MV Viewer 2016-2017 Issue 6

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0 A F THE 4 2 4 C VIEWER B 13 DThe Case Against Zero C 2 1 3 C + B 2 F + 3B404 0 A D + F F B 4 2 4 1 AC 3 D B0 VOLUME 64 ISSUE 6 | FEBRUARY 17, 2017

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MOUNDS VIEW TO ADOPT NEW GRADING SYSTEM

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR 02/ MEMES 08/ SPLIT 09

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illustration by Sam Kwong

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News

MN principal’s award

by Sarah Tang staff reporter Last month, principal Jeffery Ridlehoover was honored with the 2017 High School Principal of the Year award given out by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP). He was nominated for believing that students matter and for strongly advocating for the relationship between students, parents, faculty and the community.

Throughout his four years at Mounds View High School, Ridlehoover has led the initiative on the renovation of the Information & Learning Center (ILC), ReF.L.E.C.T. hour and the relearning and reassessment policy.

For each new addition to Mounds View, there has been positive and negative input from students, faculty and parents. The continuation of the ReF.L.E.C.T. hour has proven successful.

“I love ReF.L.E.C.T. It’s a nice hour to myself and I can get help,” said Haley McAlpine, 11.

However, the new hour also comes with its downfalls. “I like [ReF.L.E.C.T.] when I have tests to make up, but it can be chaotic when everybody has a free hour,” said Rachael Wasson, 10.

The teachers are also happy to collaborate with Ridlehoover. “He’s easy to talk to, and he’s willing to work with the teachers whenever we

2016-2017

Viewer Editors Editor-in-Chief

Kailey Newcome

Managing Editor - Copy

Amber Zhao

friday, february 17, 2017

ask. He listens to us and communicates well with us,” said math teacher Ev Bjork.

One of Ridlehoover’s early goals was to create a “happy and healthy” school culture, and he believes that Mounds View has improved in this aspect. To strengthen the school community, Ridlehoover is working with teachers and staff to constantly better the environment. “I think that [creating a positive environment] happens from being a good listener and good communicator,” said Ridlehoover. Even though the administration encourages students to take rigorous courses, Ridlehoover believes that balance and the well being of kids is more important. “I think he’s very student centered [and] the decisions he’s made keep student’s best interest in mind at all times,” said art teacher Joelle Imholte.

Ridlehoover’s future plans for the Mounds View community include continued talk about grading policies as well as soliciting feedback and thinking of innovative ways to instruct kids.

“The world is changing so education can’t stay the same,” said Ridlehoover.

Dr. Ridlehoover poses with a plaque.

Students in protest

photo by Sarah Tang

Managing Editor - Online

Daniel Yong

Business Manager

Rigney Cunningham Front Cover

Amber Zhao News

Sunny Lim Features

Kallie Slotvig

Editorials

Benjamin Davis Jake Rosenow

center fold

Daniel Yong

what’s trending

Samuel Kwong

arts & entertainment

Rigney Cunningham

Good question

Marley Jones Sports

Jackie Gaworski back cover

Kailey Newcome Photographers/Artists

Samuel Kwong Marley Jones Adviser

David Ostrom Staff Toni Baraga, Gabriel Cherniske, Cassandra Downs, Sanjana Dutt, Shannon Haffely, Jeffrey Hu, Haley Keeney, Lauren Lafaye, Zoe Lindberg, Riley McCorkell, Christina Mehrkens, Aman Rao, Ethan Stromquist, Sarah Tang, Michelle Wang, Felix Zhang, Diana Zhu

The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing

Students attend the Women’s March.

by Jeffrey Hu and Diana Zhu staff reporters

photo courtesy of Maddie Wang

“Stand up, fight back! Stand up, fight back!” chanted the throng of protesters encircling the Minneapolis-St.Paul airport.

Bearing brightly colored posters scrawled with messages varying from “Dump Trump” to “We are here,” these protesters are just a fraction of the growing number of demonstrations in response to the recent actions of President Trump.

