MV Viewer 2017-2018 Issue 4

VOLUME 65 ISSUE 4 | December 20, 2017

THE VIEWER

Let’s Talk Mental Health

INSIDE THIS ISSUE WRIGHT 02/ ADVOCATES 03/ BRIDGET & STEPHANIE 10-11

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News

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Graham Wright resigns from Mounds View a 2014 Mounds View graduate, commended Wright’s work ethic and spoke his personal opinion during the open forum portion of the meeting in Nov. “Students are being short-changed, but maybe more importantly, I think Mr. Wright’s reputation is being tarnished by assumptions that are made with the lack of information,” said Ricke. Due to the essence of an open forum, the school board is not obligated to respond to or debate issues in the forum, and the meeting proceeded according to the agenda

Members of the school board at the Dec. 12 regular meeting.

by Diana Zhu news editor During the last week of October, a string of daily substitute teachers taught Graham Wright’s chemistry students. On Oct. 27, Wright was present, and the students attended a routine day of class. The following Monday, they were greeted by Principal Stephanie Bruggers, accompanied by long-term substitute teacher Dale Swanson, who would replace Wright for the remainder of the year. After a six week administrative leave, Wright— chemistry teacher, marine biology club advisor, boys track and field coach and cross country coach—officially resigned from his position at Mounds View High School on Dec. 12.

Swanson, a recently retired high school teacher, took on the role of chemistry teacher after receiving a phone call from Bruggers for a long-term substitute teacher. Swanson rose to the challenge of standing in for the teacher. “I look at all my students as being my sons and my daughters and I always try to teach as if they were,” said Swanson. “I think there’s big shoes to fill for him…I thought [the transition] would be easier than it is, but because of Mr. Wright’s

photo by Diana Zhu

popularity and because of how highly people think of him, it’s made the transition more challenging.”

The students have also struggled with this transition between teachers.

Though Swanson says the freshmen students weren’t as affected other classes have experienced difficulties. “The Honors Chemistry [class] has been a little bit more rock and roll, up and down, ebb and flow and so to speak,” said Swanson. Despite the obstacles, the substitute teacher firmly believes that the students have remained very respectful toward the situation.

While he was able to cover for the chemistry classes’ lesson plans, both Swanson and his students were left without an explanation for Wright’s reason of absence. “Mrs. Bruggers said that Mr. Wright was on administrative leave,” said Swanson. “That’s all they could tell me.” When reached for comment, Bruggers did not disclose any specifics but confirmed that Wright voluntarily resigned.

In hopes of gaining a better understanding of the situation, several parents, students and alumni appeared at the school board meetings on Nov. 14 and Dec. 12. Larry Ricke, the father of

“We just wonder: what is going on and where is our teacher?”

Justin Reiling, 11 without interruption.

Wright’s current students wished for more clarity as well. Justin Reiling, 11, was one of the students who attended the Dec. 12 meeting, which included a supplementary handout of personnel changes; Wright’s name was listed in a table along with the reason “resignation” and Dec. 12 as the effective date.

Reiling spoke in the open forum: “We went through two weeks, including during conference, sections and state with limited or no coaches. In the classroom, our classes struggled. We had no lesson plans and no idea what was going on,” said Reiling. “We just wonder: what is going on and where is our teacher?”

Other students chose to approach the board members once the meeting was over. School board member Bob Helgeson stayed back to talk with them.

Laken Hairston, 10, asked, “Would it be worth at least addressing the student body—just acknowledging that something happened—because rumors were spreading like wildfire? We don’t know what happened, and we’re wondering and confused.”

Assistant Superintendent and former Mounds View Principal Jeffery Ridlehoover replied, “I think that this information, as much as possible, can eventually be shared on that topic, but that’s site-based.” The school administration did not provide an official statement regarding the motivation behind Wright’s administrative leave.

Helgeson later said, “We’re living in an era where there are difficult decisions being made; in some cases, the outcome is something that you might cheer, and [in] other cases, the outcome is one you probably don’t.” Despite his statement, Helgeson did not expand on the “difficult decisions” he referred to. “There are different ways of looking at [Mr. Wright’s case] because given the nature of the situation, people’s rights to privacy take precedence to the population’s curiosity.

I think this [case] followed a reasonable course of action where people involved weren’t denied an opportunity to speak

“People’s rights to privacy take precedence to the population’s curiosity.”

Bob Helgeson, school board member up,” said Helgeson. “While I’m tempted to speak more to the issue, I’m bound by regulations or law.”

Wright was unable to comment on the case, but left well wishes for his pupils by email. “To my former students young and old, I would say that while I miss you all very much, you need to take advantage of every day and minute that you are in the classroom,” said Wright.

“I was very lucky to be a part of that for many years, but because I valued education I have always been able to move forward with direction and purpose, and so will you.”

School board members elected

by Jenna Stellmack and Liam Curry staff reporters

On Nov. 7, the Mounds View School Board held their biennial election. Shauna Bock and Diane Glasheen were newly elected, and Marre Jo Sager was re-elected to the School Board. Their terms begin on Jan. 1, 2018, with the first regular board meeting on Jan. 9.

The district holds a school board election for a portion of the members every two years due to the overlap of the board members’ four year terms. Even though each of the candidate’s goals vary from year to year, they all have one thing in common—they want to make the Mounds View School District a better place.

A Mounds View alum, Sager went on to work in the federal government as an administrator for the U.S. Geological Survey. When Sager’s son was in elementary school, she decided to run for the school board. “There were a lot of things that the district was having trouble with—class size issues and things—so that’s originally why I ran for the School Board,” said Sager.

During her years as a board mem-

photo courtesy of Ballotpedia Left to right: Marre Jo Sager, Diane Glasheen and Shauna Bock.

ber, Sager has worked to reduce class sizes and solve other problems that she feels are important to district. In the upcoming year, she hopes to help the new board members get acquainted with their new positions and responsibilities.

One of the new members, Bock, entered the Mounds View district so that her children could have a good educational experience. Bock knew from early on that she wanted to go into education.

In high school, she was a teacher assistant for her elementary school, and later on, she worked as a substitute teacher and a special education teacher.

In her term, Bock hopes to work on several important changes, especially focusing on school start times. Though the plan has already been accepted, it must be implemented properly so that the students and staff can transition smoothly into the new schedule. In addition to start times, Bock wants to focus on the new tax referendum, which was passed at the same time as the school board election.

With the bond, Mounds View will have extra funding to work on new classrooms and improve learning environments as a whole, according to the district. Even though she is focusing on certain issues,

Bock sees other opportunities to develop the district as well. “I think there is always room for improvement,” said Bock. “Looking at what other people are doing is always a good way to see how you could do things more effectively.”

Glasheen, also a new elect, has two children who go to Mounds View schools. Glasheen worked on the facilities task force for the expansion of the district last year and has been an active part of the community for years. Her primary focus now is on getting to know the policies and workings of the district this year, as well as helping to facilitate the changes that will be brought about by the expansion bond.

The school board strives to represent the community’s hopes and goals.

Meeting around once a month, the board takes in community feedback and discusses what topics should be addressed.

