www.mvviewer.org | Friday, April 10, 2015 | Volume 62, Issue 10
Dash for Doctors First Twin Cities NHS-led 5k run to occur on April 19 by Daniel Yong staff reporter National Honor Society (NHS) chapters from eleven high schools around the Twin Cities will come together on April 19 to hold “Dash for Doctors,” a 5K run benefiting the international humanitarian-aid organization Doctors Without Borders. “It’s something that has never been done before,” said JingJing Zhu, 12, president of Eden Prairie High School’s NHS. Twin Cities NHS chapters have historically been relatively independent. Zhu came up with the idea for “Dash for Doctors” with Kathy Wang, 12, copresident of Bloomington Jefferson High School’s NHS. The NHS presidents from all
schools involved took a vote to decide what organization to support with the run. “We ultimately picked Doctors Without Borders because it had a very specific and direct cause that other organizations on the poll just didn’t really encompass,” said Ruth Jiang, 12, co-president of Mounds View’s NHS. Doctors Without Borders is especially known for providing aid in war-torn
areas. The race will be held at Normandale Lake in Bloomington. Runners pay $20 to register. In return, they receive t-shirts, racing bibs, and snacks after the race. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders. Mounds View NHS Social Coordinators Sarah Yoon, 11, and Abraham Chen, 12, are responsible for
photo by Rebecca Nara
The route loops around Normandale Lake in Bloomington, MN. contacting businesses for food and prize donations. “We’ve been asking for monetary donations, gift baskets, anything we can get,” said Yoon. So far, prizes include a $50 gift card to Erik’s Bike Shop for first place, a Trader Joe’s gift basket for second place, and a $10 gift card to Noodles and Company for third place.
With the dash, the NHS chapters involved are hoping to inspire future collaborative projects. “We’d like to set a precedent for future NHS officers and show them that this kind of collaboration is very possible and something worth their time to pursue,” said Zhu. “Together, we can make a bigger impact than any of us individually could.”
New Wisdom Retreat will help seniors reconnect with classmates, achieve closure by Emily Ruan news editor Four years. That’s how long it took Sara* to forgive her oncebest friend who, worried, went to see a dean about Sara’s rapid weight loss during freshman year. “I felt so betrayed,” said Sara, a 2014 graduate. She was called down to see her dean, and ended up going into treatment for an eating disorder. Although Sara admits that her friend’s disclosure was “for the best,” the incident was tough to swallow. “I never really forgave her, and we stopped being friends,” said Sara. Now a freshman in college and in good health, Sara says, “I wish I had cleared that up with her because she really helped me out.” Instances like these are what the first-ever senior Wisdom Retreat on April 21 aims to prevent. Led by Youth Frontiers, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization that specializes in helping schools to build positive communities, the retreat will provide seniors with the opportunity to reconnect with classmates and look back upon their K-12 education experiences together.
IN THIS ISSUE
Retreat Highlights Pizza lunch Campfire sharing High-energy music According to Principal Jeffery Ridlehoover, the idea for the retreat was entirely studentgenerated. “Some members of the senior class here at Mounds View came forward and said, ‘Can we do something?’” he said. Part of the request stemmed from the fact that the current senior class did not attend a Youth Frontiers Respect Retreat as freshmen, an activity that only became standard the next year. “After the recent death in the senior class, we felt more than ever our class needed to unite and bond together while we have time,” said Senior Class Officer Sabrina Batiz, 12. “We had been talking about having a senior retreat for some time, but we realized
IN EDITORIALS 2
IN SPREAD 6-7
FEMINISM OF TODAY
WHY SO MEAN?
there was more of a need now then there had been before.” According to Patty Beadle, Youth Frontiers School Relations Manager, retreat activities will include high-energy music, speakers sharing their personal experiences with the group, small group reflection, and plenty of opportunities for students to achieve a sense of closure on their high school careers. “It’s a really dynamic day. It’s loud and playful,” Beadle said. “The people that are in the room want to be in the room – it’s an opt-in retreat.” Among the retreat leaders that students will hear from are John Sandahl, a national and world champion ultimate frisbee player who plays for Team USA, and Sebastian Davin, a professional musician from the band, Dropping Daylight. The retreat will take place from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Incarnation Lutheran Church. Students can go directly there, but a shuttle to and from Mounds View will also be available. A pizza lunch will be provided. “We want kids to just come and have fun,” said Ridlehoover. “We’re very optimistic that it’s going to be a great day.”
IN VARIETY 8
TIME FOR THE ZOO
*Name has been changed.
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April 10, 2015
Feminism: What does it mean?
10
Equality, not man-hating
Senior picture poses
10 The fake laugh
The over-theshoulder glance
8 The leaf throw
9 7
The serious face
6 The HS Musical jump The Stone Arch Bridge 5 4 The turn-and-smile The Joe Janey (crouch down) 3 2 The tree lean 1 The lowbudget selfie
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James Birr Managing Editor - Copy Maddy Rosenow Managing Editor - Design Kyoka Millard Managing Editor - Online Alistair Tang Business Manager Nina Bertelsen News Emily Ruan Editorials Clara Wang Josh Yuan Features Monica Kemp Katrina Renacia Spread
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According to a 2013 Gallup poll, just 28 percent of Americans consider themselves feminists, and two-thirds of these feminists are women. While the word “feminism” now conjures an image of angry man-haters, it really just means equality. Why would you be against it? Throughout history, feminists have worked to gain equal rights for women. In the early 16th century the first feminists began to emerge in European culture and writing, called proto-feminists. From this evolved the suffragists of the 1900s and then modern feminists of the later half of the century, who fought for social equality. These early fighters for equality helped women gain basic human rights; it was feminists who earned women the right to own property, the right to vote, and the right to equal wages (which is still an ongoing process). Though the concept of feminism has evolved throughout the ages with society, feminism is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. The difference is public perception. The adversities feminists face have evolved as well. In the 1900s, rumors circulated that suffragists grew mustaches -- an attempt to discredit their cause. Likewise, today’s societal connotations of unattractiveness and aggressiveness that come with the word “feminism” are used to detract from its true goal. Most people in the modern world do not openly oppose the equality of the sexes. They instead oppose the title and the abrasiveness of man-hating.