This anti-Trump sentiment has been a continuation of the divisive atmosphere originating from a controversial presidential election. Bolstering this wave of disputes are the 12 executive orders President Trump enacted during his first 12 days in office, ranging from a temporary ban on immigration to a plan outlining how to defeat ISIS. Some of these orders have drawn significant backlash from people around the country, leading to protests against the enactment of certain clauses, petitions for the cancellation of some and prosecutions of certain cabinet picks.

Although most students and teachers at Mounds View have not been directly affected by the orders, many have asserted their opinions by attending marches, signing online petitions and taking advantage of social media to express their thoughts. Among these students is Maddie Wang, 12, who attended the Women’s March in January. After hearing about the recently passed executive bills on immigration, she voiced her concerns. “I feel very terrible,” Wang said. “I feel that if [President] Trump supporters actually support these executive bills, then we have a lot of racism and a lot of xenophobia in our society.”

Others share similar sentiments. Bringing with her a resolute dissatisfaction towards the recent events, English teacher Gretchen Nesset also participated in the Women’s March. She compared the current state of the country to 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale,

photo courtesy of Gretchen Nesset

two dystopian novels with totalitarian governments. “Right this minute, I still have health insurance, I still have a job,” said Nesset. “My life hasn’t changed, but in the long run, it will.”

However, some people have argued for the opposite and strongly support Trump’s recent executive bills. Jared Herbert, 11, believes the marches serve no purpose. “They’re simply marching against Trump. If you’re marching, try to have goals. Don’t just protest for the sake of protesting. Women and men are equal under law, so I don’t know what they’re protesting.” Critics of the recent marches also accused Trump’s opponents of being simply unable to accept the election results and inducing public riot by ignoring the fair transition of power.

In a recent poll, the majority of Mounds View students have expressed the belief that marches are effective in getting political action done. March organizers sharing this viewpoint have planned several more events in the upcoming months, including the Immigrant’s March and the People’s Climate March.

However, these political movements are not limited to having liberal stances.

Recently in Washington D.C., Vice President Mike Pence gave a speech at a Pro-Life march. Almost in direct opposition to the Women’s Rights marches, Pence stated in his speech, “[Donald Trump] is a man with broad shoulders and a big heart. His vision, his energy, his optimism are boundless and I know he will make America great again.”

Ultimately, in spite of the political divisions, America is still a united country. “I think we’re pushing ourselves and we’re going so far that we’ve lost track as to why we’re a country,” said Isabella Chaffee, 11. “We have to cooperate to get stuff done.”

features 3

Friday, February 17, 2017

Talent Show Stars

First place

by Zoe Lindberg and Michelle Wang staff reporters

The victory is extra special for the winners of this year’s Winter Week talent show.

Kasilena Lee, 12, and Nicole Ho, 12, had entered the show their freshman year, but did not win. “We’re doing it again this year [because] it’s senior year,” said Lee. “We have nothing to lose.”

Lee and Ho, along with Teresa Yam, 12, and Nicole’s sister Trinette, 9, performed a dance routine to a medley of popular songs.

Their goal was to put out a fun, entertaining performance and hype up the crowd. “We want to pump everyone up again and make this a memorable moment for everyone,” said Yam. Their performance wowed the judges and won them a spot in the pepfest.

The girls prepared extensively for the performance. They practiced twice a week for around three to four hours. Lee and Yam choreographed the routine and perfected it by watching videos online and adding modifica-

tions, while Nicole stitched together the music.

“The songs we chose, everybody knows them, so you can relate.”

However, the group hit a few road bumps in the process. Five days before the performance, they had to modify their music because it was deemed too inappropriate. The group practiced their new performance together for two days before the talent show. “I was a little bit salty at first, but then I realized that I was super flexible and could deal with the sudden changes,” said Trinette. Nicole adds, “I knew it was coming, so we didn’t take it personally.”