It is also the board’s job to hire and guide the superintendent, which ensures that board members’ visions are implemented. With the help of its new members, the Mounds View School Board will continue to work on ensuring the progress of the district in the years to come.

features

wednesday, december 20, 2017

Advocating for change

Pipeline protester

Taking down tobacco

by Ingrid Anderson staff reporter Mounds View senior Meghan McFarling has spent her high school career advocating against tobacco. She grew up around family members who smoked, witnessing firsthand the adverse effects of tobacco use. So when an advisor from the Association for Nonsmokers in Minnesota contacted McFarling, who was part of Mounds View’s Volunteer Service Club, she jumped at the opportunity to advocate against tobacco.

When McFarling started high school, she saw many of her peers getting involved with tobacco products. “When I got to high school and saw my friends vaping and my peers trying out flavored tobacco products, it made me really upset,” said McFarling. It was crucial that they knew the real effects of what they were starting to consume.

This past summer, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids invited McFarling to Washington D.C., where she received training in order to become a National Youth Ambassador, a title given to youth advocates who are devoted to the fight against tobacco. Twenty-two students from across the country attended the program. Throughout the training session, they learned the requirements for being an ambassador as well as how to write letters to editors and other skills such as testifying for changes in laws. Student ambassadors also got the chance to meet with Minnesota senators and other lawmakers. “It was really cool going to D.C. and going by the White House and actually doing national work on some tobacco issues,” said McFarling.

As a National Youth Ambassador, McFarling trains students on the dangers of tobacco by giving presentations to health classes in local high schools. “I knew they didn’t realize what it was doing to them, and I knew there [were] bad effects. So I decided to try to do something,” said McFarling. In the classroom, she gives an hour-long presentation on ending tobacco use and educates students on marketing tactics that companies use as well as the dangers of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Aside from fulfilling educational responsibilities, National Youth Ambassadors also have the opportunity to get involved with tobacco on a governmental aspect. “I’m going to be testifying and working on some Tobacco 21 bills in the future, hopefully,” said McFarling. Senate Bill 1030, also known as the Tobacco 21 Bill, aims to raise the minimum tobacco sale age from 18 to 21. “No matter what laws are passed, kids, at least a few kids, are still going to get tobacco products. It’s the same with drugs,” said McFarling.

McFarling plans to continue protesting against Big Tobacco, a name for the five biggest global tobacco companies, while she attends college. “I know a lot of campuses are tobacco-free, but a lot of them aren’t,” said McFarling.“I don’t know what college I’m going to go to yet, but I’m going to try and make that campus smoke-free, or just raise awareness for that because tobacco is not good.”

Secondhand smoke is still a big issue along with environmental impacts that the consumption of tobacco causes. McFarling emphasizes the fact that although most people view their choice to begin smoking as a personal one, people should look at the way it affects others. “Secondhand smoke is still a really big issue as well as environmental stuff. Cigarette butts are the most littered thing in the world,” said McFarling. “It’s not just a you thing, it’s an everybody thing. It affects everyone.”

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by Till Konczak and Elliot Lee staff reporters

photos above courtesy of Liza Vinyon

photos above courtesy of Meghan McFarling

With so many problems in our world, it is easy to feel helpless. However, some people, like Mounds View senior Liza Vinyon, decide to take action instead of remaining at home.

Earlier this year, Vinyon traveled to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, situated in one of the poorest counties in the U.S. to volunteer. Vinyon described some of the profound experiences she witnessed at Pine Ridge.

“One of our guest speaker’s nine-year-old granddaughter had committed suicide because she didn’t see a reason to live,” said Vinyon. “She knew that she wouldn’t be able to get a job, [and] she knew that she wouldn’t be able to ever support herself.” Despite the pain and hardships that the Lakota people face on the reservation, many are still able to find hope. “Where we choose to see despair, they see hope and opportunities,” said Vinyon. So, when a fellow volunteer told her about a protest against the Line 3 pipeline in St. Paul, Vinyon was motivated to protest for the first time in her life.

The protest took place on Sept. 27 at St. Paul’s capital and they marched to the Intercontinental Hotel.

The protest was in response to the Canadian company, Enbridge, and their plans for a Line 3 replacement pipeline which would divert oil flow from the Leech Lake Indian Reservation to an alternate route. This alternative route increases the risk of damage to the environment. According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Enbridge’s proposed route for the pipeline will be within 10 miles of 3,400 acres of wild rice lakes. This fact brings up many concerns for not only the people who make their living from these fields, but also those who are concerned about maintaining environmental integrity such as Vinyon, “So if it were to leak, tar sand would be leaked which is the worst kind of terrestrial spill and so it could ruin the wild ricing beds.”

She also stated that she feels that the Native American government is cut out of the deal and pushed aside. By deciding to protest, Vinyon felt as if she was giving voice to those Native Americans, making a difference. “I think that my presence was noticed. We wanted as many water savers at the protest as possible, so we could have more speakers at the convention center we marched to,” said Vinyon. “I was also able to show pictures at school and on social media to get the word out there.”

Overall, the protest was a very positive experience for Vinyon. She was able to stand up for what she believed in and for what she saw as an injustice to the Native American tribes of Minnesota. “I can say with confidence that I am a different person since leaving Pine Ridge. I saw how horrible living conditions were and just want to help,” said Vinyon. “The people I met taught me that we don’t need to save them; we just need to learn with them and respect the Lakota way of life.”

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editorials

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Remaking the retake rules

by Justin Duffy staff reporter

A student confidently saunters into the classroom after school. He’s failed the last three tests in the past month, but he still has an A in the class. How is this possible? After the student settles in, the teacher hands him the culprit—a retake.

The Mounds View retake policy needs to be changed. The current system is unfair, discourages relearning and is easy to manipulate. Instead, Mounds View should use a policy of test corrections and limited retakes in an attempt to shift the focus from grades to learning.

According to the student handbook, Mounds View has a school-wide policy that provides for students in all courses to retake tests for up to full credit. However, this system is inherently flawed. Consider the following scenario: Student A scores 90 percent on a test while Student B scores 70 percent. Student A is happy with her score and does not retake the test. Student B completes relearning (and is able to study for an extra week) and receives a 95 percent on the retake. Did Student B really demonstrate that he understands the subject better than Student A? Or did he just take advantage of the system to gain more experience with the test material and extra study time?

Students can easily work around the current retake system. Some social studies classes such as AP U.S. History allow students to retake specific sections of a test. “I think that it is a good system because oftentimes kids will only do badly on one section of a test, so forcing them to retake the entire test would unfairly penalize them compared to other students who retake,” said Justin Benolkin, social studies teacher. “Why should you be penalized for trying to relearn?” Although this policy seems logical, students can easily manipulate the system to their advantage. A student who is short on time could only study half of the sections for the original test and rely on the extra time provided with a retake to succeed on the other sections. Similarly, a student with multiple upcoming tests could decide to only study for one or two of the tests and take advantage of the retake policy to salvage their other scores. These habits will not lead to success in college, where retake policies are much stricter.

The student handbook also mandates that Mounds View teachers use the “second score” policy for all of their retakes. This means that when a student retakes a test, the score the student receives on the retake will be their final score, even if the retake score is lower than the original score. This policy is enforced to prevent

students from taking advantage of a “free” retake; without this rule, a student could retake tests without studying and not be penalized if they achieve a lower score.