Today, feminist has become a “dirty” word because of the intentional misinterpretation by extremists People forget how recently won a lot of victories were, for half of the human population. When many of our parents were born, the only way a woman could file for divorce was to prove adultery on the husband’s side, and even then the husband had rights to the children. Still today, women earn 23 percent less on average than their male counterparts, according to the Huffington Post. Terms like “feminazi” are used to degrade the cause of equal rights and push a conservative agenda. When Rush Limbaugh coined the term “feminazi” in the early ’90s he used it to describe the feminist view on abortion. “A feminazi is a woman to whom the most important thing in life is seeing to it that as many abortions as possible are performed. Their unspoken reasoning is quite simple. Abortion is the single greatest avenue for militant women to exercise their quest for power and advance their belief that men aren’t necessary,” said Limbaugh on his talk show. But this image is contrary to reality. Popular feminists today, such as Hillary Clinton, Patricia Arquette, and Gloria Steinman, are highly respected in society and far from being male-bashers. Nearly everyone is a feminist by default; unless an individual doesn’t think men and women are equal, they fall under that title. The work of feminists has improved our society for generations, and should not be shamed by these incorrect connotations.
Rebecca Nara Namrata Gadela
Variety
Sports
Cartoon by Michaela Morse
Aaron Adams
Three Events for Women’s Rights
Emma Blume
Nolan Carlson-Stevermer Persis Ke
Staff Writer
Sarah Dhols-Graf
Ryan Yoch Photographers/Artists Eva Hoffman Lily Sacay Hana Gulli Michaela Morse Adviser Martha Rush
Staff
Clare Carroll, Sarah Conrad, Matthew Cooper, Jordan Counihan, Taylor Graw, Jackson Hoemann, Alex Jiang, Katie Karjalahti, Samuel Kwong, Emily Moses, Kofo Mustapha, Kevin Sabeti-Oseid, Olivia Schultz, Furqan Syed, Aaron Voiovich, Daniel Yong, Amber Zhao
The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing
1920
1973
2014
Women are granted the right right to vote in the U.S.
Roe v. Wade establishes women’s rights to abortion and contraception
Malala Yousafzai wins the Nobel prize for her work in girls’ education.
Viewer Mission Statement 1. To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about student, faculty and administration activities, interests and policies. 2. To maintain high ethical standards with regard to fairness, personal and legal rights, responsibilities and accuracy. 3. To provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced, locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest. 4. To strive for a high level of competency in the technical aspect of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity, and precision. 5. To welcome diversity and increase the scope and depth of our coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness throughout our entire school community. Articles and letters to the editor appearing on the editorials pages represent solely the opinions of the writers and do not represent in any way the viewpoint of Viewer, our advertisers, Mounds View High School or its staff. The editors of the Viewer welcome and encourage the publication of all viewpoints.
Correction: An Infographic on p. 5 (Issue 7) should have said that over 300 ambassador crews are selling “Love Your Melon” caps.
editorials 3
April 10, 2015
Cutting weight: necessary or dangerous? Student VIEWS by Samuel Kwong staff reporter
Gasping breath and wobbling legs are a few of the many symptoms evident in wrestlers who excessively cut weight to fit into their weight class. Random hunger pangs and ravenous appetites are two common characteristics in numerous teenagers; however, they are problems many wrestlers try to avoid. While wrestlers shed weight in order to fit into their class, some take it to the extreme in order to drop those extra pounds. This often results in negative and sometimes life-threatening symptoms. Wrestlers are separated into different weight classes. The higher the class, the heavier and thus more muscle the wrestler is assumed to have. Wrestlers want to get into lower weight classes to be able to face physically weaker and smaller opponents to pull in more wins on the mat. According to a study from Vanderbilt University, over 75 percent of youth wrestlers interviewed have deliberately dehydrated themselves or fasted in order to lose weight for competitive reasons. Now, more wrestlers are exercising in rubber sweat suits, refusing to drink water, skipping meals, visiting sweat saunas repeatedly, and other techniques to achieve their desired weight goals.
cartoon by Michaela Morse
These techniques may eventually evolve into habits that can last for years. Many former wrestlers have eating disorders and damage to their hearts, brain, kidneys, and liver, a direct result of dehydration and overfasting. Furthermore, many of the efforts wrestlers put in can affect school life. The lack of hydration and calories required to fuel their bodies and minds can potentially affect their concentration and ability to
stay awake; two traits vital to be successful in academics. Ironically, these attempts may also harm a wrestler’s athletic career instead of improving, because those who can’t control themselves when they engage in rapid, excessive weight loss end up with less stamina, strength, concentration, and muscular endurance, resulting in more lost matches. Another common trait evident in those who drop pounds quickly is a rapidly deterring social life. It’s not uncommon to see a wrestler grumpy and irrational after spending a few weeks of starvation, dehydration, and overworking. It’s true that cutting weight often leads to higher performance on the mat; however, a lot of times wrestlers lose sight of other priorities in life. An excess of cutting weight can lead to detrimental consequences to one’s physical, mental, and social life that could be dangerous in the long-run. So is cutting weight good for wrestlers? Slimming down in healthy proportions is safe. However, the surprising amount of wrestlers who drop pounds too fast need to stop, because they don’t realize that they are harming themselves both physically and mentally.
Problematic pruh-nuhn-see-ey-shuh n by Kevin Sabeti-Osied staff reporter Whether it’s the first day of school or a day with a substitute teacher, roll call can be a difficult time for some students. Surrounded by common American names, spelling and pronunciation are often overlooked if your name doesn’t comfort the Englishspeaker’s eyes and mouth. Often times, it can be awkward or embarrassing trying to explain the correct pronunciation to whoever is asking. Many students resort to whatever is easiest for a native English-speaker to pronounce. However, one’s name is their identity, and they should not mispronounced, shortened, or changed to avoid the necessary explanation.We all have different cultures and origins, and our names are part of them. By a young age, I, as well as countless others, had grown tired of trying to teach everyone how to pronounce my name correctly. I found whatever was easiest to pronounce and stuck with it. Sabeti comes from Iran. Sawhbeh-tea is Farsi for stable, and years of going to a predominantly white school had worn it down to the ugly Suh-betty.
Editor opinions What your Viewer editors think of various issues.