After working through this setback, they were able to continue doing what they love: performing. “I like to see how the audience reacts to our performances and see if my energy can give off to other people,” said Yam. The girls celebrate their victory after winning first place in this years talent This experience was extremely memoshow. Left to right: Trinette Ho, Kasilena Lee, Teresa Yam, and Nicole Ho rable, especially for the three seniors in the group. “We became a lot more confident in our dancing,” said Yam. “This will be a memory that we will all remember because this is our senior year.”

Second place

by Michelle Wang staff reporter

Emma Hoyhtya, 11, has been singing and performing since she was a child. When she was 2, her favorite movie was “The Sound of Music,” and she would sing “Do Re Mi” everywhere she went. “As my mom says, I came out of the womb singing,” she said.

Hoyhtya sang “Good Girl” by Carrie Underwood and placed second in the Winter Week talent show. She decided to sing the song because she performed it in eighth grade. “This one was pretty spontaneous. I literally just sang through it a few times, then I warmed up a lot that day and did it onstage.”

Right before performing, Hoyhtya was very nervous. “I’m backstage two songs before, and I’m dying. My heart feels like it’s gonna explode. And I don’t get butterflies in my stomach, I get them in my chest.”

After the performance, Hoyhtya said she felt happy and thankful for all the support she received. “It’s one of the reasons I love Mounds View, because I know after I perform there

will always be people ready to lift me up and congratulate me.”

Despite the nerves, she greatly enjoys singing and performing. “My favorite part [of performing] would have to be being up there and knowing that I am bringing people joy. As cliché and cheesy as that sounds, that really is true. I have always known that this is what I want to do.”

However, Hoyhtya is not thinking of pursuing a professional career in singing. “I see what happens to celebrities and professional singers.

As many times as I can say, ‘Oh, that won’t be me. I won’t be the one who goes in the deep end,’ it still happens. I don’t want fame to take away who I am.” Although she decided to not pursue singing professionally, she said she would absolutely sing and record on the side.

By gathering the courage to show her love for singing, Hoyhtya encourages others to do the same. “I would say never ever be afraid to do what you love because even though it’s scary and we live in a very judgmental society, it’s still very important to put yourself out there and show people what you’re made of.”

Third place

by Ethan Stromquist staff reporter

This past Wednesday, senior Landon Conrath amazed the audience with his performance of “Sunday Candy” by Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment. This performance earned him a well-deserved spot for third place at this year’s Mounds View talent show.

Music has been a big part of the senior’s life. Conrath has played the piano for around 12 years and has been singing as long as he can remember. His love for music was sparked by his family. “I got most of my inspiration from my grandpa who was a choir director and music teacher all his life. Most of my family plays instruments but he has been my main supporter,” said Conrath.

For him, the hardest part about performing in the talent show was the preparation. He had to choose a song, rewrite it for piano and change the key to fit his voice. Conrath then practiced until he felt ready to perform.

For most, stage fright poses a big problem, but not in Conrath’s case. He’s had plenty of experience on stage, including playing the drums for his church every Sunday. “I’m no stranger to the stage, so I don’t get nervous too easily,” he said.

Conrath has also been a performer at Mounds View’s pepfests and talent shows before. “I was really excited to perform. I love getting up on the stage and giving people a show,” said Conrath. Although this was his last Mounds View talent show, he left the audience with something to remember for years to come.

Emma Hoyhtya, 11, is all smiles after the show.

Landon Conrath, 12, poses next to the piano after performing. photos by Kallie Slotvig illustrations by Marley Jones and Kallie Slotvig

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editorials

Friday, february 17, 2017

March madness

by Jake Rosenow editorials editor

It’s hard to be optimistic about the next four years in America. Within his first three weeks in office, President Donald Trump has signed a total of 12 executive orders, three of which pertain to immigration and carry racist and xenophobic connotations. He has also removed the LGBTQ page from the White House’s website, appointed climate change skeptics to lead the EPA and signed Steve Bannon, chair of the alt-right news site Breitbart News, to be his chief strategist. In short, the political climate is changing, and it’s changing fast.