However, the second score policy is flawed because it actually discourages some students from relearning.

If a student receives an 85 percent on a test, they may wish to retake the test to achieve an A. However, with a relatively high score of 85 percent on the original test, the student may fear that he or she would score lower on the retake and thus not perform a retake and relearning. Supporters of the second score policy may argue that if a student has completed relearning, they should be confident that they will score higher on the retake. This is simply not the case. There is always risk in taking a test—a student might have an off day, make a silly mistake, or not understand a specific question.

Therefore, students may choose to not relearn at all rather than relearn and risk scoring lower on a retake. If a retake is similar enough to the original exam whereby

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

a student could easily score higher just from taking the original exam, it is not an effective retake. The ability to memorize the structure of test answers does not demonstrate effective relearning.

A more effective plan for relearning would be to simply allow students to do test corrections for half credit on problems that they missed. With this policy, all students would have motivation to relearn any material they missed on the test. Students also wouldn’t be able to game the system by relying on full-credit retakes. Physics teacher Matt Washenberger currently uses this policy for his AP Physics C class. “We like the half points back system because it encourages students to perform well on the first test without being too puni-

tive,” said Washenberger. “Additionally, most students participate in the corrections which is an activity that allow students to reflect on what they did and did not know.”

As mentioned before, there are a variety of reasons that could cause a student to have an abnormally poor score on a test. Half-credit test corrections can’t save a bombed test score, and it seems unforgiving to drastically drop a student’s grade because of one bad exam.

Thus, it may be best to offer students the opportunity to retake one test for each class each semester. This policy would be more forgiving to students, but also prevent students from using multiple retakes to scrape by in a class without truly learning the material. Leah Higginbotham, math teacher, allows students to take a cumulative test each quarter, or “quarter-op,” that replaces their worst test score from that quarter. “A retake on every single unit test allows students to see the material on the test and study only that specific material for the retake,” said Higginbotham. “A quarter-op still gives students the option to relearn, but students are accountable for a better understanding of more material.

Because the quarter-op only replaces one test, students are still incentivized to perform well on the first assessment.”

Overall, the Mounds View retake policy needs to be changed because it is unfair, easily manipulated, and discourages relearning. The best way to remedy this problem would be to allow students to perform thorough test corrections for partial credit as relearning. Students should also be given the chance to relearn and retake an extremely limited number of tests in each class to account for any uncharacteristically poor scores. This system would also make it significantly harder for students to manipulate the system in their favor. However, the ideal solution to the problem of retakes would be to shift Mounds View’s culture from focusing on learning rather than points.

Many students lack the intrinsic motivation to learn or care primarily about grades. Additionally, teachers don’t always teach material well the first time or create effective relearning assignments and retakes.

No one wants to do extra work, and most people will take the easy way out. “Both teachers and students will try to game any system where the primary motivation is points. In a way, all grades are a way of gaming the system if they are not truly measuring learning,” said Benolkin. “Ultimately, the important thing is whether students actually learn.”

Tr um p ta W om kes of en fic ’s Pa e m tr ar io ch ts ’S up Ch er ar bo lo w tte lc s om vi So l la le eb re ac pr cl o k te ip st se H s ur ric an e H ar V ve eg y, as Irm m as a ss & Fi h M rs o ar o tt t i ia ra ng ns #M ge nd eT er oo st m at A e o ve lF le gi m ra sla en nk to t en r re sig na tio n

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DEBATES

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Army Ammunition Plant

The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) consists of 2,370 acres of land in the northern part of Arden Hills. Commissioned in 1941, the plant cost $73 million and had over 300 buildings. Ten years later, the majority of the site was decommissioned in 1951 and fully stopped producing ammunition in 1976.

After the Minnesota Department of Health found solvents in the deep groundwater plume in 1981, they also

found that the drinking water of New Brighton residents was contaminated. As a result, the site was placed on the superfund list for cleaning in 1983, according to the Arden Hills historical timeline, and cleanup began soon after in 1987, and has since been vacant due to contractors not willing to absorb the cost of cleanup. In response, Ramsey County purchased the land, and with the help of Arden Hills, has been cleaning up the site.

New opportunities

Toxins

With the Arden Hills population growing, the expansion of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) is necessary. The new development will not only grant the city great economic benefits, but will also provide several new homes and jobs for many people within the surrounding communities.

Building 502, currently the last building remaining on site, has been demolished, freeing up a total of 427 acres for use, “... an area large enough to fit all of downtown Saint Paul with room to spare,” claims the Rice Creek Commons website. With Mounds View High School recently approved for expansion over the next few years, this land could be an additional residential area for the new families and students.

Expanding the residential area would also bring greater economic output. According to Sarah Thatcher, a spokesperson for the development project, “Ramsey County’s goal is to generate $10 million annually in new county, city and School District tax revenues at full build-out.”

However, the site still needs to be cleaned up, which is where the Superfund comes in. The Superfund is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program dedicated to cleaning up contaminated areas. Since 1983, the site has been on the federal Superfund’s list for clean up and is finally projected to have soil removed from the contaminated list this year. De-

Although Arden Hills is already a large suburb that, as of 2016, had a population of over 10,000, a proposal has been passed to develop more housing in the TCAAP (Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant) location. An area of over 2,000 acres, it forms a large and scenic presence. The Ammunition Plant site presents a beautiful lookout point and has been occupied by the Arden Hills Army Training Site, a regional park and an abundance of lakes and forests, all the natural habitats to a wide variety of animals and plants.

When Ramsey County purchased the land in 2013, they subsequently hired Kimley-Horn and Associates to complete the first master plan to develop the land. This has stirred debate among the residents Arden Hills and Shoreview, regarding whether to develop or not develop the land. Although the idea of increasing living space and parks may sound appealing to many, the downsides to the development largely outweigh the pros.

The extensive wildlife is, at this point, a very prominent aspect in the overall issue. By occupying 2,000 acres of inhabited land, houses will be taking the place of wildlife habitat, but without proper relocation techniques, all of these animals will be left to roam throughout the new neighborhoods and across roads, putting them all in danger.

by Jason Lou staff reporter

spite this, water treatment will still be left on the superfund list and will need to be remedied in the future. Working around this, water will be pumped into a sewage and water system that will be constructed starting in 2019.

Due to the water issues taking place on the Army Ammunition Plant, the project has been delayed and the Army has been left with the responsibility of cleaning up the contaminated water plume. An ongoing optimization study by the army is currently determining how to best treat the water and where to place infrastructure for handling the fluids. This will involve controlling all recently discovered contaminants, including 1,4-Dioxane—a potential carcinogen and eye irritant.

With new water being brought to the site, the TCAAP stands as a great economic opportunity to the Arden Hills area, and it would also bring a positive impact to the local community. Renovating the land and signing contracts with construction companies will create many jobs and increase economic output. Alatus, LLC has been selected as the master renovator for the land. According to the Rice Creek Commons, when the company finishes redeveloping, the area will house thousands of families and many workplaces.

As Mounds View expands and the TCAAP development progresses, the economic benefits and additional space provided outweigh the potential risks and allow communities to grow around the Arden Hills area.