Fatima Rahman, 9, deals with similar problems. “Everyone started calling me Fa-tee-ma when I started going to school.” Fah-teh-mah is an Arabic name originating from the Quran. Rah-mahn (with an emphasis on the h) means kind, and was reduced to what sounds like Ramen. Becoming familiar with an incorrect pronunciation can affect people and their self-identities. “I’m so used to saying Fa-tee-ma that when relatives ask me, I have to figure out which [pronunciation] to tell them.” American apathy is common when it comes to the correct pronunciation of names, and it often negatively affects the identity and self-perception of the individual. “People really don’t care about how you pronounce your name. I think it shows a lot about our community that we don’t make an effort to pronounce everyone’s names the way they’re supposed to,” said Rahman. “It kind of shows we take the easier route and pronounce names the ‘American’ way. But it also says a lot that people whose names are usually mispronounced just go along with it and tell people the ‘American’ way of pronouncing it when people ask.” Michelle Wang, 10, faces the
“Random trivia has more value than people think.”
-Aaron Adams variety editor
incorrect pronunciation of her last name on a regular basis. “It is actually very annoying having to correct whoever is saying it every single time. My last name, which is spelled Wang, is actually pronounced Wong.” Like many, Wang has felt like giving in to the incorrect pronunciation to avoid the constant explanations. “I have gotten used to it and [have realized] my mispronounced name isn’t as bad as some others I have heard.” To most, the issue of name pronunciation is not much of a concern. But the importance of embracing your name and its correct pronunciation and spelling is not an issue you are responsible to fix. Changing how your name is said or spelled won’t correct other’s ignorance. As told to The Improper Bostonian, actress Uzo Aduba decided not to change her name as she began her acting career because of something her mother told her long ago. “[I] asked my mother if I could be called Zoe. I remember she was cooking, and in her Nigerian accent she said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Nobody can pronounce it.’ Without missing a beat, she said, ‘If they can learn to say Tchaikovsky and Michelangelo and Dostoyevsky, they can learn to say Uzoamaka.’”
“I haven’t checked my grades in “The senioritis is so real, I haven’t even brought my back- 6 months.” pack to school for two months.” -Hana Gulli photographer
-Clara Wang editorials editor
“There’s nothing wrong with cutting weight because at the begining of every year, there are doctors that would do tests and measure body fats and samples, and they make sure that you don’t cut to anything that’s unhealthy.” -Ayden McCloskey, 11
“Wrestlers shouldn’t cut weight because I’ve seen first hand the devastation it caused to my friends’ bodies. They have low energy and have hard time being attentive in class.” -Andrew Smith,12 photos by Josh Yuan
photos by Lily Sacay
“There should never be an age limit on Easter egg hunts.”
-Nolan Carlson-Stevermer sports editor
4 features
April 10, 2015
The Mins don’t want to be twins by Alex Jiang staff reporter
photo by Eva Hoffman
Brothers Jason and Daniel Min are said to look alike as well as act alike.
Some strive for unity; some strive to make a name for themselves. Sometimes fate has some fun, though, and makes the latter quite difficult. These two brothers are trying to break these ties that bind. Jason Min, 9, and Daniel Min, 11, are finding it harder and harder to differentiate themselves from each other. The siblings have found themselves increasingly similar over the years, for better or for worse. Jason has taken up several of the activities and interests that Daniel had picked up before him, mostly coincidentally. These pursuits, including soccer, orchestra, and table tennis, have both brought them together and created a contention between them. “We’re always trying to outdo each other,” said Daniel. “I’d call it a very rivalrous dynamic.” Jason agrees, citing the additional pressure of being the younger sibling. “My friends and parents want me to strive to be better than him, which is hard,”
said Jason. “It gave me something to strive to beat, but it makes it more stressful too.” Jason manifests this competition in their overlapping activities. The largest differential between the brothers is showcased in their participation in Minnesota Youth Symphonies; while Daniel has been in the second-tier ensemble for the last three years, Jason reached the highest-tier, orchestra, Symphony, this past fall. “Making it into Symphony felt really good,” said Jason. “I felt that I made an accomplishment and got something to rub in [Daniel’s] face.” While Jason claims to not be deliberately following in his brother’s footsteps, he concedes that he’s likely been influenced by their unusually similar personalities. “People think we’re really alike, and I guess we’re not that different, but I don’t think we’re really the same either,” said Jason. “I don’t try to follow [Daniel] because no thanks, I don’t want to be him.” Jason has tried to break away from Daniel’s path in terms of
interests overall. While many of their central pursuits are still the same, Jason has been trying new things, like socializing with different friend groups and focusing more on athletics over academics. Daniel had left behind soccer as a serious sport a few years ago, but Jason is still going strong and intends to continue it with his team. On the flipside, Daniel participates in activities like Science Olympiad, which Jason “doesn’t want to have anything to do with.” Daniel is considered more intellectually-focused than Jason, and is quite likely to qualify for National Merit Scholars based on his PSAT score from earlier this year. While Daniel is a little torn to see his brother change, he still feels pride for seeing him improve. “I feel like I have more responsibility about him,” said Daniel. “It’s nice seeing the success of an extension of myself, in a way. I still do wish that we were more different, especially when it comes to appearance, but I’m glad he at least puts his hair up in the stupid wavy thing now.”
Mustang Mocha: A new spin on coffee by Persis Ke sports editor Heather Harmon, 10, opens the window to the concessions stand while her classmates Sarah Robotnik, 9, and Ellen Maguire, 9, fill up a water pitcher, fold napkins, and arrange Keurig pods. All three girls are wearing green aprons and a pin with the words “Mustang Mocha” and their name. Once the two Keurigs are ready for making drinks, the students begin the process of making and delivering beverages. Mustang Mocha was started almost a decade ago by special education teacher Sarah Levinski to give higher needs special education students a chance to practice real-world skills. It is a part of the Vocational Skills course which includes transition skills they will need as they become adults. The course is taught by special education teacher Shaun Adamski. She supervises Mustang Mocha, often instructing students on how to use a Keurig machine or reminding them of their checklists. Over the years, Mustang Mocha has evolved into a simulation complete with time cards, a checklist with tasks, crews for making and delivering beverages, and a script. The coffee shop is open every Tuesday and Thursday during second and third hours. According to Adamski,
photo by Hana Gulli
Left to right: Derek Pothen, 9, Remy Lee-Eichenwald, 10, and Anna Miller, 9, greet and serve coffee to customers. the students usually sell around a dozen cups every day. While it may seem like a small number, it’s one that is more manageable for the students. At the beginning of every school year, Adamski advertises to staff members through email, and most, if not all, Mustang Mocha’s customers are staff members. However, Mustang Mocha occasionally caters to students. Next year, Mustang Mocha will be sharing the library coffee shop with SkillsUSA, so Adamski expects students will become a larger percent of
their customers. Still, she doesn’t expect too many changes next year. “It will probably be relatively similar [to this year] except it’s in a different setting,” she said. Since the library coffee shop was only approved last week, the details on running Mustang Mocha are still being hashed out. “It depends on the busyness and the ability to work with other students, which will be good for our students as well,” said Adamski. Beyond Mustang Mocha, students
also learn life skills in the classroom. “They learn about skill identification, they learn about applying for a job, they learn what references are, they learn about interviews and practice interviewing,” said Adamski. While students might not be serving coffee on their days off, the class is still full of activities. On Wednesdays, Adamski’s second hour class learns manufacturing skills by embossing cards while her third hour class goes on community outings. The students fold bedspreads at Presbyterian Homes and visit places they will frequent as adults. Outings have included Cub Foods, the post office, the bank, and recently, CTV, the local cable station. Next year, many of the students in the Vocational Skills programs will have jobs around the school or community. “Students start out after Vocational Skills doing an in-school job, maybe working in the copy room or working in the library,” said Adamski. “And then after that, they can have an out-ofschool job where they are bussed to a job for work during the school day.” Adamski enjoys watching student growth after learning new skills. “When kids are successful, and they’re enjoying their work, that is a blast,” she said. “I see students go from being dependent, needing support, to being more independent. That’s really fun to see.”