Unsurprisingly, protests have erupted around the country, including immigration ban protests at airports, #NotMyPresident demonstrations on college campuses and women’s marches in cities around the world. While some people argue that these protests are useless and comprised of “sore losers,” these protests serve an important purpose.

Protesting gives the issues at hand greater visibility. When hundreds of thousands of people protest for a single cause, the media notice. This was clearly demonstrated by the Women’s March and airport protests coverage on nearly every major news source.

During both demonstrations, CNN, The New York Times,

Time Magazine, and The Washington Post broadcasted live videos of the protests to their audiences on Facebook, and hundreds of other news sites published articles detailing these events.

Awareness of Trump’s immigration bans and prolife sentiments dramatically increased despite Trump denouncing the media as “fake news.” Over time, accumulation of protests by sheer number begins to put pressure on politicians to appeal to the people, regardless of their political affiliation.

Furthermore, protesting gives everyone a chance to participate in government.

High schoolers, green-card holders and immigrants who were unable to vote

in the election are given a medium to voice their opinions. For high schoolers, this past election was especially brutal. Over the next four years, many will begin their adults lives, and many of Trump’s policies, such as abortion rights, environmental laws and immigration bans, will negatively affect them. In short, their adult lives will not begin with the same rights that many older millennials had. Protesting is necessary to allow these groups to (literally) voice their opinions as they chant in marches for various causes.

Even if the results of protesting aren’t tangible, it still provides a sense of solidarity, a symbolic

reassurance that despite the current divisive political climate, protesters can take to the streets in unity. So whether it’s to make change, find comfort in unity or both, protesting is an important way to let voices be heard and find solace in a period of tension.

Protesters gather at the Minnesota state capitol for the Women’s March on Jan 22, one day after President Trump’s inauguration. photos courtesy of Kofo Mustapha

Editor opinions What your Viewer editors think of this Issue

“Wait... so is it Jeffery or Jeffrey?”

-Amber Zhao managing editor - copy

“As a senior, I’m sad that this was my last year I could buy a carnation for myself.”

-Sam Kwong what’s trending editor

“Only 4 months left.”

-Daniel Yong managing editor - online

“The Lonely Enclave is the next Metallica. ” -Benjamin Davis editorials editor

Debates 5

Friday, February 17, 2017

Is the use of animal actors cruel?

The system works

by Benjamin Davis Editorials Editor After the now infamous video of a dog being forced into water during the filming of the movie “A Dog’s Purpose” surfaced, many people have begun arguing against the use of animal actors in movies. It’s as though they have forgotten about heartwarming films free of animal abuse, such as “Air Bud” or “Marley and Me,” and that movies must go through a rigorous process to be approved by the American Humane Association (AHA).

AHA was founded in 1877 and since then, they have been committed to protecting animals from abuse and defending their rights, both in Hollywood and in everyday life.

Animal-lovers have AHA to thank for the iconic words, “No animals were harmed in the making of this film.”

While some people argue they are just words that any filmmaker can throw into the ending credits of a movie, the reality is that AHA has trademarked the universally recognizable phrase, only letting movies who follow their strict guidelines display it in their end credits. These guidelines can be found in a 132-page rulebook. Without strict adherence to these guidelines, a film cannot claim that no animals were harmed in its making, which would ensue public outcry or even boycotts of movies.

Obviously, the most important rules AHA has are guidelines regarding the treatment of the animals themselves. These standards are actually more specific and demanding than most states’ animal cruelty laws and can be summed up in three major points. First, “all domestically filmed Screen Actors Guild (SAG) productions are required to provide our Safety Representatives unlimited

on-set access whenever animals are used.” This ensures that throughout filming, a representative will always be present to confirm that the correct safety procedures are being enforced.