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by Emma Hoyhtya staff reporter

The Mounds View School District is currently bursting at the seams. Class sizes are growing, and adding a new development of housing would sky rocket the number of students in schools and create a need for more jobs. According to the Pioneer Press, by developing the land at the ammunition site as planned, population in the Arden Hills area will increase by 50 percent.

A little known fact about this plot of land is that it has been contaminated by chemical waste, 1,4 Dioxane. While extraction has been underway for several years now, the danger that these chemicals, can bring to humans includes neurological deficiencies in children, certain cancers, and skin and eye irritation.

In short, the development of the TCAAP area in Arden Hills is riddled with problems and potential hazards. Many Mounds View students drive past this area of the city every day, and never take notice of the land and its underlying problems. What has been unnoticed is the overflow of wildlife and beautiful scenery that has occupied that area for years, and Arden Hills is willing to throw it all away. It is not too late, however, to act in opposition to this construction. Monthly meetings about the TCAAP area development are held at the Arden Hills city hall for the community to voice their opinions. With the development of the TCAAP area comes numerous health risks and a great threat to many wildlife.

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Raising Awareness

Breaking t

by Shelley Wang and Justin Duffy staff reporters

One in five adoles- sessions. However, for continued cents struggle with mental ill- therapy, the student must have parennesses. Despite this prevalence, tal consent and a method of payment. While nearly 80 percent of adolescents in need most insurance companies cover the services, of mental healthcare do not receive any. some don’t. “Mounds View also helps fund it, which Since teenagers spend over a third of their day means that people who don’t have insurance—or they at school, it is a major part of their lives. Mounds can’t afford all of the insurance—qualify for funding. EvView High School was ranked by U.S. News and eryone qualifies,” said Anton. “We don’t have a set rule.”

World Report as the sixth most challenging high Mounds View strives to fully prepare students school in Minnesota, and these high standards undoubt- for post-secondary plans. “We, as the adults in this buildedly lead to high stress and can contribute to mental ing, try very hard to tell students: balance. You don’t have to illness. The school presents a few resources—from stu- overwork yourself to the point where your mental health is at dent organizations to professional care—in attempt to stake,” said Principal Stephanie Bruggers. When students have reach students in need of mental care. However, some the freedom to choose the rigor of their courses, Bruggers reminds that growth extends beyond academics. “It’s not only, ‘Do you have the technical skills and the math and science skills,’ but you [also] have to be people-ready,” said Bruggers.

Additionally, Bruggers encourages students to voice their concerns to the administration. “We want to provide support that we know people can use,” said Bruggers. She also emphasizes the crustudents are calling for an expansion of the system. cial role teachers play in students’ lives. “We don’t want kids suffering

HEART, or Helping Every At Risk Teen, is in silence,” said Bruggers. “We also don’t want kids only relying on their a mental health awareness group recently estab- friends because that’s not your job, as an adolescent, to counsel each other. lished at Mounds View by Sanjana Dutt, 11. You can support each other, but we need to get trusted adults involved to make The organization works to reduce the nega- sure kids are getting the right things.” Furthermore, because teachers are the most tivity associated with mental illness, while connected to students in faculty, Bruggers said that they will be receiving additionalso bridging the gap between students al training to better equip them with the skills needed to handle mental illness. who want help and administration Although Mounds View provides a few ways to aid students that can provide that help. “Our struggling with mental wellness, the school community is continuously goal is to raise mental awareness expanding these resources. For example, the student body is planning at Mounds View and get rid of the stigma surrounding mental health,” said Victoria Li, 11, vice president of HEART. “We’re here to make sure members of the community are well informed about mental illness and the impact it has a mental health awareness day. “I’m on students of our very own school.” happy that this conversation has

At Mounds View, students may been sparked, because I think also have noticed displays of mental health it’ll be able to change things, books in the Information and Learning Cen- not necessarily this year, but ter. Becky Stouten, Library Media Specialist, just in general as we go forhopes these books can become a resource for ward,” said Paige Leiser, 12. students. Furthermore, Stouten started a new pro- Through new groups and program this year known as Discreet Reading. Through grams like HEART and Disthis program, she provides students with the option creet Reading, Mounds View of checking out mental health books with alternative continues to promote the acbook covers. She also runs a blog, “Be Brave, Be Resil- ceptance of mental illness. ient,” that corresponds with a daily email list expressing check out Becky Stouten’s blog the importance of resilience. “Things in life always happen, and if you’re working on being resilient and being brave, then when things do happen in life, it’s easier to cope with them,” said Stouten.

Oftentimes, students who struggle with mental health first reach out to their deans, who direct them to Carla Anton, the school’s therapist. Anton counsels students without cost or parental consent for up to three

“We don’t want kids suffering in silence.” -Stephanie Bruggers, Principal

“I’m happy that this conversation has been sparked, because I think it’ll be able to change things, not necessarily this year, but just in general as we go forward.” -Paige Leiser, 12

“Things in life always happen, and if you’re working on being resilient and being brave, then when things do happen in life it’s easier to cope with them.” -Becky Stouten, Library Media Specialist

“Hop amaz -S.

the Stigma

Their Stories

by Kaylin Ro and Alexis Larson staff reporters It wasn’t until the recent losses in everything they were giving me,” Mounds View’s community that people said S.S. “I was stressed already, obawoke to the reality of mental health issues at viously, and it didn’t end up helping at Mounds View High School. This problem, always all.” However, she praised Ross Fleming, her present yet continuously stifled, has begun to surface. health teacher, for being very understanding. On While one may look like an ordinary student living an or- the other hand, E.P. found help through the Mounds dinary teenage life, underneath they may carry a burden: de- View High School based therapist, Carla Anton. All pression, anxiety, suicide. Four Mounds View students have shared their personal stories regarding mental health and their path towards healing. Their names have been replaced by their initials to protect their identity.

The causes of mental health vary from person to person, but these four students share a common burden.

All four students faced depression, three out of the four dealt with anxiety and two attempted suicide. four students received some form of treatment, either reha Starting in sixth grade, N.W. had believed that she strug- bilitation, medicine, therapy or a combination of the three. gled with things others did not. “I don’t know anyone else around me Now, S.H. reflects on her previous year and that’s going through these things,” N.W. used to tell herself. It wasn’t the changes she has made in herself. “Looking back at until high school that she realized how common her problems were. last year, it was completely awful, and this year I feel

Another student, S.H., wrestled with similar experiences so much better,” she said. S.S. has not self-harmed in her freshman year. The unpredictable transition from middle to high a long time, eats well, has motivation and is confischool induced issues with depression. “I remember the first week here dent. “I enjoy learning again, and I’m involved in was super stressful, and it was really nerve-racking,” said S.H. She worried a ton of different stuff, like HEART,” she said. what college would be like if high school was already challenging enough. Oth- These teenagers’ personal journeys er students struggled in different ways. Witnessing her sister grapple with social grant valuable feedback regarding improveanxiety partially led S.S. to an eating disorder. “All this inner anger ended up coming ments Mounds View can make. Among the out in the form of an eating disorder because it was something I could control. The students, there is an unanimous agreeamount I ate, what I ate, was something that I could hold onto, whereas what ment that Mounds View needs to raise greater mental health awareness. “I feel like they say these things, but they don’t take action,” said N.W. She added that the school could be improved if it was “more understanding and more aware about the implications of their was going on with my sister was kind of out of my hands,” said S.S. For actions and how that takes a toll on S.S., this indirect form of control spiraled into anxiety and depression. the mental health of the students.”

