As colleges question the effectiveness of test-optional admissions, many are reinstating a SAT/ACT requirement for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.
| Suha Sharif STAFF REPORTEROn April 11, Harvard College announced that it will require applicants for the class of 2029 to submit standardized test scores. Harvard is joining colleges such as Yale, MIT, Brown and Dartmouth in requiring the ACT/ SAT, believing that tests are a strong predictor of college success.
These changes stem from new research showing that higher standardized test scores correlate with college success. For example, a study done by Opportunity Insights, a research initiative by the Harvard Department of Economics, found that students with a higher score on the ACT/SAT had a higher college GPA than those with lower scores, regardless of socioeconomic status. This was a much stronger correlation than high school and college GPA. Initially, many colleges went test-optional during the pandemic as a result of difficulties administering standardized tests during quarantine. Contro-
PHOTO | Michael Wang
THE CAREER AND COLLEGE CENTER emphasizes the need for standardized testing for students aiming for selective colleges and urges them to use the school’s resources to prepare.
versy regarding how inequality affects standardized testing also played a role in choosing to go test-optional. One 2023 study from Harvard noted that the top 1% of Americans were 13 times more likely to score greater than a 1300 than low-income families on the SAT, suggesting that wealth played a large role in standardized test scores. It seems that test-optional policies convinced many students who did not previously
consider applying to top universities to submit an application, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This has led to an increase in overall applicants to these schools according to a study from the American Educational Research Journal. Regardless, top universities have decided that the value of standardized tests in determining college readiness outweighs potential inequity.
Career and College Coor-
dinator Madison Hendrickson believes that Mounds View already prepares students for these now test-required prestigious schools. “Regardless if it’s test-optional or not, most [students who are applying to Ivy League schools] are going to be prepared to take a standardized test anyway,” said Hendrickson. “So I don’t think it affects that many people.”
Hendrickson recommends taking advantage of the resources at Mounds View regardless
“[Students aiming for top schools should be] taking steps to sign up for tests, getting the help you need and doing whatever means necessary.”
Madison Hendrickson, CCC coordinator
of the school you are applying to. “You take [the ACT] as juniors at Mounds View, which I think is great [...] I encourage students to take it until you get a score you’re happy with.”
Especially for students aiming for selective schools, Hendrickson emphasizes the importance of standardized tests. “[These students should be] taking steps to sign up for tests, getting the help you need and doing whatever means necessary.”
Despite many prestigious institutions requiring standardized test scores, over 80% of colleges remain test-optional according to FairTest, an organization against testing requirements. “Based on the conversations I’ve had with a lot of institutions, I don’t see [a shift to testing requirements] happening super soon,” said Hendrickson. “I think a lot of them have adapted to the process of being test-optional, and we’ll probably continue that for a while.”
New regulations of these “forever chemicals” puts 22 water sources in Minnesota over the limit, including 10 metro water systems.
| Justin Shao STAFF REPORTERinnesota water sources face significant threats from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” they don’t break down easily and persist in water and soil. Since the 1940s, PFAS have been used in many commercial and industrial applications including waterproof clothing, food paper wrappings, cookware, fire-fighting foam and much more.
The nearly 15,000 chemicals classified as PFAS have been linked to a variety of health issues, ranging from ef-
fects on the immune system to birth defects. In response to growing concerns and the evident risks associated with PFAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently established new guidelines on PFAS regulation that have put multiple Minnesota water supplies over new PFAS limits. Mounds View, Shoreview and Arden Hills did not exceed this limit.
The first major discovery of PFAS contamination in Minnesota was back in the early 2000s. In the eastern suburbs of the Twin Cities, 3M, a Minnesota-based multinational conglomerate company, had illegally disposed of PFAS-
containing waste in Cottage Grove, contaminating over 150 square miles of drinking water and soil. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, it led to more than 170,000 residents in 14 communities requiring emergency treatment for drinking water or alternative water sources.
“This is reckless endangerment of human life.”
Arne Carlson, former MN governor
Historical documents, including research cited by Nadia Gaber et al. in “The Devil they Knew: Chemical Documents Analysis of Industry Influence on PFAS Science,” suggest that the risks associated with PFAS were well known as early as 1970. The paper also claims that the chemical industry adopted the tobacco industry’s strategy by delaying public awareness of the effects of PFAS and halting government regulation of the substances.
Former Governor Arne H. Carlson has also been vocal about the state’s responsibility in protecting Minnesotans from PFAS exposure, criticizing the Minnesota Government for its long-standing inaction. “They knew [PFAS] back in [the 1900s] and they did nothing all
those years since. The state to this day does not have a water policy [for our water supply],” said Carlson. “This is reckless endangerment of human life.”
Assistant Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Myra Kunas said the MDH informs local officials whenever dangerous levels of PFAS are detected and recommends that they share this information with residents. While this adheres to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, there are few enforceable standards for the PFAS levels in drinking water.
However, the EPA recently enforced a new regulation: the lower maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, the two of the most well-known chemicals in the PFAS family. The EPA states that this ratio is the lowest achievable level with current contaminant-measuring technology. The EPA established legally enforceable levels for five types of PFAS (including PFOA and PFOS) known to occur in drinking water and also set a Hazard Index level for mixtures of PFAS chemicals. In
doing so, it put 10 metro area water systems in Minnesota and 12 others statewide on notice of exceeding the threshold, which supplies water to about 309,000 people according to the Minnesota Department of Health. To meet these new standards nationally, the EPA estimates that it will cost approximately $1.5 billion annually, which includes water system monitoring, installing treatment technologies if needed and more. To help with funding, the Biden Administration has set aside $9 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help communities impacted by PFAS pollution in drinking water. In addition, another $12 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is available to communities to make general drinking water improvements, including addressing PFAS chemicals. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in 2023 estimated a cost between $14 and $28 billion to remove and destroy PFAS from certain wastewater streams across Minnesota for the next 20 years.
Thousands of Minneapolis ride share drivers are to be put out of work with updated regulations.| William Overbo STAFF REPORTER
The Minneapolis City Council ruled in a 10-3 vote on March 14 to override the mayor’s veto of a bill that would increase the minimum wage of Uber and Lyft drivers, who were not included in the recent citywide $15 minimum wage ordinance. The measure requires that drivers receive $1.40 a mile and 51 cents a minute for the entire duration of a ride occurring in Minneapolis. This is compared to a rate of 89 cents per mile and 49 cents per minute to reach the state-wide minimum wage. The bill also ensures annual increases based on the city’s minimum wage.
Uber released a statement criticizing the decision: “We’re disappointed the council chose to ignore the data and kick Uber out of the Twin Cities, putting 10,000 people out of work and leaving many stranded.” Lyft criticized the mandate as well, calling it “deeply flawed,” stating that the Lyft team supports a state-mandated minimum wage for drivers but not the one passed by the Minneapolis city council. Drivers will no longer be able to start rides that begin or end in Minneapolis.
The city council has reiter-
ated that this was not an easy decision to make, with councilman Michael Rainville voting against the ordinance. “I do believe in living wages very, very strongly. It’s put me in the position I’m in. But this is an issue where we need help from the state of Minnesota to figure this out,” said Rainville in an MPR interview, “because the airport is not in the city of Minneapolis, so many of these rides are not contingent on the city of Minneapolis.”
Minneapolis City Council Member Andrea Jenkins voted in favor of the ordinance but has since introduced a notice to reconsider, which was voted on April 11th. City officials decided to push back the start date of the ordinance from May 1 to July 1, which buys both Uber and Lyft some time to convince them to reverse the decision. In response to the notice, Mayor Jacob Frey issued a statement: “There has been and still is room for compromise to ensure drivers who rely on rideshare services for a paycheck get a raise and riders who rely on the service can continue getting around our city.”