features 5
April 10, 2015
Spring
Training
photos courtesy of Martha Rush
Left: Weightman, 11, reviews economics trivia before competition. Right: Weightman poses with his team members at Harvard.
While many students spent spring break in sunny places like California and Mexico, other students stayed home to further their unique skills. Whether doing tennis drills, studying economics, or skiing in the mountains, these students spent their spring break working hard to enrich themselves through hard work and determination.
Jake Weightman by Furqan Syed staff reporter Over spring break, Jake Weightman, 11, studied for an upcoming economics competition at Harvard University. Weightman initially became interested in econ competitions after a friend suggested it to him. “Last year my friend Sam told me to go to a meeting at the beginning of the year, and from there I ended on the Ricardo Team [team for students that haven’t taken an
AP econ class]. I studied a lot for it because I was with my friends,” said Weightman. Weightman did well last year and won prize money as a result of his performance at the competition. “The experience of the competition and the prize money made econ team really fun. I had so much fun with it that I wanted to do it again,” said Weightman. However, he had to study a lot more this year due to the circumstances of the competition. “This year I can’t compete in the Ricardo division due to me taking an AP class. But I didn’t take any Macro or Micro
Sabrina Tang by Furqan Syed staff reporter Sabrina Tang, 10, spent her break improving her tennis skills. Using seven days of her break to play high level tennis, Tang has high ambitions for her future tennis career. She is hoping her team can win the sectionals tournament and place better at the state competition during her next tennis season. To reach this goal, Tang spent two-hour sessions doing numerous drills with six other tennis players. “The drills can be really intensive at times. It definitely feels like a complete workout,” said Tang. According to Tang, the sessions start off with a 30-minute warm up, but then become more specific to tennis skills. “After our warm up, our coach usually makes us do specific drills to work on specific types of points or plays so that we can improve all parts of our tennis games,” said Tang. Although she is now a varsity starter, tennis wasn’t even something that Tang initially found interest in.“In fifth grade my parents forced me to take tennis. It wasn’t until after I started playing it a lot that I really
liked playing the game and wanted to get better at it,” she said. Her passion for tennis grew over time as she started entering more tournaments. Although her first few tournaments were rough, Tang slowly got better. “It was a struggle in the beginning. I wasn’t used to how competitive it would be.”
photo courtesy of Shone Zhao
class at the time of my qualification test so I had to study a lot more,” said Weightman. Jake competed at Harvard on April 4, and his team made it to the semifinals.
Claire Kim by Furqan Syed staff reporter Claire Kim, 12, spent spring break in Montana where she downhill skied. While Kim is no novice to skiing, having skied seven times before, skiing in Montana was one of the most challenging yet exhilarating experiences for Kim. Both the rugged terrain and the melting snow made for difficult conditions. “I wasn’t used to the snow being melted like that, so it was easier for to get stuck in the snow,” said Kim. “Sometimes my skis would get stuck in some snow, but my body would keep moving so I would roll over and lose my balance.” Kim added that she felt a sense of nature that wasn’t present in previous skiing experiences. “I felt like I was skiing with the gods. Skiing in the scenic Montana made me feel like I was part of nature. I’ve never felt so close to the natural world in previous skiing trips,” said Kim. Kim added that being at a high vantage point was a spiritual moment for her. “Being on the top
of a mountain is so different. It’s almost impossible to describe the feelings and emotions you get when you are at the top of the mountain and you see everything below you. It really makes you think about life.” Kim has goals of returning back to this surreal scenery. “I definitely plan on going back to Montana for skiing. There’s nothing that can even compare to the whole experience,” said Kim.
photo fair use from wikipedia.org
Kim, 12, spent her spring break on Montana’s mountain range for a skiing adventure.