Secondly, animals may not be killed, injured, treated inhumanely or given anesthesia for the purpose of making the movie. Finally, no reality show or documentary may show footage of animal abuse of any kind (e.g. footage from one of Michael Vick’s dogfights in a documentary). This is considered exploitation of the animal’s suffering and is not accepted by AHA. However, a simulation may be used. With these rules in place, there’s no reason why films shouldn’t be able to use animal actors as long as they get certified by AHA. In the case of “A Dog’s Purpose,” a recent independent report found that the footage was edited from two different videos shot at different times and “mischaracterized the events on set.” The report also states that after the German Shepherd was pulled from the water, he was checked for signs of stress, none of which were found.

Another popular example of alleged animal cruelty was in 2006’s “Flicka.” In the making of this film, two horses were severely injured.

However, AHA was on set and ruled that the deaths were accidental, as both horses tripped and were severely injured during a running scene that had been rehearsed many times prior.

Even though the recent controversy may make it seem as though there is a problem with animal abuse in movies, there is not.

A few accidents and extremely rare occurrences of abuse do not constitute a complete abandonment of using animals as actors, especially when there is a system in place to protect them already.

What your editors think Keep animal actors

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There’s too much animal cruelty

The system is cruel

by Cassandra Downs staff reporter Controversy regarding the alleged abuse of a German Shepherd recently arose after a clip from the movie “A Dog’s Purpose” surfaced.

The video displayed Hercules, the canine in question, being pushed into powerful rapids by the film’s on-set crew. After struggling for a few seconds, Hercules disappears under the water.

Evidently, an animal was harmed in the making of a film.

This is unacceptable under any circumstance. Some people may argue that the rough shove was unintentional. Others state that the clip was edited to make it seem worse than the situation truly was.

However, when watching the video, it seems obvious that Hercules was harshly tossed in against his will, even dangling by his neck at one point in the clip. No amount of editing could hide that truth. This incident has re-ignited a larger debate regarding animal use in the film industry.

This is not the first time an animal has been harmed in the making of a movie. In 2006, horses on the set of “Flicka” were severely injured while filming, including a leg and neck break, causing two horses to die. In “Eight Below,” a husky was repeatedly punched in the diaphragm. In 2011’s “Zookeeper,” a giraffe died during filming. The American Humane Association (AHA) touts itself for being on set for the making of these movies, yet animals were still harmed in their presence — sometimes, more than once.

There needs to be more precautions taken to ensure the safety of animals in Hollywood.

AHA’s incompetence is obvious, given that they were on set during these films and many others where animals were abused. Prevention of Hercules´ drowning should have been their first priority, rather than their delayed reaction portrayed in the leaked video.

Instead of putting animals at risk, Hollywood should use computer-generated imagery (CGI), a software which creates visual effects including people, stunts, and most importantly, animals. It’s gaining popularity as it becomes more life-like and was even used in award winning movies such as 2016’s “The Jungle Book.” This technology protects the safety of both humans and animals while still preserving an amazing on-screen experience.

When alternatives such as CGI exist, we should be taking advantage of such opportunities, rather than risking the lives of many animals.

These examples show that the current method of using animals as actors is outdated and unnecessary and more actions should be taken in the future to stop these atrocious and inhumane acts.

Relearning you

Mounds View looks to implement new grading Although equal interval grading changes many aspects of grading itself, this new system won’t change semester grades. Students’ transcripts will still display traditional letter grades, which can be later used Principal Jeffery Ridlehoover recently proposed a new grading to determine GPA. method to teachers called the “equal interval grading system” that could Furthermore, colleges won’t see any differences on the final tranpotentially replace Mounds View’s current practice in the near future. script, and previous grades won’t be affected. “Your transcript would The proposed equal interval grading system follows a larger national look the exact same as you have now. The difference is the numerical trend called “The Case Against Zero,” which argues that a zero has an system to get grades,” said Ridlehoover. “In fact, colleges will never see unproportionally large impact on students’ grades. In the current system, the other stuff because we don’t show it to them now.” a zero and an A would average out to an F. The case against zero suggests This new proposed grading system has been in development for a that rather than dramatically decreasing a student’s grade, a zero and an A while. “It has been a conversation for the better part of a couple of years, should be weighted equally — they should average out to a C. both at the school level and at the district level,” said Ridlehoover. “We This isn’t a new ideology. The principle was pioneered 13 years ago have done a lot of research and reading, and this system can be useful.”