Senior Salma Ali notes that she sometimes uses Uber to get to venues in Minneapolis when she doesn’t want to worry about
parking, and is concerned about the removal of that option. “Going to Minneapolis can be challenging because oftentimes most parents do not feel safe allowing their kid to drive,” said Ali.
Uber driver Patrick Suah is left to find alternatives after the council’s decision. “I have no other choice. Whether or not [the alternatives] take a long time to set up their procedure. But I don’t know if they’re going to look up drivers that were with Uber and Lyft as a priority. Or do they just want to open up where other people could just fill that void?”
Suah also foresees a negative impact on Minneapolis’s economy, particularly the tourism in the city, “[Tourists] use Uber because it makes transportation easier for them. But Uber and Lyft leaving will uncover how disruptive this will be. It’s going to hurt the people visiting [the city].”
One alternative that has emerged to replace both Uber and Lyft appears to be the Driver’s Cooperative, or Co-Op ride. The rideshare company has over 10,000 drivers in New York City and is looking to capitalize on a vacancy of ridesharing in the city. CEO of Co-Op Ride, Erik
INCONVENIENCE. Once the minimum wage goes into effect, riders will be unable to start or end a ride in Minneapolis.
Forman, claims there are around 200 drivers ready to begin operations with the departure of Uber and Lyft. Co-Op Ride can meet the minimum wage requirements called for by the Minneapolis ordinance by taking a percentage of the driver’s fare, reinvesting that percentage back into the company and paying it back to the drivers as dividends.
Governor Tim Walz offered a comment that shows skepticism that a replacement service like Co-Op Ride can fill the void left by Uber and Lyft. “We have what I can only describe as magical thinking that in the next 30 days, somebody’s going to create a new app that folks around the world and country are going to know to use when they come to Minneapolis, and they’re going to figure out how
to make the economics work on that,” Walz told WCCO. Walz is seeking to call the city council back to the table to discuss the issue again and potentially reverse the decision. Walz vetoed a similar bill last year that required drivers to be paid $1.45 per mile and 34 cents per minute. It’s important to note that major cities like Seattle and New York City have passed legislation increasing the minimum payment for drivers, but Uber has stated that demand for rides has gone down in Seattle. Regardless of whether the ordinance remains in Minneapolis, it’s clear that the demand for ride-sharing in the city will always be high. It’s just a matter of compromising on a solution that’s beneficial to both drivers and consumers.
he Mall of America is in the works of building a new water park called Mystery Cove. The park was supposed to begin construction in 2020, but due to COVID-19 and inflation, the project was put on hold. If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2025, and it is set to be ready for visitors in 2027. The projected cost of this project is $345,000,000, and the Bloomington City Council is using taxincrement financing (a method of financing real estate developments)to make this water park a reality. The Bloomington City Council stated in a KARE11 interview they want to “keep the Mall of America destination fresh and developing attractions and experiences that bring new audiences.” The owner of Mall of America, Triple Five Group, aims to expand with new attractions that would bring in a different kind of audience, as it is essential to the “financial health” of the mall.
According to the design plans, Mystery Cove is set to cover 143,000 square feet. Inspired by the 1950s, the team developed posters that incorporated a retro style, which will also be incorporated into the park’s theme.
There has been much speculation about what inspired Mall of America’s decision to initiate the project, but ultimately, it was driven by the prediction of its potential profitability. Drawing parallels with the financial success Great Wolf Lodge achieved after acquiring Waterpark of America, which had no connection to the Mall of America, the mall seeks to replicate such success with Mystery Cove. “We also wanted to make sure we were designing the park for 20 visits, not just one visit, so we wanted to be aware of the casual observer, the curious explorer, and the super sleuth. We want to make sure that we have something for everybody. That’s what led us to Mystery Cove,” said creator Chris Grap in an interview with Blooloop.com.
Although the waterpark
is now in development, it was originally supposed to open this year. Grap expressed that it took many obstacles to make this project happen. “We’ve gotten through the pandemic, and we’re getting through the financial crisis. I have no doubt that we’ll make this happen.
Mystery Cove would be built on the old parking lot and connected to the mall through a skyway between Nordstrom and Sears. Parts of the park have named attractions. “The Cove” will be a big section with the wave pool and “Eureka Reef” will contain all of the water slides and “daredevil” attractions. According to Blooloop, this project is a theme park but with “water-based attractions.” The park will have a massive wave pool that is over 52,000 square feet as well as a lazy river. “The main attraction in this area is the lazy river, which takes you through different parts of the park. It doesn’t just live in this outpost, which is something we’ve done with other attractions too, like Captain Vesuvio’s ship. That divides our giant
wave pool into two,” said Grap. Some students expressed their excitement about the new attraction saying they would be keen on going to Mystery Cove. “It sounds interesting, intriguing, and full of mystery like I would want to go and explore,” said junior Sam Kingsriter.
Upon seeing the designs, some students looked forward to what was going to be in store for this project. “It kind of looks like a family-friendly place, but [also] looks like there could be places where teens and adults could go. It doesn’t seem like a little kid place, and the ideas look very cool, so I would go,” said junior Taylor Edwards. Many explained how something new like this would be an improvement for Minnesota as they have grown tired of the other water parks around the area. “We have the same waterparks all over the state and I think it would be good to open a new one to see what it has to offer,” said junior Calvin Fant.
PHOTO | Charlotte Krum
ounds View offers many options for foreign language classes, such as Spanish, French, Mandarin and German. In addition to these classes, students can also take American Sign Language (ASL) with ASL Teacher Damon Johnson. Johnson is deaf and has been teaching ASL since 2000, and before starting at Mounds View in 2019, he taught at other schools in Minnesota, including Coon Rapids, Chanhassen, Champlin Park and some colleges as well. In addition to teaching, he is the president of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (MADC). MADC promotes civil and human rights for deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing citizens.
Currently, Johnson is the only ASL teacher at Mounds View and also the only deaf teacher. Students enjoy taking ASL classes for a variety of reasons, including Johnson’s teaching. “I think he’s one of the best teachers at Mounds View, with just how passionate he is about teaching [ASL] and just how good he is at teaching,” said senior Alice Jerome. Over the past five years that Johnson has taught at Mounds View, the number of students taking ASL has increased. This year, there are 174 students taking an ASL class at Mounds View, Johnson said, and in the last two years, the number of students taking ASL 3 and 4 has grown exponentially. As more students become interested in taking an ASL class,
Johnson recommends having an open mind when learning the language. “Respect and understanding is important to learn a second language,” said Johnson.
Just like other language classes offered at Mounds View, ASL allows students to communicate and connect with more people. “It’s important to have ASL in high schools because we have a higher need for ASL interpreters and it is unique to other languages. There are more chances to meet and have conversations with deaf and hard-of-hearing people,” said Johnson.
Mounds View’s American Sign Language Honor Society (ASLHS) is a sect of the larger ASLHS, which is an organization in many high schools across the United States. Johnson started Mounds View’s ASLHS charter this year and included students from ASL
2-4, with seniors Megh Coline Solamillo and Jerome voted in by ASLHS members at the beginning of the school year as president and vice president, respectively. ASLHS typically meets every other Wednesday during ReFLECT and is a space for students to practice and improve their signing and plan events. Similar to the National Honor Society, ASLHS provides volunteer opportunities for students to get volunteering hours.