Why are we so
MEAN Harsh words create cruel hallways by James Birr and Maddy Rosenow managing editors The bell rings, and students flood into the hallways of Mounds View. Just like clockwork, the conversations begin. The gossiping, the lying, and the judging. The “What is she wearing?” or “Did you hear what he did last weekend?” It’s the cyclical and cynical, repetitive and repulsive conversations of an average teenager. According to the National Education Association, 58 percent of teens and kids have reported that something mean has been said to them or about them. 77 percent of students admit to being a victim of bullying, and in an observational report conducted by the Viewer staff, Mounds View students heard as many as 34 mean comments during a school day. Teenagers, in an effort to figure out where they belong in the social stratosphere of high school, resort to name calling and bullying to tear others down. According to Carl Pickhardt, Ph.D, author of Why Good Kids Act Cruel, “...A single act of social cruelty poisons the well for all who know that what happened to someone else could happen to them, so they better watch out, be careful, be on guard.” As a result, teenagers today live in a world flooded with competition and putdowns. “It’s constant,” said Ellen Brough, 12. “I hear mean things in every single class.” Often times, mean exchanges between students stem from the ‘groups’ that each student identifies with. “The reason people bully other people is to reinforce their group,” said sociology teacher Justin Benolkin. “....and those who don’t meet those symbolic [group] boundaries will become more rigid and ridiculed.” Within these groups comes an individual trait that almost all teenagers seem to share: insecurity. “I think kids tend to pick on other kids to make themselves
feel like they’re in control of the situation and like they’re bigger than the other person,” said Language Arts teacher Rebecca Hauth-Schmidt. High schoolers often use terms such as “fag” and “retarded” in an attempt to diminish their peers and elevate their own status. “If you can call somebody the right word, you have the chance of getting under their skin and, again, diminishing them in comparison to yourself,” continued HauthSchmidt. “So, it makes you feel stronger and better than the other person when you can put someone down because of those connotations.” Though as a society teenagers are painted as more angry and cynical than generations past, Benolkin believes it is the way we communicate that has changed. “When a kid used to be bullied, it was usually just one group against another group, or one group against one kid,” said Benolkin. “Now, it seems that kids being bullied on social media are people that everyone knows. “One can always leave high school, but one can’t always leave the negative comments on one’s Twitter account or on Facebook or whatever the heck else there is,” he continued. Whether it be in person or online, the tendency for teenagers to be mean is a present plague in today’s ever evolving society. “We’re all growing as individuals in high school,” continued Brough. “We’re all trying to figure ourselves out and some try to put others down to figure that out.” additional reporting by Taylor Graw
N?Bullying has
lasting effects by Jackson Hoemann staff reporter In response to verbal bullying, adults used to say: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But this statement is wrong, as bullying can have a profound effect on students. In fact, verbal cruelty can cause as much pain as a physical attack. A study in an article by Cari Nierenberg found that bullying had the most influence on students who were repeatedly targeted, causing poorer mental and physical health, as well as increased symptoms of depression and low selfesteem. This study did not include the effects of cyberbullying, which also has effects on mental health. According to an article by the website, StopBullying.gov, the effects of bullying include depression, anxiety, sadness and loneliness. These issues can continue to affect children well into adulthood, and possibly for their entire lives. Mounds View students see this issue as a serious problem that needs to be dealt with. “I feel like bullying does have an effect on mental health because it can make people feel like they aren’t good enough,” said Kayla Sentz, 12. She believes that bullying can cause depression in students. “I saw a kid who was bullied every day,” said Martin Ramaswamy, 10. “He thought nothing was going to change and kind of reacted violently.” Drawing from personal experience, Ramaswamy believes that bullying can have a serious effect on the mental health. A recent study by Harvard Medical School found that individuals who experienced verbal abuse -- cruel comments like the ones heard every day in Mounds View’s halls -- had “underdeveloped connections between the left and right sides of their brain.” In addition, they showed higher levels of anxiety, anger, hostility and drug abuse in adulthood. When it comes to dealing with bullying’s effect on mental health, there are a few ways to handle the problem. “I would recommend talking to the person [doing the] bullying,” said Sentz. “[Or] go to a dean or trusted adult for help.” Even with these methods, bullying and its effects on mental health are serious issues, causing people to experience depression or even anger. Using these methods, students can reduce the effects and help others already suffering from bullying.
illustration by Rebecca Nara
Deans help students deal by Ryan Yoch staff reporter When bullying and mental health concerns become too much for students to deal with on their own, many turn to the deans for help. Deans actually spend quite a lot of time helping students cope with a wide variety of mental/emotional issues -- the most common three being depression, anxiety, and panic disorders -- and deal with reports of bullying approximately once a week. “Not a day goes by when I don’t have a student come in for a mental health concern,” said dean Brian Peloquin, “But I wouldn’t say that [kids reporting bullying] happens regularly, maybe once a week.” In terms of their actual responsibilities, deans are not therapists. They can, however, talk through problems with students and support them, whether that be by changing a student’s schedule to alleviate stress or by mediating a conflict between two students. Though dean Andra Storla believes that many cases of bullying go unreported because students are afraid of “making it worse,” she says that severe bullying tends to be reported because students “just want it to stop.” “If it’s gotten to the point where we need to act on it,” added Peloquin, “They usually want us to act on it.” Mental health and bullying have not always been such a big part of the deans’ workloads. In recent years, the deans say they have seen an increase in the amount of kids who come in for nonacademic problems. “I would say there has definitely been an uptick in the past few years,” said dean Ryan Poepard. Though the reasons behind the trend are not completely clear, the deans believe that by requiring every freshman to meet with their dean at the beginning of the year -- this year’s seniors will be the last class that did not have these meetings -- students and families feel more comfortable approaching deans regarding more personal matters. “Students have a right to walk into the building and feel welcomed and accepted,” said Storla. “No other student has a right to take that away from them.”
Response to cyberbullying by Aaron Voiovich staff reporter Cyberbullying has been difficult to combat for years, mainly because it has the ability to strike fear in victims where they could previously find solace: their homes. Online bullying, more often than not, originates outside of school where it is significantly harder to deal with. Whereas bullying in person can happen on school grounds and has a clear offender, cyberbullying can occur anonymously and regardless of the bully’s physical strength or location. “There is a certain sense of security that gives people the confidence to send nasty messages behind a computer or phone screen due to the lack of an actual face-to-face conversation,” said Sarah Yoon, 11. With an ever-growing media presence, a large number of students in high school have experienced some form of online bullying. According to cyberbullying studies reported by the I-SAFE foundation, 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online. More students experiencing cyberbullying has prompted high schools around the country to take action, Mounds View included. The response to all this was a series of revisions prompted by the Supreme Court’s rulings on bullying regulations in school. The case laws decided that if the statement posted at school to the Internet is considered obscene, the school has the ability to treat is as any other case of bullying. “If it takes place at school during the school day it is treated the same [according to case law],” said Principal Jeff Ridlehoover. These laws make it easier for schools to intervene, as cases of cyberbullying are treated just like physical bullying with similar consequences. The sheer number of social media outlets now make it easy for cases of cyberbullying to go unnoticed in school, and many victims do not come forward. This decreases the number of reported cases of online bullying, but makes it all the more necessary to communicate about cyberbullying and make it a less common occurrence.