Undeniably, anxiety and depression have adverse con- N.W. said the pressure to “get all A’s, sequences on academic and social well-being. “I was lacking to have a 4.0 GPA and to be in five acin grades for a long time because when tivities after school” made everything you’re sitting on the couch feeling worse. Additionally, being open to talk really depressed, as I would, about personal issues is difficult.“They exyou don’t really feel like doing pect a lot of people to be open about it, [but anything. Feeling sad almost it] takes a lot for somebody to come out and feels good in a way,” said E.P. talk about anxiety or depression… especially if

N.W.’s experi- they haven’t talked about it to anybody,” said E.P. ences with depression were For people who may be going through similar. “You just don’t want similar struggles, these four students emphasize seekto get out of bed in the morn- ing help. “Talk to somebody because while you may ing. You don’t have any en- think you may be annoying them, it goes miles to let ergy; you just really don’t somebody know of your situation,” said E.P. “Bottling it feel like doing anything at up is literally like putting a plug on a volcano that’s about at bebraveberesilient.blogspot.com all,” said N.W. Socially, she to burst. The more you hold it in, the larger the eruption will said that going out seemed be,” he said. N.W. dealt with her struggle by having a few “like such a big task.” While people in her life who stuck with her. “If you just have people struggling with their men- to turn to, you know they’re not going to judge you, or get mad tal illnesses, all four students at you or say anything. They’re just there to listen and help you if experienced a drop in grades. you need anything.” She also recommends seeking help from pro The four students made fessionals, such as a doctor and a therapist, and taking medication if steps toward recovery in different ways. prescribed. “I feel like a lot of time people think you’ll be looked down S.S. described how Ryan Poepard, her dean, upon for that, but I don’t think you should be if it’s going to help you.” was extremely helpful through the process.

Even small acts of joy can help people cope with a menWhen she returned to school after a period of tal illness. “It’s good for everybody to have a safe place, whether that time, “he was super understanding” and explained be a place or something they do,” said E.P. The four students’ recurher situation to her teachers since some of them were ring message is to never underestimate hope. “Hope is amazing,” said S.S. not as empathetic. “It was scary because some of the teachers were angry with me because I couldn’t deal with

pe is zing.” .S.

“Talk to somebody because while you may think you may be annoying them, it goes miles to let somebody know of your situation.” -E.P.

“You just don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. You don’t have any energy; you just really don’t feel like doing anything at all.” -N.W.

8

what’s trending

Wednesday, december 20, 2017

Secret Santa’s coming to town

by Sienna Griffith and Hannah Thalhuber staff reporters

Secret Santa is a popular western tradition that takes place during the holiday season. It is unclear exactly when it started, but it is thought to have been started by American philanthropist Larry Dean Stewart.

The idea of Secret Santa is for a group to exchange anonymous gifts and then to guess who within the group gave it to them.

Secret Santa has been popular with Mounds View students in the past as a fun way of giving gifts to friends. “I like gift giving because it make me feel like a better friend,” said Kiely Cunningham, 11, “It gives me a chance to show my friends how much I appreciate them.”

However, it isn’t just friend groups that participate in this activity—there have also been some classes that participate in Secret Santa. In past years, band, orchestra and choir have picked up the holiday tradition, with their own twist on the name such as “secret orchestra pals” or “secret singers.” Other extracurricular groups have also picked up the on tradition—both Nordic and

Speech have their own secret santa groups. Speech has dubbed their group “Secret Speechies.”

Class participation in these groups encourages students to go out of their comfort zone and meet new people. “If you get someone that you may not know, you can learn more about them and maybe become friends,” said Mara Woods, 9. Exchanging gifts through Secret Santa helps the classmates get to know each other even better.

So what makes Secret Santa fun? Is it the giving of gifts or the receiving of them? What makes it so special? “My favorite part is picking out the gift and wrapping it up to make it look nice,” said Cunningham.

The gifts don’t have to all be serious. Students in Nordic have used the trend as an opportunity to show their humorous side. “Some of the jokes are really funny, because there’s someone who likes cars and they’re definitely getting a picture of their car as their last gift,” said Katie Sheldon, 12. “Some of them are cute, some of them are jokes, and sometimes they’re bad.”

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

It’s electric!

by Derek Chen and Jeffrey He staff reporters

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

“I’m out of gas.” A statement no one likes to hear. As you drive yourself to the nearest gas station to fill the tank, you watch the price meter fly up by the gallon.

Unfortunately, this expense will only rise in the future as natural reservoirs run out.

And as if your wallets weren’t enough to worry about, the use of gasoline-powered cars also contributes heavily to the pollution of our environment. These gas guzzlers emit many toxic gases and particles, clouding the air and making the environment we live in more dangerous. So, what can we do to avoid these problems?

The solution lies in electric cars.

The recent boom in popularity of Tesla, a leading manufacturer of such cars, attests to the growing trend in people’s awareness of the environmental problems caused by traditional vehicles. It is very likely that electric vehicles will be the norm in the future of transportation.

Although not perfect now, these cars produce a considerably lower amount of toxic emissions compared with gas motors and, aside from the buying price, keep it cheap when it comes to refueling.

The change to lithium ion batteries from internal combustion engines is a key feature in electric cars. Greenhouse gas emissions from cars that run on gasoline ruin the environment, whereas electric motors produce no emissions. Danny Zamow, 12, owner of a 100 percent electric Nissan Leaf, believes future electric car usage will be more environmentally friendly to the Earth. “I think that [the growth of electric cars will] be a little bit

better, especially once we get more renewable energy. When we are using coal, it is not as good for the environment as it possibly could be, and I am hoping that we advance farther with it,” said Zamow.

Using electricity instead of petroleum is not only more environmentally safe, but it also saves money on refueling.

On average, electric owners save $770 annually compared to gasoline cars. “[Refueling is] way cheaper considering that it’s just about free with the super charging,” said Kyle Peterson, 12, whose family owns a Tesla Model X. Supercharging is a fast charging station for Teslas, which is fairly simple to use. “So basically, it’s the same plug that you’d use for a dishwasher or washing machine. And then, when you plug it in at home, you charge it at a rate of 30 miles an hour,” said Peterson.

“It takes eight hours to charge, so we just plug it when we get home and it’s ready for the next day.” Unless taken on a long road trip, the car will last all day.

As consumers become more aware of and engaged in environmental concerns, electric vehicle sales will continue to grow. Major car companies play to this trend as well. Even though the average price for an electric car is much more expensive than that of a gasoline car, Tesla is hoping to make them more affordable by selling the Model 3 at a base price of $35,000.

In the future, electric cars will grow cheaper and more accessible. And as pollution continues to cloud the atmosphere and destroy our environment, many believe it may be time to invest in electric cars, a financially—and socially—responsible decision.

Wednesday, december 20, 2017

Arts & entertainment 9

Justice League was not done justice

by Leon Wang and Alec Nelson staff reporters

photo courtesy of Warner Bros. pictures

From the comics to the movies, the new Justice League movie hit the theaters on Nov. 17.