Notably, ASLHS students are working on interpreting for Mounds View Theater’s spring musical, Cinderella, in early May. Johnson came up with the idea, as other schools that he’s taught at have ASL-interpreted events. “[Johnson] went, ‘Maybe we should interpret for Cinderella and also a choir concert,’ and we went, ‘Well, that’s
a lot of work, but we can probably do it,’” said Jerome. The interpreted musical will be on opening night, May 2, as indicated on flyers around the school. The performance will include seven interpreters, some of whom are a part of ASLHS and some who just take an ASL class. The interpreters work with Mounds View Theater’s artistic team to figure out the lighting and how fast the actors on stage are talking so the interpreters can practice signing their lines. “There’s a lot of back and forth conversation. Each person has a character, so they’ll talk back and forth, and for me, I’m doing both Cinderella and the Stepmother, so I have to talk to myself, but, for the most part, it’s mostly talking to each other,” said Coline Solamillo. The process will be the same for the songs in Cin-
hile sitting in U.S. History with Social Studies Teacher and Student Council Advisor Emily Daggett last year, current juniors Grace Bury and Bria Mills had the idea of reviving an old Mounds View tradition: Powderpuff football, an all-girls football game.
“Ever since I’ve been in
said Mills. Bury and Mills teamed up with student council in order to plan and host the event.
The event is currently set at Mounds View on May 11 from 7-9 p.m. and aims to be a fun and casually competitive event.
“I just think it [is] a fun thing for everybody to look forward to, especially in the spring because I know upperclassmen have prom, but freshmen and sophomores don’t have much [...] in the spring,” said Mills.
While, according to Mills, many schools don’t include underclassmen in Powderpuff, they decided to include everyone in order to make it a whole school event. “Originally, [... we] were going to make it just juniors and seniors, and then, people could sign up with their friend group and there’d be a bunch of teams, but that just seemed a little cliquey to me,” said Mills. They’ve also decided to create teams based on
grades, allowing many to participate who otherwise might not. The games are planned to be around 40 minutes long, with a bracket style pairing of freshmen against juniors and sophomores against seniors and the winners in a final.
They also plan to involve groups of football players as team coaches and hopefully have a team of male students cheerleading for the event. Many students have already shown interest in participating in the event through the form on the powderpuff Instagram. They also plan to promote the event through the Morning Herd Announcements and posters in the coming weeks.
Participating students are able to sell tickets to friends and family, supporting the Mounds View community. The tickets sell for a tentative one or two dollars. The organizers plan to be donated to The American Foundation for Suicide Preven-
derella. ASLHS also plans to interpret the final choir concert this year.
The new opportunities students have this year to interpret for different events allow them to get a head start on their future. A few students, such as Jerome and Coline Solamillo, plan to go to college to become ASL interpreters. “Four of the interpreters that are interpreting for Cinderella actually are planning to go to college for interpreting, so that’s also just a cool opportunity for us to have on our resume,” said Coline Solamillo.
One of the primary reasons why Mounds View’s ASLHS began, and an important goal of theirs, is giving back to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Minnesota, which they do by fundraising. Last December, ASLHS hosted a fundraiser selling ornaments, raising money to help the Metro Deaf School in Saint Paul build a new gymnasium. ASLHS also has future fundraising plans, such as hosting an ASL movie night in May.
As a new club, the ASLHS officers are still figuring out how to run the club to accomplish their goals. “I think in the next couple of years, it will be more established on what we actually do ‘cause I think this year, a lot of our goals is fundraising for the Metro Deaf School. Hopefully, in future years, it becomes more generic club activity rather than just fundraising,” said Coline Solamillo.
tion and Mounds View Girl’s sports. “We’re going to try to sell tickets to people,” said Bury. “So family can come and [...] it’s more of a community thing.”
Bury and Mills plan to be involved in the games again next year and hope that it is a tradition that can continue. “I think it would be fun to do it next year,” said Bury. “I think a lot of people are interested in doing it, so it’ll be easy to carry it on.”
Powderpuff at Mounds View plans to re-start fun tradi tion that promises to create community and pro mote bonding. “I definitely think it [inspires] pride because it’s fun to have something where you really identify with your grade and graduation year,” said Mills. “I think it just brings your grade close together.”
ith their signature yellow bucket hats in tow, Team Potential Energy recently took on the First Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championships in Houston between April 17 and 20. The tournament invites 160 robotics teams in the division to compete with other teams from around the world. Their thirdplace finish at the Minnesota FTC State Championship in February earned them a spot at the World Championship.
FTC robotics is an international competition where teams create robots that complete certain tasks to accumulate points. The robots all compete in a 12 by12 foot area where they must avoid obstacles and can ally with other teams in order to win competitions. Teams choose their allies based on their ranks prior to the tournament and compete together in games. Every September a new game is introduced involving new rules, scoring methods and penalties, forcing teams to adapt with different driving systems and software during the spring season.
Since their origins in 2022,
Potential Energy has put in a lot of work that accounts for their success in competitions this season. Unlike other extracurricular activities, robotics continues to meet year-round. “In the summer, like off-season, they continue to meet once a week, and then they also have these outreach events where they went to the state fair and demoed their robot where they talk to people, and they let
people drive the robot,” said Rumna Chowdhury-Dinsmoor, a coach and parent for Potential Energy.
In the spring, practices become more frequent, and team members are expected to put more work into making the robot competition-ready outside of practices. “We only meet normally two or three times a week for two or three hours. But then outside of that, you have to
spend a lot of time working on [robotics] as well,” said junior Antonin Kostal, a member of Potential Energy. Leading up to the World Championships, some members spend over five hours per day working on different features of the robot.
Beyond their work ethic, a major part of Potential Energy’s success has been their involvement with younger students in the district. The team
created “Project Momentum” which educates elementary school students about robotics and encourages them to become involved with robotics in the First Lego League. “We’re focused on building interest in younger children and the hope is that they’ll join those smaller Lego robotics programs and then later dropping into FIRST Tech Challenge as a sort of intermediate,” said sophomore James Chowdhury-Dinsmoor, member of Potential Energy. A big goal is rebuilding the lego robotics program at Turtle Lake Elementary School, one that several members of Potential Energy were a part of.
Ultimately, robotics is a team sport that is based on teamwork, which is why many members say the lessons learned expand beyond programming and software design. “It’s not dissimilar from a sport in that you win with your team and you can celebrate together, and you lose with your team and you learn how to deal with that by coming together to support each other,” said Chowdhury-Dinsmoor.
The first time senior Reagan Ashbach flew a plane, she was only eight years old. While she was nervous at first, she was soon enthralled by the experience and developed her love for flying. This passion was further fueled by her family’s history in aviation.
“I’m actually the fourth generation in my family to get my private pilot’s license. My great grandmother was the first one in our family to get it, and then my grandpa and his wife, and
Her passion for flight started with a family trip to Puerto Rico, where senior Claire Sabby got the opportunity to “fly” a plane. “The pilot let me sit in the front ‘cause there was only one pilot, and once we got in the air, he let me steer and fly. I wasn’t really in control. He made it seem like I was in control, and so that really got my hooked,” said Sabby. Since then, Sabby knew aviation was the right career path for her. Last summer, she began taking flight lessons at
then my dad and his brother, and then it’s gonna be me next,” said Ashbach.
While her parents encouraged her to get her license, she was not forced into it. “They definitely weren’t pushing it on me either, which is really nice. They were actually like, ‘Think about this. This is a big commitment,’” she said. Ashbach spends many hours working towards her pilot’s license at Twin Cities Flight Training in Anoka, where she learns both in the air and on the ground.
Air Trek North out of South Saint Paul Fleming Field Airport.