8 variety
April 10, 2015
Time for the
Zoo
cartoon by Michaela Morse
Como Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
by Sarah Conrad staff reporter
by Clare Carroll staff reporter
A classic place for families to make memories is St. Paul’s Como Park Zoo, with its unique animals, beautiful gardens, and lots of laughter. This zoo is a hub for small families and class field trips because it has no admission fee, asking nothing more than a few dollars donation. Como Park Zoo was founded in 1897 after the city of St. Paul received three deer and a small fenced pasture, sparking the idea of creating a nonprofit zoo. Through the years the zoo has bought animals through donations and inherited them from earlier generations. Two new animals were recently welcomed to the Como Zoo family. These new arrivals are a baby gorilla named Arlene, the offspring of a gorilla already at Como Zoo, and a baby orangutan named Kamela. By all accounts, Kemala was a miracle. She was born through C-section which is very dangerous for photos courtesy of Como Zoo orangutans and is therefore rarely used. The stress of giving birth was hard on The conservatory, top, and newborn animals, below, are both reasons to both mother and baby, but both have recovered. Kamela is now healthy pay Como Zoo a visit. along with baby Arlene. These two Both conservatories are photogenic animals add life and youth to the zoo and fun to explore year-round. The family. conservatory is celebrating its 100 year Watching the infants play in their anniversary this year, and will have a new environment shows the joy a zoo weekend of planned events from June can bring. Zoos were once thought of 19 through June 21. as dreary places where animals were Como Zoo is a place filled with held unhappily, but these two babies childhood memories and memories to showcase the more gentle and happy come. The new additions and side of zoos. old-timers there make up this amazing Como Zoo also features a twozoo family. When visiting Como Park part plant conservatory. This is a Zoo you can expect to see unique highlight for most zoo-goers in the animal tricks, learn more about winter because it is all indoors. This different animals, and have a good time first part of the conservatory is filled seeing animal life both young and old. with all different kinds of plants. The second half, a recent addition, displays more vegetables and herbs.
Even though it’s not in close proximity to Mounds View, spending a day at the Minnesota Zoo with friends can be one of the best ways to spend your weekend. The Minnesota Zoo opened in 1978 and sits on 485 acres of land in Apple Valley. It’s home to over 4,700 animals, ranging from goats and pigs, to tigers and giraffes. Some of its exhibits have received awards for their design, and the zoo has dedicated much of its work towards protecting endangered species, such as Asian wild horses. Among the most highly photos courtesy of Minnesota Zoo attended areas at the zoo are The Minnesota Zoo’s features the marine exhibits, which include breathtaking acquatic feature a large variety of animals such as sharks, sea exhibits (top) and adorable farm otters, penguins, and tropical animals (bottom) fish. There are stations where guests can touch stingrays at the entrance of the zoo is and sea urchins and can learn open year-round and features more about the creatures a variety of 3D films, many firsthand. of which are about a certain There are also farm natural environment or animal. exhibits where guests can pet The Minnesota Zoo certain animals and learn about is located at 13000 Zoo life on a farm. At the right time Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN of year, guests can observe 55124. Admission for those baby chickens hatching from above thirteen is $18.00, plus their eggs. This area of the zoo an extra $7.75 for those also is highly attended by young wishing to see a movie in the children, but has something for IMAX theatre. people of all ages. The IMAX theatre located
April 10, 2015
reviews 9 photo by hdwallpapers.net
Just awesome No bad seeds in Froot by Kofo Mustapha staff reporter Marina and the Diamonds, the stage name of Marina Diamandis, is back with a new story in her brand new album, Froot. It has been nearly two years since the death of Electra Heart, the character created by Marina for her 2012 album. To fans, and Marina, this album can be described as a rebirth for the artist. The album starts out with the beautiful and sincere “Happy.” This song perfectly sets the stage for the rest of the album with it’s simple vocals and piano instrumentals. “Happy” shows how the overall theme of Froot seems to be about finding and keeping happiness. But not everything in Froot holds the same positive meaning. Songs like “I’m a Ruin” and “Immortals” hold darker truths compared to her previous “bubblegum pop” styled songs. Through these deeper tracks, listeners are able to experience Marina as a more mature artist. In Froot, Marina also touches on several topical issues. For instance, “Savages” covers topic from war to rape in just four minutes, to reflect the darker side of humans. While this track might be disturbing to some, it’s very thought-provoking and adds even more depth to the album as a whole. One of the best aspects of Froot is that it holds powerful meaning about both love and life, with strong and incredible lyrics. The fact that Marina wrote every song on the album separates her, and puts her on a higher level than other pop artists. She also co-produced the album with David Kosten. Knowing this, and that all these songs come straight from Marina, makes fans feel even more connected to her. Listening to Froot makes you see the world through Marina’s eyes. I would definitely recommend this album to just about anyone who enjoys music with amazing instrumentals and thoughtful messages. In all, Froot demonstrates a new start to Diamandis’ musical career. To most this is seen to be Marina’s best album yet. Fans are able to see a different and more stripped down side of Marina, while still experiencing the type music that they originally fell in love with.
by Matthew Cooper staff reporter
Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the most welcomed surprises of 2014. Nobody thought that a superhero, science-fiction mashup featuring a guntoting raccoon and a talking tree could be so darn entertaining. Part of what made Guardians so great was its old school adventure movie core with a slick, fresh coat of paint. A lot of that nostalgia was due to its fantastic soundtrack compiled of hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Not only did it fit perfectly with the film, but it’s also a blast to listen to. Awesome Mix Vol. 1 features 12 songs, mostly in the classic rock genre. It’s miraculous that almost all of them are great and don’t get old after repeated listenings. The selections were clearly chosen with a lot of thought and they all worked in their movie scenes extremely well. Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love” is a great example of this. It was used during Guardian’s opening credits, paired with the image of Chris Pratt dancing on a dark alien world while the title appeared overhead in massive gold lettering. The combination was a fantastic indication to the hilarity to unfold in the film. That energy is felt in the song itself which is great. It features a slick melody and an interesting, almost jazzy, electric guitar. The Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back” is another classic rock hit on the album. The chorus, sung by a very young Michael Jackson, is enjoyable, but is almost overshadowed by the awesome instrumentals. Once again, the electric guitar is used to great effect, showcasing
the instrument’s versatility. There is one song on the album that stands out, but it does so in a very good way. “Cherry Bomb,” sung by The Runaways, is the only hard rock song featured but it is still excellent in its own right. It’s exciting to listen to and was used perfectly in the montage right before the climax of Guardians. Listening to it is a great way to relive some of the emotions felt while watching the movie. The best song on the album is, without a doubt, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Tammi Terrell. The vocals are simply incredible and the passing of the melody between Terrell and Marvin Gaye is always entertaining. This is supported by an excellent instrumental section utilizing chimes and bass. Music just doesn’t get better than this. Unfortunately there are a few weak links. “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” and “O-o-h Child” aren’t bad per se, but they get stale after only a few listenings. “I’m Not in Love” is the only song on the album that is actually bad. It moves at a snail’s pace and the whispered lyrics “big boys don’t cry” is just creepy. Thankfully the song was only featured in the movie for a brief moment. Despite these minor shortcomings, Awesome Mix Vol. 1 is a phenomenal album. It does what any great movie soundtrack should do: enhance the tone of the film while also working on its own. Those who grew up in the ‘70s will feel a lot of nostalgia while younger listeners have the opportunity to listen to some of the greatest hits of the 20th century, when music was so much more than the electronic wubs of today.