by Douglas Reeves, a prominent education researcher, who sparked the As of now, there are no definite dates of implementation, but adminisdebate by stating that a zero had far too major of an effect on grades. “To tration is planning to run a trial of the new system during the 2017-2018 insist on the use of a zero on a 100-point scale is to assert that work that school year in select classrooms. These grades would be strictly experiis not turned in deserves a penalty that is many times more severe than mental and would not impact the final grades of the students in said classthat assessed for work that is done wretchedly and is worth a D,” said rooms. “These teachers will be keeping dual grade books, and the newer Reeves in his 2004 paper “The Case Against Zero.” He then described a protocol will only be used for the purpose of comparing and contrasting possible alternative grading system in which grades would be weighed in our current practices with the proposed ones,” said Ridlehoover. equal intervals, naming it the “equal interval system.”

Additionally, the community will be extensively involved and able to At Mounds View, Ridlehoover wanted to implement a new system suggest changes and provide feedback. “We are going to involve students to find a more accurate grading system that would better reflect what a [and families] in the process because we value [their] input,” said Ridlestudent knows. “We need to be able to provide a pathway to accurately hoover. reflect what a student knows and can do,” he said.

During the trial, Ridlehoover hopes to see a reduced focus on scoring While Mounds View’s new system isn’t an exact copy of the system high percentages on assignments for a certain grade as well as a lessened that Reeves proposed, the main principle behind it is the same. impact of a zero on grades. For students aiming to achieve a particular Rather than grading on a 0 - 100 scale, the adjusted system would grade, the new system would reduce the unnecessary anxiety of needing grade assignments on a 0 - 4 scale. 0 - 49 percent on the traditional scale to perform exceptionally well in order to raise their grade. “In our current would correspond to a 0, 50 - 59 would correspond to 1, 60-69 with a 2, system, many of our kids who scored 90 would want to re-assess; now and so on, moving in 10 percent increments. they are going to say ‘I’ve mastered this concept, I’m moving onto the The new system would still follow the current 80/20 weight distribunext one,’” said Ridlehoover. tion but would assign a grade between zero and four rather than a percentage. The integer values of each assignment would then be averaged and a final grade would be calculated and placed on the traditional A - F continued on next page scale.

by Sajana Dutt and Felix Zhang staff reporters

14%

86%

Students who prefer the current grading system Students who prefer the new grading system 80 students polled

“

[The numbers] are too broad of a group and it also over-represents and under-represents people.”

-Sabrina Tang, 12

ur ABC’s...

g system

1 90 - 100 80 - 89 70 - 79 60 - 69 0 - 59

4 3 2 1 0

sam

ple

grad

es

How Will Grading Work? (tentative)

3.45 - 4.00 3.20 - 3.44 2.95 - 3.19 Final grades are 2.65 - 2.94 calculated using an 2.40 - 2.64 A - F scale.

4 Alternatively, for students who are struggling or missing large amounts of work, the system would assist them in recovering to a certain extent. “All those zeros really have a huge impact now, and they still will be zeros, but if that student makes up a couple of those assignments, the overall effect of those zeros aren’t quite as severe as they were before,” said science teacher Jacob Hairrell.

Moreover, the administration expects students who haven’t shown proficiency to improve and eventually reassess. “We are going to tell them at this point they aren’t going to get a 55, they are going to end up with a 0, with the expectation that that will never stay at a zero,” said Ridlehoover.

Yet, some teachers also argue that the significant impact of the zero is there for a reason — it teaches students about the consequences of missing deadlines while further incentivizing students to finish their work.

“In the real world, if you don’t do something that you’re expected to do, there are repercussions,” said English teacher Allyson Manns.

