to form amazing relationships just as Timmer and McQuistan have. The friendships are what transform swimming into more than just a sport, but an enjoyable activity with their best friends at their side. These friendships do not just disappear when they leave the pool, they remain intact during school and during their free time. The bonds they have created over the years through this sport are incredible.

All sports take intense training whether it is shooting 400 free throws and practicing multiple plays or running miles and completing laps, but swimming is unique since training is in water rather than land.

Most people think swimming consists of laps and treading water, but in reality, it is so much more.

“Swim practices usually entail a lot of swimming obviously, but we work on different techniques to help make our stroke better, different speed work and distance. It is comparable to track in some senses,” said Timmer.

Swimming takes strong endurance and tons of practice, which is why Timmer and McQuistan spend so much time at the pool.

Practices for the Sioux Falls Swim Team consist of several different events and usually take place twice a day.

“Swim practices involve swimming for two hours,” said McQuistan. “We are supposed to go to at least five practices a week, but there are seven offered.”

MMING Along with the training, there are also swim meets that are similar to track.

“Swim meets are usually three days: Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays,” said McQuistan. You normally swim a certain number of events. The most nerve-racking part for me is when it is a prelim final meet and I have to swim finales and there’s way more pressure at finales because that will be your final placement.”

Another noteworthy aspect of the sport is the physical toll it takes on a person as well as the abilities it takes to compete.

“In swimming, you can get out of shape a lot easier than other sports,” said Timmer.

“When you miss even two practices you are basically taking four or five days to get back to where you were before.”

The physical endurance it takes to swim for hours is astonishing, and it is what makes this sport so unique. However, while the sport has many upsides and benefits, there is the setback of how many hours these swimmers have to put into their sport. Often times, these LHS swimmers must sacrifice time with their friends, time to do homework and time to just relax.

“Swimming interferes with my social and school life a lot because we have to miss a lot for swim meets and we have practice so often that it usually ends up cutting into time that I would be spending with friends,” said Timmer.

Even while sticking with the intense sport, both Timmer and McQuistan have excelled in their school and social lives. It not only has benefited them in their relationships with teammates, but also with learning how to manage their time and stay in great physical shape in order to be at their peak performance.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SIOUX FALLS SWIM TEAM

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by Madeleine Kemper

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by Madeleine Kemper When I think of self-expression, I think about the tangible aspects of a person such as clothing, shoes, accessories, etc.

As people age and mature, these forms of expression typically change to fit a new demographic or style. However, there is one form of expression that never changes, and that is a tattoo. Getting inked is a serious commitment because it requires you to pick a piece of art that you want to live with for the rest of your life. I was surprised to find out that many students and faculty members at LHS have not just one, but multiple tattoos, each with their own story.

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Olivia Van Den Top, grade 12

Where on the body: Lower side of back Why they got this tattoo/meaning behind it: When she was 18, Van Den Top got six numbers tattooed on her lower side, representing the last two digits of each of her three siblings’ birth years. For a long time, Van Den Top and her siblings could not decide on what they wanted their tattoos to be of.

Originally, they all planned on getting each other’s initials, but they eventually decided on birth years.

“We always wanted to get a sibling tattoo, and one of my brothers didn’t like the idea of initials, so he had to find something that he liked too and we went with the numbers instead,” said Van Den Top.

Logan Needles, grade 11

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Where on the body: Wrist and back of neck Why they got this tattoo/meaning behind it: On his forearm, Needles has two roses intertwined with a cross lying beside them.

To him, they are a reminder to always have love, hope and God in his life. On the same forearm, he has his favorite Bible verse with an image of hands held together in prayer. On the back of Needles’s neck, he has the image of a tree.

“The tree has a really personal meaning. It reminds me to keep all the bad stuff behind me and to always grow as a person, like the way a tree grows,” said Needles.

Xavier Pastrano, English teacher

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Where on the body: (All over) both arms and legs Why they got this tattoo/meaning behind it: Xavier Pastrano might win the award for the most tattoos at LHS. One that stands out to him, in particular, is his half-leg sleeve for the strong women in his life because he was raised by a single mom. The tattoo is nautical themed. One piece of it represents his wife, another represents his mom and the third is for his aunt. Along with this piece, there is a compass to represent the guidance they have given him throughout his life. The sleeve on his arm is literary-themed with symbols from his favorite books. Pastrano has many other tattoos, including one of the Tenenbaum kids, honoring his favorite movie “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

“Every single tattoo I have is like a chapter in my book. My first tattoo was representative of being 18 and making hasty decisions. That’s who I was at the time,” said Pastrano.