10 sports
April 10, 2015
Major league soccer returns to MN MLS expansion awards Minnesota United FC an MLS team in 2018 by Ryan Yoch staff reporter On March 25, Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber officially confirmed one of the Twin Cities’ worst kept secrets: Minnesota United FC is going to play in the MLS. This decision has been a long time coming. Minnesota United FC was created in 2013 after being bought by billionaire and former United Health Group CEO Bill McGuire. The team is a member of the North American Soccer League (NASL), the level immediately below MLS in the US soccer pyramid, and represents Minnesota’s third attempt at a professional soccer team in the past ten years. After a slow start, McGuire’s investment began to show signs of life during the 2014 season. Between April and November, United won the NASL Spring Championship and took down big-name international teams like Swansea City from the English Premier League and the Mexican U21 National Team. Attendance grew along with the brand as United continued to increase its name recognition throughout Minnesota. It was also during the 2014 season that the MLS talks began. Unbeknownst to the public at the time, the MLS was expanding. It had zeroed in on the Twin Cities as a potential site for a new team, calling it “a
thriving, growing...place to market an increasingly more popular sport.” The problem for United, however, was that it wasn’t the only team trying to get the MLS franchise. The family that owns the Vikings, the Wilfs, began expressing interest in soccer, praising the sport’s popularity and pledging the new Viking’s stadium as a potential venue for the MLS team. It became a war of the billionaires as the year progressed. McGuire teamed up with Glenn Taylor (Timberwolves owner), the Pohlads (Twins owners), and Wendy Carlson Nelson (local business leader) to challenge the Wilfs’ substantial sway in the Twin Cities and prove to MLS that he was serious about Minnesota soccer. This spring, United’s dream became a reality when MLS chose the McGuire ownership group as the heirs to the Minneapolis MLS throne. Though the team won’t officially join the MLS until 2018--this allows United to make any preparational changes they might need in plenty of time--they are hopeful that their rapidly-growing fan base and committed ownership group will allow them to hit the ground running when the time comes. “I’m really excited to watch the professional soccer scene grow and to watch a new team from Minnesota work its way up,” said Andy Glischinski, 12.
Average MLS Soccer Game Attendance by Season (2014) 43,734
22,086
21,258
20,506
6,133
Seattles Toronto FC Sounders
LA Galaxy
Portland Timbers
MN United
Girls golf Cash-es in with Kristen my putting. Usually when I get a bad score on a hole, it’s because I didn’t putt well,” she said. The sport of golf
by Emily Moses staff reporter Constantly on the move, Kristen Cash, 11, manages to balance the restless workload of school, the intensity of the hockey season, and still find time to get out on the golf course. Spring golf has recently begun for the Mounds View Girls Golf Team. Participating in her third season on the team leaves Cash excited at the opportunities that await. “I’m excited to play with my teammates every day and hopefully make it to state by the end of the season,” said Cash. In her third season on the team, Cash has had years of experience on the course. “Before playing for the school I golfed for fun with my friends and family,” she said. From her experience she has developed skills for the fairway. “I’m really confident in driving the ball. I can hit it farther than a lot of other girls, so that really gives me an advantage in matches,” said Cash. Last year at The Links at Northfork in Ramsey Meet, Cash scored a 79, putting her in first place. Cash has hopes to improve her game and continue on with the team’s success. “I hope to improve on my overall game during the season,” said Cash. Cash also has some specific goals for improvement in mind. “I would like to improve on
photo by Hana Gulli
Cash lines up a shot on the driving range
allows her to pursue a different type of competition. “My favorite part about playing golf is being able to participate in a sport that is both individual and team based,” said Cash. Although Cash finds the sport entertaining, the excitement only lasts for so long. “Sometimes I struggle with staying focused during five-hour long matches,” said Cash. “It’s hard to stay mentally engaged.” Additionally, the sport takes up quite a bit of time each week. “We usually have matches two to three times a week, but when we don’t have matches we practice for about two hours,” she said. Cash finds time management to be hard during the school year. “It can be very challenging to balance school work when I miss a lot of school during golf season,” said Cash. With only two seasons left to go on her high school team, Cash hopes her golfing career won’t end at graduation. “I would like to pursue golf in college if the opportunity comes,” she said.
April 10, 2015
sports 11
photo by Lily Sacay
The baseball team practices running, catching, and throwing at third base during practice.
Seasoned seniors strive for State by Jordan Counihan staff reporter Two years ago, the Mounds View baseball team ended the season with a 20-6 record, becoming Mounds View’s first baseball state champions. Last year the team reigned supreme once again, setting the bar for the future of Mustang baseball. At the heart of both of these state titles was 2014 grad Sam Hentges. During his time at Mounds View, Hentges broke numerous records that had not been touched for several years, including runs scored, doubles, home runs, pitching wins, ERA, and strikeouts. “He was an incredible leader and teammate as a Mustang.” said Jeff
LeMay, 11. “Being a sophomore last year, I really looked up to him as a great baseball player [and] also as a person because he played the game the right way.” While the team may be without Hentges, the boys still have high hopes for this season. “I am really looking forward to this season. I think we have a good group of guys with great talent that get along with each other and work well together on and off the field,” said Charlie Callahan, 12. “Sam was obviously a really good player on our team last year, but I’m not too worried because I think we have some good juniors [who] will step up and so will some seniors which will help fill that spot that Sam had for us last year.”
The team aims to not only repeat the success of the past few years, but to also create their own legacy at Mounds View. “This year will be completely different from last year,” said LeMay. “Last year, Sam was kind of our go-to guy. This year, instead of one stud, we have a great group of seniors who have great leadership.” This year’s seniors hope to live up to the standards set by past players and steer their team to victory. “I think we lost something like 10 seniors, guys who molded the attitude of the team,” said Alec Abercrombie, 12. “So as seniors we have to lead this team to their own identity and hopefully the same success we’ve had over these last couple years.”