“When you’re up in the air, and you look down on the ground below, it kind of takes you out of your daily life.”
Claire Sabby, ‘24
Sabby, who is also involved in sports like cross country and Nordic skiing, enjoys flying because it can
Alongside logging flying hours in a Cessna 172 during her lessons, she also
“I’m actually the fourth generation in my family to get my private pilot’s license.”
Reagan Ashbach, ‘24
studies curriculum covering topics from weather types to the intricacies of piloting.
Next fall, Ashbach
be relaxing and tranquil.
“When you’re up in the air, and you look down on the ground below, it kind of takes you out of your daily life. It’s kind of an escape. It’s a lot more personal, I feel like, ‘cause it’s just you — you’re in control of the plane compared to being in a team environment,” said Sabby.
Sabby, who currently flies a Piper Archer, is on track to get her pilot’s license this June and will be attending the University of North Dakota in the fall for
will be attending Colorado Christian University pursuing a major in History. While she still plans to continue working towards her private pilot’s license, she emphasizes that she plans to focus more on academics for now.
commercial aviation. After college, Sabby explains that she is excited to work towards her goal of becoming an airline pilot.
PHOTO VIA Potential Energy
enrollments for online classes in 2011 11
nline classes have become increasingly popular in recent years. In 2011, there were 11 total enrollments for online classes. Now, there are a total of 450460 enrollments in NSO this semester. (Note that an enrollment means number of enrolled courses; if a student is enrolled in two NSO classes, it counts as two enrollments).
The majority of Mounds View students who take online classes do so through Northern Star Online (NSO), an extensive online class program in Intermediate District 287 that partners with many public schools in Minnesota. NSO offers over 90 courses in subjects such as health, physical education, math, history and language. These courses are free during the school year but cost money during the summer or if the student takes them in addition to a full load
of courses. Most of Mounds View’s classes have an online counterpart through NSO.
Currently, Mounds View also offers some of its own online classes, including Fit for Life, Health, U.S. Government and Politics, ATMED and PACINDO World History and two ARCC courses. Online Fit for Life and Health are the most popular courses, and they are taught by Heidi Shah, who teaches both Mounds View and Irondale students.
Online classes through both Mounds View and NSO have similar structures for instruction, with NSO classes being taught through videos and articles and Mounds View classes being taught through self-research and video guides.
Online Health through NSO, for example, has nine different parts to its curriculum, with each part containing a video, assignments and a quiz. Students can set and change their due date and choose their own work pace,
whether that be completing the entire class within two weeks or extending the due date past the last day of school.
In contrast, Online Health and Fit for Life through Mounds View have one large assignment per week and multiple projects that take place throughout the year, acting as tests. Students partner up to complete the projects and are asked to give each other a grade. Unlike NSO classes, Mounds View online gym and health have stricter due dates and penalties for missing assignments.
As students opt to take online classes, they can increasingly experience the benefits of online flexibility. However, admin has also raised concerns about funding and education quality through online learning. In this spread, we explore the benefits, consequences, and future of online classes at Mounds View.
n a typical school day, the dim forum is filled with students relaxing, talking to friends or chugging through assignments in an NSO class. More and more students spend at least part of their day in the forum. Students often choose online classes over in-person classes because of schedule conflicts, increased flexibility, credit recovery and the highly sought-after free hour.
Many students opt to take Online Fit for Life and Online Health through Mounds View to combat schedule conflicts. The Mounds View online program was originally built to accommodate students taking four years of both music and language classes. This issue, named “the sixhour bottleneck,” means that students taking both of these electives along with their four core classes fill up their entire schedule all four years, leaving them no space to take other required courses, according to Online Fit for Life and Health teacher Heidi Shah.
students will have issues with their scheduling, and online classes give people the opportunity to still take the classes that they want without having to compromise,” said junior Greta Lunstad, who is currently taking online health through NSO in order to do PSEO next year.
Taught through videos and articles, NSO courses are entirely self-paced. While they require a date for all assignments and parts to be completed, students can complete those assignments however quickly they want to. This lets students take days off when they need or complete courses much faster than a full school year. “I was able to learn that a lot faster than if I was in class since I was able to do geometry and algebra in one year. So being at a quicker pace, I was able to get more information, and I learned easier that way,” said sophomore Christina Stonehouse.
recover lost credits from classes they did not pass while still taking classes they want or need to take at Mounds View.
“I was able to learn that a lot faster than if I was in class since I was able to do geometry and algebra in one year. So being at a quicker pace, I was able to get more information and I learned easier that way.”
Christina Stonehouse, ‘26
enrollments for online classes in 2024 450
However, these online classes fill up quickly. The Mounds View class only takes up to about 360 students a year across both Mounds View and Irondale. Once these 360 spots are filled, other students resort to taking these courses through NSO.
In addition to fixing the six-hour bottleneck, a mix of online and inperson classes provide students with more flexibility than the traditional six-period day. Students who want more space in their schedule to take classes they are interested in can do so by delegating some classes to online while still fulfilling all graduation requirements. “I think online classes [are] important because oftentimes,
However, even with the lenient pacing of NSO classes, students have different experiences with the difficulty and workload of courses. “With some of the electives, I feel like [online classes are] fairly similar to some of the [Mounds View] electives such as culinary arts and ones that aren’t as rigorous that I’ve taken,” said junior Leila Bipes. “I’ve taken Spanish both online and in-person, and I think the online has way more work, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot more than I did in person.” Many students express that core classes and writing and language classes through NSO have heavier workloads than Mounds View classes, while other electives may be easier.
Online classes can also aid students who suffer from credit deficits, meaning they don’t have enough credits to graduate. They can retake classes online to gain those credits or
Online classes also provide students a chance to have a free hour, and this was even more of an incentive before the forum was established as the official online class space. “Before we had the forum as kind of a home for online [students], I would say a lot of students would express that they liked to be able to just go work anywhere, and so once they have that permission to go anywhere, there was a draw to kind of be able to do that,” said Jeffrey Nowak, dean. While Mounds View has looked into creating more online classes for students to use, the best alternative option as of now is NSO. With its self-paced learning environment and flexibility, its popularity continues to rise.
Though online classes benefit students in many ways, they may also have potentially harmful effects on Mounds View’s funding and student learning.
As student enrollment through NSO increases, so does Mounds View’s potential to lose more of its funding. According to EdBuild, an organization that standardizes school funding, Minnesota has a primarily student-based funding system. At Mounds View, each student with no special needs or services brings $6,728 of funding to the school. However, Mounds View loses a portion of money for each student that registers for NSO. “Each student that enrolls here brings money to the school, and when they enroll in our school online, they become a part-time student here, parttime student there. So money follows the registration,” said Principal Rob Reetz.
Currently, Reetz does not think funding is a huge issue, but if the enrollment of students taking online classes continues to rise — for example, if every student took NSO courses for 50% of their day and in-person classes for the other 50% — Mounds View would inevitably
have to cut staff members or other resources.
In addition to funding, quality of education is a concern for educators. NSO classes are based on the Minnesota state standards, which is essentially the minimum standard for courses according to Dean Jeffrey Nowak. This standard is lower than the threshold for Mounds View’s classes, yet students taking NSO courses still graduate with a full Mounds View diploma.
“I just want to make sure that they’re learning, and when it’s a separate school, I don’t always know that they are.”
Rob Reetz, principal
Although dependent on the class itself, some educators believe that students do not absorb content as much as they would in-person or through Mounds View online courses. “I talked to six kids in the last couple of weeks [...] They all said they took online health. I asked each kid, ‘Tell me one thing you learned that you believe you will remember for the rest of
your life.’ Not one kid could say one thing. Not one thing,” said Health Teacher Ross Fleming.