PHOTOS BY SARA CROGHAN

Summer Stoll, grade 11

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Where on the body: Above elbow, left shoulder Why they got this tattoo/ meaning behind it: The tattoo on the back of Stoll’s arm is her sister’s birthdate in Roman numerals. This was her and her sister’s first tattoos, which they got together when Stoll was 16. On her 17th birthday, Stoll got her second tattoo on her shoulder. This tattoo includes three state flowers, one for South Dakota and the others for Ohio and Minnesota, where her parents grew up. The lettering arranged around the flowers says “Home is wherever I am with you,”

Roxy Harte, History teacher

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Where on the body: Multiple places Why they got this tattoo/ meaning behind it: Harte has gotten multiple tattoos in her lifetime, eight to be exact. Her most meaningful one is on the inside of her wrist. It’s a line from a card her dad wrote to her. In his handwriting, it says “There is nothing you can’t do, Love dad.”

“My tattoo is kind of a pep talk/reminder from my father, who passed away unexpectedly my senior year of high school,” said Harte.

in Arabic because Stoll’s grandma is from Syria. “[The tattoos] are really personal to me and my life so it feels really cool to have personalized art on my body that no one else will ever have,” said Stoll.

by Landon DeBoer

In the aftermath of the deaths of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and his daughter Gigi; baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and his daughter Alyssa; mother and daughter Sarah and Payton Chester; Mamba academy assistant coach Christina Mauser; and helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan; the idea of journalistic integrity was brought to the table after it was reported that family members of the victims may have found out about the tragedy from news outlets rather than city officials.

This recent disaster showcases the dilemma between getting a story completely accurate and getting the story published in the quickest manner. A decision like this seems easy: Allow families time to grieve and be the first to learn of such an incident with 100 percent accuracy. However, in the hour following the helicopter crash, TMZ had already published a story covering the incident. After TMZ’s quick coverage in the race to be first and get clicks, many other media outlets such as ABC News and BBC were quick to publish stories and get TV coverage, all of which varied in total death count and who was in the helicopter. One such erroneous report concluded that Bryant’s entire family was in the helicopter. This report was sloppy and inaccurate to say the least.

Although breaking news is crucial in alerting people about disasters, it can be detrimental in many other ways if not covered in a respectful and accurate manner. Learning about the death of a loved one can be difficult in any situation, but learning such horrible news from the national media rather than a

city official, who can correctly confirm the status of a loved one, can be even more difficult to families in the grieving process. Seeing a false report on TV can leave a person wondering whether or not their family member was actually in the reported incident, rather than hearing straightforward from an accurate source who is trained to break such difficult news.

There is little excuse for putting additional weight on many families’ shoulders during tough situations like the deadly helicopter crash. Inaccuracies in reporting on normal events can be fixed with a simple correction. However, an inaccuracy in a life or death situation is inexcusable and no amount of remorse can fix the permanent damage caused. No ad revenue or view count can be great enough to justify stealing impactful moments of grief away from families involved in a tragedy.

To be quite frank, as a journalist, I am appalled at how some news networks can report without knowing the full facts of a story. Accuracy should always be the number one priority over the number of views a story could accumulate if published as breaking news.

Even though I am not a part of the poor reporting that went on after the Jan. 26, 2020 disaster, I want to apologize to the Bryants, the Altobellis, the Chesters, the Mausers and the Zobayans for the lack of attention to detail and sympathy the media acted with. As a journalist you can always do better and be better in the pursuit of getting a story right in an allocated amount of time after catastrophe.

by Chloe Hartje For years, districts across the nation have been trying to better assess how teachers perform in classrooms. Schools primarily use student test scores and principal observations to judge this, but are these measures enough? A new idea has been proposed and even put into effect in some states: student evaluations.

Researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Panorama Education created a survey to measure student’s perceptions of teaching and learning. The survey assesses 19 different topics ranging from classroom environment to school safety. It is completely anonymous and respects the students’ privacy. Although there is some debate, student evaluations may be a breakthrough in the education system.

Yes, why

not?

A complaint about the current method of assessing teacher performance is that it is too narrow. Standardized tests do not always accurately represent a student’s full knowledge of a subject and principals oftentimes only make it to the classrooms a couple of times out of the year. That being said, student surveys may be the solution.

“It’s a good idea,” said LHS junior Sophia Boyd. “Teachers have different styles that sometimes work for me and sometimes not. If we could give them feedback besides just our test results it would be better.”

These evaluations are based on the teacher’s interest in the subject, efficiency, effectiveness, student engagement and more. They can get a clear picture of what is happening in the classroom as well as student perspectives of the school as a whole. Because of the time spent interacting in the classroom, students know their teachers well and can give feedback and serve as a guide. This allows teachers to see their progress as well as be aware of their strengths and weaknesses to provide the best environment for their students. By working harder in the areas that need improvement, students may find some classes more enjoyable and, in turn, their attendance may improve as well.

Additionally, by incorporating student evaluations in the education system, students may feel more equal and responsible for their own learning. Listening to the students’ opinion is a critical part of shaping a good school.

No way!

On the other hand, there are some criticisms regarding student evaluations. Some students may have a bias against their teachers, which would impact the results. For example, students may be more critical towards “hard” or strict teachers, while they may be overly generous towards “easy” teachers that are slacker in the classroom.