Furthermore, many teachers are wary of the lack of variability in grades. English teacher Gretchen Nesset worries about the resulting inability to significantly differentiate between varying qualities of work.

“I love the nuance of having an A, an A-, [or] a B+. There’s a lot of times where it’s not A work, but [also] definitely not B- work,” said Nesset.

“In math if it’s wrong it’s wrong, but in English, when it’s a speech and a paper, there’s just more nuance [involved].”

There have also been some complications with the implementation of the system itself. The current grading service, ParentVue, is incompatible with the new system because it isn’t able to process the computations that are needed. “Either our grading system is going to have to be reprogrammed to allow that, or teachers are going to have to keep two gradebooks, which our administration doesn’t want to happen,” said Hairrell.

A AB+ B B-

80% 20% 4 3 3 3 2 0 4 2 80% 20% 3.25 2.00

2

Grades are then sorted under the 80/20 system.

averages

Students are given integer grades from 0 - 4 for each assignment.

weighted 80/20

2.6 + 0.4 = 3.0

fi

o l c a n

ers nv

ion

3

Grades are averaged and weighted accordingly.

Currently, most teachers are on the fence about the proposed grading system and are waiting to see the results of the trial and the finalized grading scheme. “Philosophically, I’m all on board with it,” said Hairrell.

“I think the original proposal that was made to implement it was good, but we’ve been able to find some flaws and difficulties that we are going to have to work on, and that’s what we are trying to do.”

However, some teachers recall the poor implementation of the 80/20 system, and while optimistic, they are cautious about proceeding too quickly. “Changing to 80/20 brought all kinds of trouble to my students, and the grades just didn’t seem to work out as fair as they should have,” said Nesset. “We discovered later that it was a mathematical thing.”

The proposed system is unlikely to dramatically alter the majority of students’ grades. After preliminary testing, most grades stayed the same. “Most of the time, what we notice is that the grades are exactly the same, and that’s why we think it’s an accurate and fair representation,” said Ridlehoover.

The district plans to proceed slowly and optimize the system before its full implementation. “We are taking a very systematic and slow approach to get it right,” said Ridlehoover.

There are very few schools in Minnesota that currently have a similar grading system or are even attempting to innovate their grading policies.

Despite being in the minority, an equal interval grading system could be best for students’ academic achievement; however, the impact of the proposed system remains to be seen. “I don’t think our current system is broken, but I think we can make it better,” said Ridlehoover.

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what’s trending

Friday, February 17, 2017

Valentines day passed, but no love for Trump

Hearts, cards, memes and more

by Toni Baraga staff reporter Every Valentine’s Day, overpriced chocolates and flowers fill the day as couples express their love for each other. While these traditions are still strong, recent years have introduced a variety of meme-related Valentine’s Day cards. These comical, yet clever cards became famous online in late 2013 in an attempt to add a funny twist on the normally romantic holiday.

The cards often consist of a poorly photoshopped or shoddily cut picture, which is then pasted onto a piece of construction paper. Often accompanying the cringe-worthy cards are catchphrases intending to ask out that special someone in a hilarious manner.

Nora Bridges, 11, explains how she finds enjoyment from this amusing internet trend. “I think the Valentine’s Day card memes are so funny. Every time I see one I can’t help but laugh at the clever puns.” Many students seem to agree with her.

On the other hand, some students cannot find the humor in them at all. “I think they’re pointless. If you want to show someone you care about them, it shouldn’t be through a meme,” says Cadyn Jones, 10.

Despite the mixed emotions towards these lighthearted memes, they continue to show up every year, and for most people, add a little more enjoyment to Valentine’s Day.

#DeleteUber

by Samuel Kwong what’s trending editor Recently, during a protest in New York against Trump’s 90-day travel ban, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance proclaimed they would take part in a one hour delay for all taxi rides to John F. Kennedy airport in support of the people impacted by the new regulation.