The release of the movie brought DC fans—both old and new—together with some of the top superheroes from the DC Universe. Rated PG-13, the movie displays violent battle scenes and humorous jokes from beginning to end.

The movie starts with the mourning of Superman’s death. He had died during the movie Batman Vs. Superman (which was released in March of 2016) from his weakness, kryptonite. The main antagonist, Steppenwolf, comes to earth with his parademons, a subserivent race of aliens, to help as he hunts for three powerful “mother boxes” to form Unity, a planet-transforming weapon, and take over the Earth. Following his first appearance, Batman and Wonder Woman seek out to find the ultimate team of superheroes to stop Steppenwolf.

At first, Batman and Wonder Woman struggle to form the team because Aquaman, the King of Atlantis, and Cyborg, a metahuman brought back to life, don’t comply. On the other hand, The Flash joins the team instantly. As Steppenwolf’s threat becomes apparent to both Aquaman and Cyborg, they finally decide to join the Justice League.

The movie was originally supposed to have been directed by Zack Snyder, a renowned and well liked DC director, known for both Man of Steel and Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Jus-

tice. However, he stepped down from directing and gave the movie to Joss Whedon, disappointing many fans.

Despite strong performances by many actors in the film, particularly by actress Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Ezra Miller as The Flash, there were many notable aspects in the film that were lacking. These included a weak plot and an overuse of visual effects, especially with Henry Cavill’s character, Superman.

Most superhero moviegoers enjoy films that are action packed and display fantastic special effects. A normal viewer might see the Justice League movie as a fun, humorous film with a lot of adventure and action, but for the zealous DC fans, there is too much room for disappointment.

The Verdict While Justice League is an entertaining experience for casual moviegoers, it lacks the charm and precision that other large-scale superhero films are known to display. Still, for all but the most avid DC fans and movie enthusiasts, this movie should be a great choice for your next trip to the theater.

3/5

Pho 400, disappointing ‘authentic’ cuisine

by Justin Duffy staff reporter

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed eating authentic Vietnamese food prepared by my Vietnamese mother and grandmother. So when a restaurant called Pho 400 opened, calling itself the “most authentic Vietnamese noodle house in the Twin Cities,” I knew I had to give it a try. I went to Pho 400 for lunch with my parents in hopes that the restaurant could live up to its lofty label.

We arrived at the restaurant near the end of the lunch rush, around 1:30 p.m., and were seated immediately. The restaurant was dimly lit with the typical sparse decor of a Vietnamese bistro. The interior seemed a bit beat up because the building used to be a bar and grill, but it

was clean and tidy. Our server was brisk and matter-of-fact, but nice enough.

Like most Vietnamese restaurants, the menu had some influences from Chinese cuisine, but there was still a wide expanse of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Labeling foods on the menu in Vietnamese also made the experience seem more authentic. We ordered gỏi cuốn (shrimp and pork spring rolls), chả giò (pork egg rolls), phở gà (egg noodle soup with chicken), mì hải sản (rice noodle soup with seafood), bún thịt nướng (rice vermicelli noodles with grilled pork) and chè ba màu (a sweet Vietnamese dessert with red beans, mung beans, jellies, and coconut sauce over shaved ice).

Our appetizers came out within minutes, which was convenient, but this led me to believe that they were premade. The egg rolls were nothing but a

lot of bland shredded carrots with vermicelli as filler and the insides were damp and dense. Luckily, the spring rolls were much better. They came out plump and soft, stuffed full with a generous amount of meat. A garnish of herbs and bowl of warm peanut dipping sauce only enhanced the experience. If you get appetizers at Pho 400, get the spring rolls.

The entrees arrived about 10 minutes later. The bún thịt nướng came with a mountain of fresh noodles, vegetables, and grilled pork, but the meat was overcooked and bland. The soups were by no means small, but most other Vietnamese restaurants offer the same amount of food for a slightly cheaper price. Both soups contained a generous amount of “al dente” noodles and meat. However, like the bún, the soups were a bit bland.

The flavor of all three entrees was im-

proved with the addition of the many provided authentic sauces, including Sriracha, Hoisin sauce and fish sauce.

Some customers may actually prefer to receive the dishes bland so they can add sauces and flavors to their own liking.

The chè was a disappointment. Traditional chè ba màu is made with abundant jellies and a thick coconut sauce, and this version only provided a meager supply of jellies and a thinned-out coconut milk. It started to taste watery even before the shaved ice fully melted. To make matters worse, this was the only dessert on the menu. If you want a taste of true traditional Vietnamese desserts, you should look elsewhere.

Pho 400 is located at 400 Old Hwy 8 NW, New Brighton. It is open 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

The Verdict While some of the dishes were traditional and tasty, other dishes were bland, and the prices ran a bit high. For a newcomer looking to try a taste of traditional Vietnamese food, Pho 400 may be the restaurant. For a seasoned Vietnamese foodie, other restaurants may provide higher quality cuisine.

3/5 photo by Zoë Lindberg

Moving forward in faith

by Sunny Lim and Felix Zhang editor-in-chief and managing editor-copy

photo by Ellie Tsai

The Christmas tree is up, a reminder of Jesus’ birth and eternal life. But for Steven and Catherine Carlson, it makes them recall a haunting memory of how their daughter died in a tragic car crash.

Various momentos surround the tree, each in some way connected to their daughter, Stephanie Carlson. A painted ceramic plate, a picture, a wooden cross—keeping her alive and remembering the time they had with her.

The ceramic plate holds a memory of Stephanie’s life. A week before the car accident, the Carlsons put up the Christmas tree together. While decorating the tree, Stephanie commented on the ceramic plate that she had painted at Saint Agnes School.

“Oh, I hate that plate! Will you just throw it away?” said Stephanie.

“No, I’m not gonna throw it away, you made it,” said Catherine. And now, she’ll never throw it away.

Looking at the plate, the Carlsons are brought back to the tragic accident, thinking about the day and the hours that led up to the crash.

The night before the accident, they went through their typical routine: Stephanie came home from work, walked into her parents’ bedroom, gave hugs and kisses and said goodnight. A peaceful night passed at the Carlsons’ home.

Then, another day of school started. An ordinary Thursday morning: Wake up around 6:30 a.m., leave the house at 6:50 a.m. and arrive at Mounds View 20 minutes later. Even though it was a rushed morning, Catherine Carlson had taken the time to make a grilled cheese sandwich for Stephanie—just the way she liked it.

Before leaving the house, the hallway was always where the last conversation had started and ended.

“Wow, honey, you look especially pretty today,” said Catherine.

“Love you,” said Stephanie.

“Love you more.”

“Love you most.” Then, Stephanie left the house, ready for another day of school.

Catherine and Steven also carried on with their own, busy lives. Both of them were off to work; Catherine drove straight to the Vets Home, and Steven started another day of work at the post office as a special driver.

Later that day, a police officer pulled Catherine out of a meeting.

“Well, she was killed this morning in a car crash.”

Catherine immediately called Steven, telling him to come to her workplace. Then, Steven left work without knowing why. “I knew something horrible happened when Catherine called me to come to her job, but I just assumed it was probably gonna be something about our son who’s in the military,” said Steven. “I never thought it would be Stephanie. The girls were just going to school.”