Students often may not retain as much knowledge from an online course because they do not have to be as engaged or focused when doing online coursework. “I’m not retaining anything [from online], whereas in-person, I’m physically and mentally focused,” said junior Abigail Xiong.
In addition to retention, Reetz worries about students’ overall quality of education through NSO because Mounds View admin are unable to monitor the rigor and depth of the NSO curriculum, unlike Mounds View’s own courses. However, he does like that students get to work at their own pace through online classes. “I want kids to have that flexibility because I think it’s good for their mental health, and we value that,” Reetz said. “I just want to make sure that they’re learning, and when it’s a separate school, I don’t always know that they are.”
With the flexibility of online classes, students can procrastinate on their assignments more than they would in in-person classes. Since they work at their own pace, some students do not finish their assignments by the deadline. “You kind of
have to motivate yourself to actually get the stuff done, and there’s no teacher there to keep you accountable or check in with you or anything,” said Julia Nacusi, a junior who is taking creative writing online this semester.
Online learning can also negatively impact social-emotional development, as well as subject comprehension. According to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine, interactive learning allows students to use their cognitive skills and absorb the information easier through interaction with a teacher. In person, teachers can respond to questions and meet with students based on their comprehension of the subject. Students can also learn alongside their peers and problem solve together. “There’s the expert teacher that’s there with you, there’s your classmates, there’s class discussion. There’s a much more interactive and, let’s say, more fulfilling learning that happens there. That usually allows students to have a much deeper knowledge of that subject area,” Nowak said. Online classes, however, make interaction difficult by limiting communication between students and teachers. Even with all the issues surrounding online learning, the
| Isabella Kunc SPREAD AND FEATURESEDITOR
In the 1990s, Mounds View offered a new way of taking classes called alternative credit options, where students met with their teachers once every two weeks and completed coursework consisting of packets, worksheets and activity logs, according to Online Health and Fit for life teacher Heidi Shah. It was a way of independent learning that eventually morphed into the hybrid and online learning models students know today. Now, with so many students opting to take an online class via NSO instead of Mounds View, the program continues to adapt to better suit the needs of today’s diverse student population. There are many reasons why students would take an online class, as explored above. Yet there are not as many Mounds View options for such students, as currently, Mounds View offers very few online courses. However, according to Principal Rob Reetz, Mounds View hopes to offer more online classes in the future to combat
the number of students taking NSO so that Mounds View staff can be more attuned to what students are learning. “I wish we had more online options,”
he said. “What I’d love to explore is if kids would take our online classes, were we to offer them, in place of Northern Star Online.”
With the new personal finance requirement for students graduating in 2029 and beyond, Reetz also worries students will not have enough time in their schedules to fit all in-person classes in addition to the language, fine arts, health and physical education requirements. “I’d like to offer personal finance online because we’re a six-period day,” he said. “Part of my concern with not having online options for kids is we don’t have enough options.”
He hopes to provide a trustworthy alternative to current NSO classes that is led by Mounds View staff.
While the school does not have anything planned yet, they are working on a survey to see if students would take online Mounds View classes. “We’re gathering stakeholder input to figure out if we can design
something that would appeal to kids. And this would probably be two years out at least before we get anything up and running,” said Reetz.
Additionally, the growth of such a program would be a lot of work. “There is talk about adding additional online courses for Mounds View,” said Dean Jeffrey Nowak. “But that can be a long process of creating new courses and a new format.” The process begins with teachers making a proposal for the online class, creating the curriculum, demonstrating it and then getting it approved, which can take up to a year.
“What I’d love to explore is if kids would take our online classes, were we to offer them, in place of Northern Star Online.”
Rob Reetz, principal
The goal would be to offer something for both Mounds View and Irondale students, so
number of students taking online classes continues to grow. As Mounds View looks towards the future, perhaps the growth of its own online classes could alleviate some of the problems.
distance learning vs online classes
Distance learning during the pandemic left some students disliking online classes. However, why is it that so many students have returned to online learning?
Some students’ distance learning classes were taught in a way similar to online classes now, with students left to do work by themselves. “I ended up getting teachers that didn’t do a lot of Zoom meetings, and they just [gave] work that was very similar to these online classes, so I think if it had been mostly Zoom meetings, I wouldn’t have really enjoyed it. But I felt like I was just able to be successful, and I liked how I could work at my own pace because I ended up getting things done a lot faster than when I was in person,” said junior Leila Bipes.
classes could include 10 students from Mounds View and 20 from Irondale for example. Certain classes would be offered in a hybrid format, like science classes still meeting in-person for labs, more similar to a college class. “[The online classes] would probably be asynchronous online courses, so there probably would be some video lecture that you’d be watching,” said Reetz. “The hands-on stuff would have to come in more of a hybrid type format.”
While the future of these online classes is still uncertain, their implementation could bring many benefits to Mounds View and Irondale students. “I think students get a better experience when they work with our teachers,” said Nowak, “[and if they] access our coursework through online [classes], I think they’d [...] be better prepared for what’s next.”
Other students felt stuck, wasting their time in Zoom meetings yet therefore finding self-paced online classes to be a different and more enriching experience. “During distance learning, you’re required to go to these Zoom [meetings] every day, and those Zoom classes were [..] basically sitting with my headphones on for seven hours a day, and I felt like I wasn’t learning anything anyways. I was always in the same place and I felt everything was going super slowly. So it wasn’t self-paced, but [I was] still forced to be online, which I guess was where a lot of the problem was for me,” said Nadyne Sattar, sophomore
| Nikhil Kulangaroth STAFF REPORTER
n the realm of basketball, there comes the age-old question: Who is the greatest player of all time? There are arguably only two players that come to mind — Lebron Ramone James and Michael Jeffery Jordan. Experts and analysts have said it’s hard to settle this debate because both Jordan and James have played in different eras. Yet the man who goes by “King James” has domi-
11,000 assists. To put this in perspective, if a player were to enter the NBA and average 24 ppg for 20 consecutive seasons while playing all 82 games in every season, they would score 39,360 points. James has scored 40,446 points. To do that with three different teams and through two decades of basketball speaks volumes.
James has also reached the finals 10 times and eight times in a row
by the numbersnated three eras alone in the past two decades, far outreaching Jordan’s ‘90s run. When comparing the two players, it’s hard to compete with Jordan’s six rings, two three-peats and his undefeated finals record. However, it is unlikely that anyone will ever come close to breaking James’ scoring record. James is the all-time basketball leading scorer, not just in the NBA, with over 40,000 points scored over his career.
Additionally, he is a 20-time All-Star and still arguably one of the best players in the league today despite being the oldest. Longevity is one of the main reasons why James is so great. He has had 21 years of elite play and has adapted to the modernday NBA, averaging over 25 points per game for 21 seasons. This season alone he’s averaging 25 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.2 steals. Within the past week, James has become the first player to reach 40,000 points, 11,000 rebounds and
from 2011-2018. Yet, this statistic is overshadowed by the “superteams” that allowed him to reach the finals. Yes, James did play with superstars and yes, he has had seven teammates who were All-Star level. However, one could argue that James was the sole reason why teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Lakers won championships or at least came close to winning them.
After winning two championships with the Miami Heat, James came back to an already talented Cavs team with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. But even with Irving and Love, the Cavs continuously fell short in the playoffs. James managed to take them to the finals that season, but the Cavs lost to a team with an astounding 73-9 record, the Golden State Warriors.