Some of the major players this season will be the senior captains: Abercrombie, Callahan, Joe Fredrickson, and Wyatt Meyer. As juniors, three of them set Mounds View baseball records. Seniors Henry DeCaster and Jeremiah Bonde are also Mounds View baseball record holders. “With Alec Abercrombie playing center field for his third year, we will have a very seasoned outfield,” said Tyler Fredlund, 11. All in all, the forecast is great for another year of Mustang baseball. The team’s past success works to propel this year’s team to further heights, and a reliance on a strong group of seniors over one all-star puts the team in a better position to win than ever.
Meet the new faces of Mounds View baseball
Henry DeCaster Senior Pitcher
Q: What’s it going to be like to be a leader this year? A: It’s going to be great. Definitely a change. The past few years, I’ve always been the youngster, looking to the older guys for advice. Now it’s vice versa, and it’s essential that not only myself, but other seniors as well, serve as good role models on and off the field. Q: If you could be any other player on the team, who would you be and why? A: Joey Fredrickson, simply because I wish I could be a shortstop. Being a lefty, you are limited to first base and outfield; middle infielders have such swagger, and I’d love the chance to make some filthy plays in the field as Joey always seems to do.
Q: What do you think is the team’s biggest challenge? A: Our biggest challenge is staying within ourselves...we are the team everyone wants to beat and because of that, we need to stay humble and play together as a team.
Charlie Callahan Senior First Baseman
Q: How does your height give you an advantage? A: I can reach a lot of high thrown balls at first base that most people wouldn’t be able to catch, and with hitting, it helps me generate more power. Q: If you could be any other player on the team, who would you be and why? A: Joe Fredrickson because the kid is a stud.
Q: Have you always wanted to be a catcher? Why or why not? A: I have wanted to be a catcher since I was little. I always loved putting on the pads and getting dirty.
Wyatt Meyer Senior Catcher
Q: From a catcher’s perspective, what strengths do this year’s pitchers have? A: Our pitchers’ strengths are locating pitches and off-speed pitches. Q: If you could be any other player on the team, who would you be and why? A: If I could be one other player, I would be Charlie Callahan, so I could be tall.
information compiled by Maddy Rosenow
12 gallery
April 10, 2015
Get ready
30% 26%
Which portions are students most concerned about?
22% 16%
6% English
How many students used a tutor to prepare?
Tutor 24% No tutor 76%
How many hours have students been studying each week?
Math Reading Science Writing
0
58%
1
16%
2
12%
3 2% 8%
4 5
4% 0
5
10
15
20
25
o s T C A e h t s i Why ? t n a t r o p im
going tice tests, CT c ra p g in do gA in school, tutors, or attendin ho take ltz l u w a h n le c o p S rs o e e ia p to p by Oliv ms. Many em very helpful ra g r ro p te r o lp e h d th staff rep es, tegies fin approach these stra g their score. te a d t s te T the in in improv lder, 12, is one of rd to As the AC tudents are feeling E s o a iew test s Jesse worked h Mounds V . But why is this e ACT ents who “I took a tutoring d tu s re th y u t s n a s a th m T. the pre e all know re success, for the AC me raise my score W re a t? p n a re rt p tu o imp ur fu at helped a role in o w the extent of its course th y,” he said. can play o st that n k t o ay n nificantl is a challenging te rly ig s but we m for as ea test what The ACT to prepare ple even impact. CT is designed to igh in g e b ts o n h stude The A get . Many pe roughout hth grade ore than once to learned th ries—math, ig e e v s a a h u m o o y ACT king it four categ . Scored end up ta d score. While the ing school in glish, and reading you th e ir ly s n e n o d science, E e higher the score ou have their ortant, it is not the ssays, and e th y p , , des is im out of 36 more advantages ollege ok at. Gra lso a big e c colleges lo ation letters are a ugh the receive, th es to getting into s. By d n ho e lt ip om recomm ege decisions. A ture, it when it c warded scholarsh h ll fu o c r u a f ig o part o and being st and getting a h other etermine te doesn’t d are. e m T th o C fr g A t in u k o p ta d to pre u can stan sure pays score, yo e th . applicants people prepare for sses la c g Many in g n e king chall ACT by ta
30
Testing stress
by Katie Karjalaht i staff reporter
enormous pressure on took took careful pr himself to do well. Elder eparations before th The end of the sc he could reduce th e test so e level of stress. “I and closer, and testi hool year is getting closer got a tutor and asked for advi ng season is right ce, around the corner. got a nice long nigh ate a healthy breakfast, and t of sle Hannah O’Brien, 11 Since Elder prepar ep,” he said. , and Sunny Chen, ed himself for the are both preparing 11 , of stress, he took th for the e ACT once last ye levels The test on April 28 upcoming ACT test. ar an satisfied with his tim will be O’Brien’s ing and score. “I di d was attempt at the ACT first well on the ACT,” d , but because of th said Elder. “Howev very e stress, she feel hopes it will be he er, I also that I didn’t do as r last. “I’m hoping well as I’m sure I I’ll do well enough to not have have.” could to reta For Chen, this will ke it,” said O’Brien. H e al so believes be her second tim taking the test. “I w benefited him imm taking the test at school as hoping I could ha e ense backup score in ca ve a more time to prepar ly because he could use se the ACT...doesn’ e t go well,” said Chen. Since sh year ’s testing seas for the test. During last e has taken the test on, Elder was swam before, Chen knows about ped with homework, so taki the stress it can ca ng use. She found that the test much study time. “I the test at school saved him was stressful beca tw use of the lack of time, especi have to take it outsi as very convenient to not ally for slow test-ta de of school and in kers. It seems as though fringe on my time to work an time limits are one d socialize,” he sa the biggest causes of id. The ACT puts a lo of distress that stu t of pressure on stu dents face in the ACT. “You but the stresses of dents, coul testing season can time maybe,” Chen d probably get some more be combated with reso said. “There are so ur me slow workers out there.” books, and early stu ces like tutors, study prep dy Many students thin though our entire fu ing. While it may feel as k th at th ei tu r w res depend on our ho depends on their A le life score, ACT CT score; Jesse El der, 12, was the taking advantage of these tools can one of many who lessen tension. fell victim to this id ea, putting
50 people polled photo by Hana Gulli information compiled by Olivia Schultz