In the months following the accident, the Carlsons visited many different support groups and found their own way of coping with their daughter’s death. They use work, books, faith, CDs, grief counselors and support groups to get through the down days that come when their minds aren’t preoccupied.

Catherine started work a few weeks after the accident to distract herself from the loss, but then realized that she had dove in too early. “That was probably a mistake to go back that early,” said Catherine. “I don’t know how I got through those first few months.” She later noticed that it wasn’t just her who was living in a nightmare—her kids were also going through a blur. “For a while, I know my other kids were grieving, and they have their loss and their pain. But I was so mired in my own grief and in my own shock that I couldn’t parent my other kids. I couldn’t be a relief to them either,” said Catherine. “That caused me more guilt and pain.”

Later, she learned to rely on books and her faith, which was reinforced after the crash. “I’m basically an introvert, so part of the way I heal from something is to revert into my books,” said Catherine. “What has helped me the most is probably my faith. I guess I’ve needed a refuge and I’ve fallen back on my faith, which has helped.”

As for Steven, he has come to the realization that life will be different, but talking to others has helped him get through the months after the accident. “There’s our life before that day, and now there’s our life after; so many things are different,” said Steven.

“You need to talk [to] somebody who does understand it. They always say that now you’re part of the club you never wanted to be in. I don’t know why it helps, but it does.

I just know you can’t hold it in; you can’t.”

He has also joined multiple groups, but one group in particular has helped him through this time: a grief group at Saint Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake. “There’s this woman whose husband and son died within four months of each other. She misses her husband, but she is way more broken up about her son,” said Steven. “There’s something about your kid dying that’s so hard on people, even if the kid is in their thirties or fourties. It’s horrible.”

Steven and Catherine Carlson holding a ceramic plate she made as a child.

The community’s support has also helped the Carlsons through their grieving.

“People in the community have been very, very supportive and loving. People still greet us or say things to us, which is really nice because you know, that’s really important when somebody has had a loss like that—don’t ignore it,” said Catherine. “Talk about it. Talk about the person.”

Pictures, artwork and stuffed animals lay on tables and bookshelves around the living room, bringing back memories of their daughter.

On days that are harder to get through, some things just can’t be looked at. “Sometimes it’s hard to look at pictures of her, sometimes it’s not,” said Catherine.

Looking back at a picture of all five siblings, Catherine recollects the moment it was taken. “Oh, I want a picture of all five of you because it’s probably the last time I’ll get a picture of all of you together,” said Catherine. She meant that one of her sons, David, who is currently in the Navy, could be deployed for a while—she wasn’t talking about Stephanie. This year, she made the decision to move forward and send this picture out with the family’s Christmas cards.

In remembrance of their daughter, the Carlsons put up the Christmas tree, and alongside it in Stephanie’s memory, is her ceramic plate—forever loved and never forgotten.

Bran muffins of love

by Felix Zhang and Sunny Lim managing editor-copy and editor-in-chief Marilee Giere used to make bran muffins in the mornings. She would wake up extra early, just to put them in oven. Twenty minutes later, she would pull them out, piping hot and made with love. She would give the muffins to Bridget, who would share them with her friends at school. Sometimes she said, “I love you,” sometimes she didn’t.

On the first morning of December, Marilee didn’t make muffins. But when Bridget left for school, she said to her, “Have a good day. I love you.”

“You, too, mom.”

Then, she left. Soon after, Marilee received a call from Lauren Bondi, 12, a friend of Bridget’s. “Isn’t Bridget coming to school today?” said Lauren.

“Well, she left at the normal time,” said Marilee.

“She’s not here, but there was a real bad accident on 96,” said Lauren.

Bridget’s brother, Kyle Giere, who was with Marilee at time, went to check on it.

He left, but after a while, he still hadn’t called back. Marilee, worried, decided to call him.

“It’s bad mom. It’s really bad,” said Kyle.

She woke up her husband, Marty. “Something’s happened, I’ve got to go,” she said. Grabbing her keys, she rushed to the car and drove down 96. As she drove under It helps to talk to the bridge, she saw the accident. The hearse was alpeople because ready there.

Marilee pulled into the Holiday gas station nearsorrow shared is by. She met up with her son, who was standing at the cut in half, and a joy scene. A policeman approached her and confirmed shared is doubled.” her worst fears, “I’m sorry to tell you she didn’t make it.” They stood there in shock for a long time.

-Marilee Giere Marilee eventually went back to her car to call family and friends. She told them that Bridget had died. Marty still only knew there was an accident.

Marty was at home, waiting in the kitchen, when their oldest daughter came screeching into the driveway. She slammed open the backdoor and collapsed in front of Marty. Marilee had called her. “She didn’t make it,” she said to Marty.

“From the day, from that time on, it’s been hell,” said Marty.

Later that day, Marilee returned home to Marty. At around 12:30, the police arrived to inform the family that Bridget was in the morgue and that they could visit her. Kristie, a family friend, took them to say goodbye.

The Giere family held their funeral service on Tuesday, Dec. 06. Around 1,000 people came. “My arms were hurting from hugging, but it was a good way to hurt,” said Marilee.

In the months after, Marty and Marilee immersed themselves with the community. “The next three months I spent receiving condolences and cards and replying to people—had a lot of contact with people,” said Marty. “It was a long process.”

Marilee has turned to her books to find solace. “I have a bunch of different books I’m reading. About, you know, grief and losing a child and just how to survive loss. It [has] helped me a lot,” said Marilee. “You find out your not the only one.”

She’s also been involved with the community, organizing game nights at her church.

“A bunch of the students have come to those, so that’s always good just to see them,” said Marilee. “And, you know, whenever they see us, they give us a hug.” She attends a couple different groups, including a book club at the library who recently placed memorial stones for Bridget and Stephanie. “Some days are good, some days aren’t. It helps to have a lot of support from neighbors, family and friends, students,” said Marilee.

For Marty, every day is a struggle. “Every day’s a void. It’s just unbearable,” said Marty. “I think about her all the time and don’t see her. Never be good, so it is what it is.”

Over the summer, Marty has tried to fill the void with his projects. He constructed a memorial garden for Bridget and found a headstone for her grave. For the garden, Marty worked with the North Heights Lutheran church, who volunteered to put up the crosses, and Eddie Brody, who came forward to help as his Eagle Scout project. Marty’s neighbor, Nick Tamble, helped as a landscaper while his other neighbor made the signs that decorate the garden.

“

photo by Zoë Lindberg

On Oct. 8, they had the dedication for the garden, which is nestled between the North Heights Lutheran Church and Highway 96. The memorial is “dedicated to all the young people that lose their lives,” said Marty. Anybody who wishes to honor their child can inscribe a stone on the walkway.

They had a smaller service for family at the Lutheran Church Marilee worked at, which was presided by four different pastors: One from Marty’s church, one from Stephanie’s family’s church, one from Marilee’s church and one from North Heights, where the garden was located. “It was four different churches together, and they worked together to have a very meaningful, short, sweet service,” said Marilee.

They also organized events in Bridget’s honor at Feed My Starving Children, Bridget’s favorite place to volunteering. “We did a number of events there before she died,” said Marty. “When it was her birthday, she’d get her friends to go up there with her.”