However, James led the Cavs back to the finals the very next season and once again faced the Warriors. At the time, the Warriors were a terrifying superteam led by players
like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Cavs had a rocky start and found themselves down 1-3 against the Warriors. Before this matchup, no team had ever come back from a 1-3 deficit in the finals. Yet just four games later, James would receive his third championship trophy. There’s a recent term that’s being thrown around on social media when it
n sports, there have been debates that seem to continue forever without an answer and are often just based on preferences, but in some cases, an athlete plays so well that he distances himself from any competition. On June 14, 1998, when Michael Jordan made the shot to win his sixth NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls, he rested his case on why he is the greatest player in basketball history.
the league in scoring for 10 consecutive years (the next closest is Wilt Chamberlain with seven scoring titles). Additionally, Jordan led the league in steals for three years and additionally surpasses James in advanced metrics by 24 crowns.
James has won four league MVP awards to MJ’s five, despite playing 17,000 more minutes than Jordan. Furthermore, Jordan claimed a Defensive Player of the Year award
carries his team to victories. But did James really “carry” a Cavs team to the finals when all the teams they played en route to the finals (2007) had a losing record, and he averaged six turnovers and shot 35% from the field, 20% from three and 69% from the free-throw line during the finals?
Jordan’s greatness cannot be overstated, including the impact he had on the game itself. Jordan
comes to athletes, and that term is “aura.” James has showcased many instances where his aura is overflowing with dominance and “G.O.A.T.” energy — he has an obvious passion for the game, but doesn’t let remarks or snide comments affect his play. In a postgame interview after game four of the 2015-2016 finals, Thompson told the media, “I guess his feelings got hurt,” which was directed towards James after a harsh exchange of words between Green and James. When the reporter relayed this statement to James, all he did was hold his tongue and laugh. The Cavs ended up winning that season. James has been breaking records and achievements that no normal player can. If Lebron can dominate the league for a couple more years and break records and standards that seems impossible for any player, I have no doubt in my mind that by the end of his career he will go down as the greatest player of all time.
While Jordan is not statistically the best player out there, he does represent the best total package player in basketball history, and yet for some reason, a significant portion of the media keeps on pushing this MJ versus LeBron debate as if it was ever even a question.
After the 82-game regular season, the NBA playoffs commence, where players’ legacies are truly forged. Jordan made the playoffs fifteen seasons, reaching the NBA Finals a total of six times and boasting a flawless win record. Only seven other players share this feat of maintaining a 100% win rate after reaching the NBA Finals six or more times. In contrast, James, despite playing more than 100 playoff games, holds only four rings.
One of the primary arguments in favor of James is his statistical superiority over Jordan. However, James has led the league in standard metrics only twice (scoring once, assisting once) in his twentyyear career, while MJ led
while simultaneously leading the league in scoring and earning the MVP for that season, and James doesn’t hold a single DPOY award.
Another claim that is used to shade Jordan’s legacy is the suggestion that he had better personal talent around him and faced less competition. However, throughout his NBA playoff career, James has played in 53 playoff series compared to MJ’s 37. MJ has faced opponents with a 50-win or higher record 73% of the time in the playoffs, compared to James’ 53%. Jordan also boasts a higher win percentage against teams with a record of 50 or more wins, with a 74% win rate compared to LeBron’s 57%. Additionally, James has played with seven different players who combined for 15 All-Star selections, while Jordan played alongside only one All-Star in his career, Scottie Pippen.
Jordan’s legacy is always downplayed with the fact that he needs a Hall of Famer like Pippen to carry him to victory and James
single-handedly internationalized interests in basketball — there were courts and outdoor hoops appearing all over the United Kingdom because of the interest he generated around what was previously mainly a US-based sport. He is still selling millions of dollars worth of sports gear with his name on it decades after he retired from playing. The moves and fluidity he introduced to the game continue to influence countless baby-Jordan wannabes. In the everlasting debate over basketball’s greatest player, Michael Jordan’s legacy stands as an incredible force. His six NBA championships, unmatched scoring prowess, defensive excellence and global impact cement his status. His legacy extends far beyond statistics, shaping the very essence of basketball and solidifying his status as the undisputed G.O.A.T.
ntil I was 10 years old, I attended a Mennonite school and lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the largest Amish settlement in the United States. Although my family was not Amish, we regularly passed Amish farms with their dozens of cows and horses, watching as they moved along roads in their horse-drawn buggies and went on field trips to learn Amish practices like churning butter by hand.
I remember learning about the pleasant parts of Amish life, but nobody taught us how traditional values prevalent in Amish society affect their daily lives. Amish society is patriarchal, meaning that men dominate and control the society, while the women raise their children and labor within the home.
You might have heard the term “tradwife” (traditional housewife) used on social media to describe women who follow outdated gender norms by staying home and caring for their families instead of pursuing their careers. Tradwife influencers make their lives look perfect and simple on TikTok, but motherhood is anything but simple. The tradwife movement
poorly attempts to shame and push insecurity onto women who do not sacrifice their whole lives for the interests of men.
A typical housewife might choose to stay home to care for her family, but tradwives usually take it a step further by following practices like modern homesteading, where they attempt to live without modern medicine or processed foods. The beliefs associated with the movement result from decades of a society dominated by white men. Yet, men are
| Isabel Li SPREAD EDITORecently, I have come across more and more relationship content on social media — not the wholesome romantic videos, but rather bizarre relationship tests, like the orange peel theory or the ketchup theory. I’m not even going to lie; I found these videos incredibly entertaining at first, especially as I eagerly awaited the partner’s response. However, on a deeper level, Tiktok’s relationship content has promoted unhealthy communication habits and expectations. Let’s start with the relationship tests that have gone viral on TikTok. The orange peel theory, which has garnered millions of views per video, is a relationship test where one person expresses their desire to eat an orange and expects their partner to peel it for them. If their partner peels
the orange, they pass, and their love is “real,” but if not, their love is fake, and the partner should immediately reconsider their relationship.
Before discrediting the trend, I do want to acknowledge its merits. Willing acts of service are essential in a solid relationship. TikTok’s videos of partners passing the orange peel theory can even be wholesome to watch. The problem is when the initiator says vague phrases like “I feel like an orange” or continues to deny that they want their partner to peel an orange but keeps bringing it up. In one TikTok, for example, a female says that she wants an orange but does not want to peel it. When her partner says, “So you’re telling me to peel it,” she repeatedly says no but continues to say she wants one, which confuses her partner. He then ends the video by saying “I’m asking you! You gotta communicate.”
not depicted as a part of the movement. This is because the tradwife movement attempts to appear as a form of empowerment for women. In reality, the movement only exists to further the interests of their husbands and sons, and tradwife influencers who enjoy this lifestyle have a safety net to fall back on: a wealthy husband.
I have many issues with the narrative tradwives push on social media, but the most significant is the exclusivity present in the movement. The idea of a traditional housewife originates from white supremacy and gender inequality, especially for
Even in these scenarios, the other partner is still expected to understand they should intuitively grab and peel the orange. The initiator often becomes visibly disappointed if their partner “doesn’t get the hint,” but the fact that they failed to communicate their needs makes the disappointment unwarranted and concerning.
Communication is essential to a loving and lasting relationship. In fact, a 2022 study from the Canadian Journal of Behavioral Sciences found that negative communication led to lower relationship satisfaction in that partner one year later. So, instead of expecting your partner to read your mind, if you want an orange peeled for you, simply ask.
Similar to this trend is the mantra “if he wanted to, he would,” which essentially means that a guy who doesn’t show effort doesn’t want you, so should stop wasting your time. According to Glamour, this mantra was originally an attempt to help women save time
women of color. Many tradwives look to gender roles of the 1950s for inspiration, when women staying home was seen as a sign of affluence. However, most women working for wages at this time were women of color, barring them from gaining any social status. This quality of exclusivity is also present in most Amish communities whose populations rarely include people of color.