Many people argue that students simply do not have enough maturity or understanding to answer reasonably. For the most part, teachers have a larger perception of student’s needs that kids couldn’t care less about. Students may be upset with having homework, but it does help with learning and a better understanding of a concept. Similarly, students may not enjoy giving presentations in class, but it helps to improve communication skills.

“I don’t think students should be able to grade their teachers,” said LHS junior Nash Stenberg. “Teachers and administrators are trained and paid to do their job well. They went to college for four years to learn how to teach us, and we’re still just trying to make it out of high school.”

It is a possibility that the privilege of these surveys may be abused so that students can have less homework, be assigned fewer presentations or be allowed to use their phones more. Also, students may not even care to answer thoughtfully and honestly.

Although there are some rough edges around student evaluations, it is still a helpful option for schools looking to improve their classrooms. Already, districts in the U.S. have found benefits in using this method of feedback, particularly the Panorama Student Survey, to better school environments as well as student engagement. By allowing students to “grade” their teachers, schools may be able to shape their education system to best fit the students’ needs.

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by Carly Wheeler

“Carly, are you serious? There’s no way you’re going to make it a full week.”

Well Mom, I did it. I successfully completed a week-long phone detox. Now that I am past the TikTok withdrawals and the time spent wondering how many people’s snapchats I was leaving on delivered, I can easily say that logging off of my most used apps for the week was the best decision I have made for myself in a long time.

When Apple introduced the Screen

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Time feature in settings as part of iOS 12 in late 2018, I was immediately startled by how much time I had been spending on my phone each day. It got me thinking: how do I even have five, six, seven hours in the day to be texting and scrolling through social media? I wasn’t the only one concerned about the amount of time I spend on my phone.

“I’ve been using [the Screen Time feature] and I have to tell you: I thought I was fairly disciplined about this. And I was wrong,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in an interview with CNN. “When I began to get the data, I found I was spending a lot more time than I should. And the number of times I picked up the phone was too many.”

It’s pretty simple: every little bit adds up when it comes to the time we spend on our phones. Sure, most people don’t spend six straight hours engrossed in their screens (especially on weekdays), but we all pick up our phones throughout the day more times than

we might think. According to Business Insider and Apple, on average, iPhone users unlock their phones 80 times a day, or about six to seven times per hour. Take a second to think about all of the times you look at your phone during the school day alone. During passing period you respond to a few texts, there’s three minutes of screen time; during class you get bored and open a couple Snapchats, there’s three more minutes.

Each Sunday, I dread the inevitable screen time report that pops up on my phone — essentially, it’s my weekly guilt-trip about the hours I spend scrolling through my Instagram feed and the ‘for you’ page on TikTok. The week before I started my phone detox, I got this notification: “Your screen time was up 10% last week, for an average of 6 hours, 37 minutes a day.” That’s when I knew I was making the right decision by cutting myself off. After countless weeks of receiving screen reports with daily averages of more than five, six, even seven hours, I had to do something about it. I was letting my phone consume my thoughts nearly every second of the day, and it was

ugged unhealthy.

There’s no denying that the majority of us are attached to our phones, so how do we possibly go about distancing ourselves? The answer is that no matter how you choose to go about it, it’s not going to be easy. One Saturday, I decided that I had to just start somewhere, so I sat and wrote down the rules: I would delete all social media and entertainment apps and I could only use my phone to call, text (if I absolutely needed to), set my alarm and check my email. The next day, I was on my phone detox. And that Sunday, my first day without constant notifications, was hard.

Trust me, I get it; this was a very drastic way to go about limiting the time I spend on my phone. I was very hesitant to start this (almost) complete phone detox.

When I think of my everyday life, it’s hard to imagine most of what I do without my phone. Social media is often the way I feel connected to people I don’t get to see each day and the world in general. I hear about the latest news on the discovery page of Snapchat; I stay in touch with old friends over Instagram. But there is no denying that too much of social media is negative. When it gets to the point when you can’t sit and

do homework for an hour without opening Instagram (mind you, I’m speaking from personal experience), it’s time for something to change.

So here’s what I have learned from decreasing my daily average screen time to just 37 minutes a day through my phone detox. One: I get a lot more sleep when I don’t have my phone to watch ‘a couple minutes’ of Netflix or ‘just a few’ TikToks before bed. With more sleep, I was better prepared to tackle my busy schedule. Two: my attention span is drastically longer when I’m not worried about checking my social media at any chance I can get. With a longer attention span, I felt more productive, especially when it came to classwork. Three: the amount I use my phone gets in the way of forming authentic connections with those around me. In-person connection simply can’t be replicated through a screen.

All I can say is try it. Take advantage of the Screen Time feature of your iPhone settings and set limits for your apps. For those who don’t have an iPhone,

consider downloading an app such as ‘Moment’ or ‘Flipd’ that helps you track your phone usage and set screen limits.

Maybe it’s locking all of your social media after a certain time; maybe it’s only giving yourself a set amount of time on your most-used apps: whatever it is that helps to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with the people and places that surround you.

If you have a smartphone, do yourself a favor and unplug, at least for a little bit.

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