Marty and Marilee confess they have some regrets. “I don’t remember how many times I hugged her, kissed her, told her I loved her, but we should’ve done it more,” said Marty.

The Giere family is still coping and recovering from their loss. Life will never be the same. Nor should it be. Marilee offered some words that she thought her daughter might want to say: “Treasure every minute you have, be true to your friends, do things for others and eat bran muffins.”

“We got a table that I put out a lot of, not scrapbooks, but picture books and some things that people sent us—even anonymously—in display in her honor. The whole table’s dedicated to her,” said Marty Giere.

12

sports

Athlete of the issue

Joshua Albers Basketball Q: How long have you been playing basketball?

A: I remember my first year of playing competitively was about 11 years ago.

Q: What’s your favorite part about playing basketball?

A: I love being around some of my best friends during basketball. I love that I can have fun with them and build memories that we’ll remember for a long time.

WEdnesday, december 20, 2017

New winter sports coaches

by Michael Gennaro and Luka Pejic staff reporters As every team member knows, leaders are a vital aspect to players both during the sport and outside of it, immensely influencing every step of their team’s performance. The Mounds View winter sports are experiencing new changes and the athletes are ready to improve for their upcoming season. This winter, there will be three new head coaches for Mounds View winter athletics.

Starting her coaching career, Ashlie Anzel is debuting as a head coach for the Mounds View varsity girls basketball team.

She played high school basketball at Spring Lake Park, and continued her career playing D2 college basketball at Augustana College. After completing college, Anzel missed being involved with the sport and developed a passion for coaching. Last year, the Mounds View girls basketball team won four games and lost 24 games. Unfortunately, the team also lost the first round during sections. Despite last year’s results, Anzel believes that the team has learned from the experience. “Although record wise it was a tough season, they played a lot of teams tough and expect to build off of that for this season,” said Anzel. She wants her players to develop a competitive mindset on and off the court. “We want to help mold them into confident, respectful and hard-working young ladies who will continue to have

success long after their basketball career,” said Anzel. The new coach is excited to be a Mustang and hopes to build positive relationships with the players.

Currently teaching social studies at Chippewa Middle School, Adam Schmidt is also starting his first season at Mounds View as the boys hockey coach. Schmidt entered the Mounds View school district only with the intent of teaching social studies and never imagined entering the coaching field. “I never thought I’d be a coach, but one of my high school teammates took a head coaching job in 2005, and asked me to be one of his assistants,” said Schmidt.

“And now, here I am, coaching my 14th season.” Looking forward to his first year coaching at Mounds View, Schmidt has eager plans to morph into a Mustang and connect to his players. “I want the players to understand who I am as a person, what my values are in life, and what I expect from them as student-athletes,” said Schmidt.

Although the hockey team was not able to advance to the semifinals last year, Schmidt is seeking to bring out the team’s full potential. “Last year was last year, and I didn’t coach this team,” said Schmidt. “It’s my job to earn the trust and respect of these players this year so I can lead them to success, both on and off the ice.”

Although not a new coach to the Mounds View girls hockey team, Paige Jahnke has high hopes for her new position

as head coach. “I will do everything in my power to give each girl a great high school hockey experience and to be a resource for my players,” said Jahnke. She has played hockey since a young age and is looking forward to using her skills to improve the team. Moving up from her previous position as a JV coach, Jahnke is more than ready to take on the responsibilities and challenges that follow the new position. “My only plan is to continue to push this team so they reach their highest potential,” said Jhanke.

Planning ahead for the season, she has set goals for her team and herself. “To develop character that contains a strong work ethic, humility in successes or failures, accountability, respect and a team first mentality,” said Jahnke. Jahnke wishes for the team to continue their hard work, stay focused and play for one another. With her prior experience with the players, Jahnke expects them to be engaged on and off the ice to ensure a successful season.

All three coaches hope that they can provide their players with an exemplary role model, and look forward to guide the students as they take on new challenges with their team members. Their main goal is to create a positive and energetic atmosphere for the players, allowing them to flourish and do their best.

Q: How do you prepare for games?

A: I always take a nap, then get something to eat. After that I play my pregame music playlist to lock in and focus.

Q: What’s your goal for this season?

A: As a team, it’s always our goal to make it as far as we can, whether it be sections or state. Personally, I want to build a strong connection with all my teammates in order to ensure that we succeed.

Q: What is the best advice you received from your coach?

A: The best advice I’ve ever received is to be yourself on the court. I’ve also been able to use that lesson outside of basketball to better myself as a person.

Q: What’s the worst injury you have ever gotten from basketball?

A: Thankfully, I’ve been lucky enough to avoid any major injuries. However, last year I did fall very hard and was forced to sit out a week.

Q: What is your favorite part of the season? Why? A: The first game of the season and each home game. Typically a lot of people are excited for us to start, so we have lots of fans for our season opener.

photo courtesy of Ashlie Anzel Pictured: Ashlie Anzel

photo courtesy of Adam Schmidt Pictured: Adam Schmidt

photo courtesy of Paige Jhanke Pictured: Paige Jhanke

Flippin’ into the season

by Shelley Wang and Rachel Ganske staff reporters Often a forgotten sport, the Mounds View gymnastics team has some of the most well- rounded athletes in the school. But according to head coach Julie Coopet, the girls who join the gymnastics team have a different goal than girls who join other sports. “Unlike other sports, girls come onto a high school team when they don’t want to be in club. So if you’ve got an excellent gymnast, she’s going to be in club because they work out 20-25 hours a week and they’re going for a D1 scholarship,” said Coopet. “[On the Mounds View team] it’s not about going on to college [competition].”

The team began the season with a quick start, and has high hopes for a big impression at state this year. The gymnastics team is comprised of 13 athletes—five on varsity and eight on JV. “On our team, you could be a varsity on one event, and JV on another,” said Coopet. The program is a “no cut” program, and also accepts 7th and 8th grade students.

However, gymnasts must reach certain standards in order to compete in meets. “[Gymnastics] takes a lot of mental focus and determination, and a lot of the skills are scary for girls. The biggest challenge is getting yourself to go for them,” said Anelise Stamper, 11. While sports like track and cross-country can be self-taught, gymnastics is largely weighted on specific skills and form that are developed through intense training and instructional aid.

Team members must have well-developed skills and a connection for specialized events—floor exercise, balance beam, bars or vault. Routines are judged based on overall cleanliness as well as the difficulty of the skills being performed. As Coopet says, “clean [routines] win every time.” When the most miniscule mistakes cost

large points, gymnastics vies as one of the most difficult sports to qualify for state. “The only way you get to state in gymnastics is [if] you’re in the top four at sections,” said Coopet. “So if you screw up at sections, you’re not going to State—even if you’ve had a great season.”

Strong performances came from Lizzy Rydberg, 10, and Angelina Mazzocco, 10, in the first dual meet at Park High School in Cottage Grove on Thursday, Dec. 7. “[The team] put some good effort in. It was not our best meet probably because it was our first and nerves are usually high,” said Stamper.

Despite not meeting their expectations at the last meet, the team hopes to perform better at their next competition on Dec. 21 at Woodbury High School.

photo courtesy of Emily Horita Anelise Stamper, 11, and Emily Horita, 12, pose for a picture.