The current tradwife trend unsurprisingly consists of mainly white women. In the past, not only did white women possess more rights and privileges, but they often participated in acts of
when dating and move on from poor relationships with men. It quickly grew in popularity as it spread on social media, and has become more problematic than helpful, as a relationship is not that simple.
There are many reasons why one person may not do what they “should” do or what the other person wants from them, especially in the beginning stages of a relationship. What may seem like common sense to one partner may be like navigating uncharted territory for the other. For example, if one partner grew up exchanging gifts every holiday while the other never did, how can you expect them to value gifts in the same way? That’s why expecting your partner to do what you want without communicating — as this phrase implies — is toxic.
TikTok has brought this mantra even a step further.
I’ve seen TikToks where a woman lists many things their man does for them without being asked, whether it’s making
violence against people of color. This is no new story; many times throughout history, one oppressed group will oppress another group to feel a sense of superiority or belonging. In the ‘50s, white women often put down Black women to preserve some of their own limited power.
While most women who identify with this movement are white, some women of color seem to be part of the movement. One of the most known is Nara Smith, a Black woman who has recently gone viral on TikTok and Instagram for cooking complicated meals for her family, all from scratch. She has been grouped in with other tradwife influencers but doesn’t call herself a tradwife, most likely because of the historical context of the movement, which is based on age-old ideas of white supremacy.
Overall, I believe the tradwife movement causes much more harm than good. Although the movement masks itself as an appealing lifestyle that allows women to dedicate their lives to caring for their families, it confines women and attempts to force them back into a box that they fought for decades to be free from. Even worse, it perpetuates incredibly outdated ideas of male and white superiority.
them breakfast or coming home early from an event to spend time with them. I’ve also seen TikToks where women give advice that they should wait in silence on their birthday or Valentine’s Day to see if their partner does something for them. Not only does this create unrealistic expectations for what a good partner does, but it also discourages healthy communication and pushes the fact that it’s almost shameful to directly tell your partner what you want.
Ultimately, the basis behind these tests and sentiments are valid, and a partner’s demonstration of love is important. But instead of getting swept up with arbitrary tests or expecting people to do what is on your mind, encouraging mutual effort and open communication will foster a much healthier love in a relationship.
eland Tyler Wayne, widely recognized as Metro Boomin, and Nayvadius DeMun Cash, renowned under his stage name Future, joined forces to produce the collaborative album “We Don’t Trust You.” With such prominent features including Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd and Travis Scott, I had high hopes for this album.
Metro Boomin’s previous album, “Heroes & Villains,” stands out as one of my favorite albums of all time with captivating production and composition. However, Future’s music hasn’t resonated with me as much, as it is often characterized by minimal vocal variation and lackluster songs. Still, I was excited by the potential greatness and synergy that these two artists can produce.
The lead track, “We Don’t Trust You,” defies the usual trend of intro tracks tending to be more subdued to introduce the rest of the album. “We Don’t Trust You” breaks away from this pattern with its dynamic shifts in production, vocals and
overall flow, elevating it to be a standout on the album.
Following the impressive start, the album maintains momentum with “Young Metro,” a track that blends rap and exceptional vocals, thanks to The Weeknd. However, the next three tracks fail to sustain this initial strength, with minimal vocal variation. Despite this, “Type Sh*t” stands out among the trio, largely because of the contribution of Travis Scott, whose feature injects energy into the track.
The next song, “Like That,” was one of the most anticipated tracks on the album, having been previewed at a concert before its release. With its high-energy beats and the much-awaited feature of Kendrick Lamar, it carried high expectations. However, despite initial excitement, the album version didn’t align with me as much as the concert version did. The bass along with a better flow from Kendrick made the concert version far superior.
The subsequent six tracks, “Slimed In,” “Magic Don Juan (Princess Diana),” “Cinderella,” “Runnin Outta Time,” “Fried (She a Vibe)” and “Ain’t No Love,” collectively form the most underwhelming stretch of the album. Drawing from the remnants of “Ice Attack” and “Claustrophobic,” these tracks
exhibit a repetitive and monotonous nature, characterized by minimal variance in vocals. This section fails to maintain the album’s earlier energy, resulting in a notable dip.
The album, however, shifts in the following two tracks. “Everyday Hustle” injects a somewhat upbeat and livery mood into an otherwise gloomy album, adding depth and complexity to the composition and vocals. Conversely, “GTA” contrasts with a more gloomy mood, returning to Future’s style. However, the track’s production complements Future’s strengths exceptionally well, resulting in one of the album’s standout tracks.
The album concludes with the last three tracks: “Seen it All,” “WTFYM” and “Where My Twin @ - Bonus,” which fail to leave a lasting impression and simply wrap up the album. Overall, the album was an enjoyable listen and provided insight into what has contributed to Metro Boomin and Future’s widespread success. Hopefully, future collaborations between the two will build upon the better tracks in their follow-up, “We Still Don’t Trust You.”
“We don’t trust you”5/5
“Young Metro” - 4/5
“Type Sh*t” - 4/5
“Claustrophobic” - 2/5
“Like that” - 4/5
“Slimed In” - 3/5
“Magic Don Juan” - 2/5
“Cinderella” - 3.5/5
“Running outta time” - 3/5
“Fried” - 3/5
“Ain’t no love” - 2/5
“Everyday Hustle” - 4/5
“GTA” - 5/5
“Seen it all” - 2/5
“WTFYM” - 3/5
“Where my twin @ ”3/5
On March 21, Taco Bell launched its new Cantina Chicken Menu to consumers nationwide. Eager to try these new items, I visited the Taco Bell in Northeast Park, Minneapolis, and sampled a variety from this chicken-centered menu.
My order was: Cantina Chicken Bowl, Cantina Chicken Quesadilla, a Coke and a Baja Blast and the Cantina Chicken Burrito and Taco Meal.
Every item on the Cantina Chicken Menu included Taco Bell’s new Avocado Verde Salsa Packets. While this sauce served as a pleasant complement to the repetition of chicken and cheeses, nothing about it stood out to me.
In conclusion, the Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Menu was a different and flavorful experience from what the restaurant regularly offers. While some items exceeded my expectations, others fell short, both taste-wise and price-wise. Reflecting on my Taco Bell experience, I rate the new a 3.5 out of five.
Cantina Chicken Burrito Meal:
Starting with the $10.49 Cantina Chicken Burrito Meal, containing 980-1260 calories, my anticipation was high as I unwrapped the warm, chicken-filled burrito. These expectations were met as the generous portions of chicken, cheese, sauces and vegetables blended for a delicious and flavorful meal.
Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco Meal:
Still hungry, I moved on to the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco Meal, priced at $9.19 and containing 890-1170 calories. The meal came with two Cantina Chicken Crispy Tacos, which, unlike the Cantina Chicken Burrito, suffered from a disproportionate ratio of
Cantina Chicken Bowl:
Next was the Cantina Chicken Bowl, priced at $7.89 with 540 calories. This chicken bowl combines many different ingredients to create a flavorful dish and a healthier option than other items Taco Bell offers. Although I was satisfied with the taste, the chicken bowl is very overpriced as it doesn’t come with
Finally, I turned my attention to the Cantina Chicken Quesadilla, priced at $6.49 with 670 calories. As I worked through this quesadilla, I was met with a satisfying mixture of cheeses and chicken. Unlike the crispy ta
The crunchy taco, chips and nacho cheese sauce that came along with the meal were excellent additions on the side to ensure that I would be full and satisfied. Considering the meal comes with three food items and a medium fountain drink, the price is reasonable and I rate this meal a four out of five.
tortilla to filling. With each bite, I struggled with an abundance of crispy tortilla, making the tacos bland and unfilling. Just as the burrito meal did, this taco meal came with a drink and chips with nacho cheese sauce; however, the $9.19 price is too high, and I rate this meal a 2.5 out of five.
any sides or drinks and only contains half the calories of the burrito and taco meals, even though it’s only about $3 cheaper. Because of the high price, I rate this item a three out of five.
-cos, the quesadilla offered a well-balanced composition and was more satisfying than the chicken bowl. Although $6.49 is pricey for a quesadilla alone, the price is more worth it than the chicken bowl, so, I rate it a four out of five.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25,
The first time Kyra Marshall ever competed in a track and field event, the 300-meter hurdles, she blazed past veteran hurdlers, crossing the finish line in second place at 53.75 seconds. Two months later, Marshall dropped five seconds and got second at Sections, qualifying for state.
Marshall, senior, joined the girls track and field team her sophomore year, relatively late compared to many of her teammates who had been on the team since middle school.
As a soccer player for most of her life, Marshall initially took up track as an off-season sport. “Initially, it was a way for me to stay in shape for soccer, so I didn’t really go into track thinking it was going to end up being my main sport, but obviously things changed,” said Marshall.
Aside from soccer, Marshall also grew up playing some other sports, like gymnastics and swimming, yet those never lasted long. She notes that while she did enjoy her time playing soccer, she was never truly passionate about the sport. “[Soccer] had been my only sport that I had been playing for so long that eventually, [it] just got to
the point of burnout. And to be honest, I wasn’t honestly that good at soccer,” said Marshall. When she picked up hurdles in track, she immediately felt a stark shift from sports she had participated in before. “When I had found something I was talented at and that I really enjoyed [...] it just felt like a way better fit for me as an athlete,” said Marshall.
Despite her distinguished performance as a first-year, Marshall didn’t understand how many of the track and field events worked and how to properly run them. When she made the state meet that year, she didn’t even realize the extent of her accomplishment at first. “I knew I had qualified for state in the 300 hurdles when I got the second place qualifying, but I didn’t feel like I had because it’s like, ‘What do you mean? I’m still new. What do I have to do now?’ So it was more like a just state of confusion but also excitement,” said Marshall.
During her junior year, Marshall qualified again for state after winning the 100-meter hurdles at the section championships. With her current PRs of 15.71 seconds in the 100 and 46.54 seconds in the 300, Marshall has made the MSHSL track and field honor roll in both
events, of which the qualifying times are 16.84 and 49.24 seconds respectively. Although hurdles is her main event, Marshall is also a relay sprinter for the team, as she competed in the 4x200 relay at state last year.
Marshall notes the supportive environment of the track team, and she has especially come to love the team-oriented culture of the True Team meet. True Team is a two-part meet held in May where every athlete who competes scores points for the team, unlike regular meets where only the top athletes score. “Everyone is cheering for one another and watching the other events. We usually do stuff like put glitter on our face and wear ribbons in our hair,” said Marshall.
As one of the multi-event captains this year, Marshall hopes to accomplish many goals. Besides being able to PR, a bigger goal she has is to be a leader and positive role model to the girls on the team. “I just want to help create a really fun year for a lot of the girls, and I want to be as encouraging as possible to the other girls on the team and just be a positive influence,” said Marshall.
Marshall had originally considered pursuing collegiate track and field but ultimately
will not in order to focus on academics. Nevertheless, she will likely join a running club or do recreational track and field in college, something she
would’ve never imagined before discovering track. “When I found track, I felt like where I was supposed to be,” said Marshall.
acing over the last hill, freshman Linnea Ousdigian is tied neck and neck with another competitor. It’s the final push before the course turns into flat land, and the finish line is just a couple hundred meters away. After placing 2nd and 10th in earlier races, Ousdigian is not satisfied with her results yet. Slowly, she breaks away from the other skiers, and the gap between them widens as she lets gravity pull her down the slope, finishing the race 0.12 seconds before the others. She makes history at Mounds View as the national champion for the U16 Junior Nationals mass start this year.
On March 16th, Ousdigian placed first at the XC Junior Nationals held in Lake Placid, N.Y. She’s been competing against the Midwest since middle school, but this was her first debut on the national level.
Ousdigian has been skiing since she’s been walking. She comes from a family of skiers, but rather than skiing competitively, they taught her how to enjoy skiing as a fun activity. It was her brother who first start-
ed ski racing, which introduced her to competitive skiing, as she soon began to compete too.
Already participating in
cross country running, a sport she also continues to excel in today, Ousdigian became enamored with nordic racing.
“There’s some people that like racing; there’s some people [who] like training. She seems to love all aspects of what it takes to be good at Nordic skiing, so it’s not a bore for her or a grind. It’s something that she enjoys, which is fun to, as a coach, to see someone have that success and have that mindset,” said Ian O’Neil, head coach of Mounds View’s Nordic team.
As she competed over one thousand miles away from home with her club members, she was still supported back home in Minnesota by her high school coach and teammates. “I was following the whole time and was obviously very excited for her. I coached her in the high school setting, but they go together, like her success is super cool within the high school world and winning state is an amazing achievement,” said O’Neil.
Pulling ahead of the others through the race and getting
“It’s something that she enjoys, which is fun to, as a coach, to see someone have that success and have that mindset.”
IanO’Neil, Nordic coach
first place wasn’t the outcome she expected. “I would say my goal was top five, but I was like, I’m just gonna go for it. Make everyone else hurt and see if I can hold on,” said Ousdigian. The overall win has made Ousdigian more competitive as an athlete, and she hopes to make nationals once again during the next season of her nordic career. “I think it’s definitely made me motivated to keep working and keep trying to get better so I can win more,” said Ousdigian.
Although this is her first introduction to the national stage, her growth and development will continue to rise as she participates as an all-around athlete at Mounds View.
2. When robotics practices become more frequent
3. Color of Team Potential Energy’s bucket hats
4. Chemicals that have threatened water across the country
5. Airplane Reagen Ashbach flies
6. Fast food restaurant with Cantina Chicken Menu
8. Decade that Mystery Cove’s design will be inspired by
11. The sport Linnea Ousdigian placed first at Junior Nationals in
First three students to complete all three puzzles and DM a picture to @mvviewer on Instagram win a free snack from the Mustang Marketplace.
1. Class where Grace Bury and Bria Mills got the idea to bring back Powderpuff football
6. Term used to describe women who stay home for their families instead of pursuing careers.
7. When ASL Honor Society meets 9. College Claire Sabby plans on attending
10. Nayvadius DeMun Cash’s stage name
11. Online class program many MV take classes through
12. One of the rideshare companies threatening to leave Minneapolis on June 1st
1. Class where Grace Bury and Bria Mills got the idea to bring back Powderpuff football
6. Term used to describe women who stay home for their families instead of pursuing careers.
7. When ASL Honor Society meets
9. College Claire Sabby plans on attending
10. Nayvadius DeMun Cash’s stage name
11. Online class program many MV take classes through
12. One of the rideshare companies threatening to leave Minneapolis on June 1st
2. When robotics practices become more
3. Color of Team Potential Energy’s buck
4. Chemicals that have threatened water the country
5. Airplane Reagen Ashbach flies
6. Fast food restaurant with Cantina Chick Menu
8. Decade that Mystery Cove’s design will inspired by
11. The sport Linnea Ousdigian placed Junior Nationals in