While the New York Taxi Workers Alliance attempted to make a point, Uber decided to use the lack of competition to bolster its own status. In general, Uber has a feature called “surge pricing,” which means that the price of rides will be more expensive during rush hours and popular times. However, during the protest, Uber tweeted that the company would not initiate price surging for people protesting near the JFK airport.

Unfortunately, this tweet was misinterpreted by the protesters. Many believed Uber was attempting to profit at the expense of their competition’s protest, while also attempting to motivate protesters to leave the protest.

In order to protest against Trump, thousands of Twitter users have been bombarding posts with the tag #DeleteUber, asking others to delete their Uber accounts as a form of protest against both Trump and the popular driving service.

However, not everyone has suffered. Since Uber is currently under heavy social fire, its main competitor, Lyft, has been using Uber’s diminishing status to further its own business. Gaining thousands of former Uber clients as their own, Lyft has cemented its status as one of the most

#BoycottStarbucks

by Samuel Kwong what’s trending editor In response to the rapidly growing number of minorities, the CEO of Starbucks declared a plan to offer 10,000 jobs to immigrants, primarily those who have aided the military as translators, over the next four years. However, various Trump supporters recently initiated the #BoycottStarbucks protest, believing these positions should be given to Americans, specifically war veterans. Others in support of this perspective believe these jobs should go to high school and college students to give them more opportunities to earn above minimum wage.

Ironically, what these protesters fail to remember is that Starbucks isn’t only an American company. It is an international business with stores in various foreign countries.

In response to the protests, Starbucks’ CEO also made the promise that many jobs would also be given to veterans. While Starbucks and the protesters both make valid points, the boycott will most likely have a minimal impact on the famous coffee business, which has over 20,000 stores across the globe.

photos courtesy of Sam Kwong

Arts & Entertainment

Friday, Febuary 17, 2017

9

Horrendous horror: Split doesn’t cut it

by Shannon Haffely staff reporter

Director M. Night Shyamalan’s recent string of movies has been far from successful. Many had high hopes when his movie “Split” entered theaters Jan. 20, 2017 The film opens at a birthday party. As it wraps up, the main character Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) catches a ride home with birthday-girl Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and her friend Marcia (Jessica Sula). Before leaving the parking lot, the antagonist, Kevin (James McAvoy), kidnaps the three girls and takes them to his home in a series of cold tunnels beneath a zoo.

Kept behind a locked door, the girls believe that Kevin is interacting with several people, but they later find out that those “people” are all vastly different personalities that reside within him. In total, there are 23 personalities, but only a few are given screen time. One of the more amiable personalities often visits his psychiatrist Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley) who works to prove that people with this mental illness may be the key to unlocking the mind. However, she is unaware that a few of the personalities perform unethical practices as they wait for the arrival of the twenty fourth personality, “The Beast,” which the plot circles around.

McAvoy puts on a great performance, accurately portraying incredibly different personalities within the

same man. His characters range from a nine-year-old boy with a lisp to a likable fashion designer. Any other actor could have botched the role, but McAvoy does an astounding job at each personality. Taylor-Joy also plays her character well for being relatively new to the acting industry.

The quality acting is the only thing that “Split” has going for it. The film overall is not worth watching as it intends to be a thriller movie, but is so bad it’s almost comedic. Suspense, by definition, is a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

“Split” has none of these characteristics. There were no surprises, and the plot followed almost every horror movie cliche, such as (spoiler alert!) only one victim surviving. The ending was predictable and offered little resolution, obviously left as interpretive to allow for a sequel.

By using a villain with a dissociative identity disorder, it is clear that Shyamalan tried to stray from a stereotypical horror movie. Unfortunately, he failed in the sense that the movie was more weird than it was scary.

Flashbacks to Casey’s childhood, while pertinent, were unsettling and interfered with the flow of the plot.

“Split” had the potential for being a unique horror movie, but it could not satisfy the expectations many viewers had for it.

Illustration by Sam Kwong

The Verdict “Split” is a film that horrormovie fans should avoid.

While the acting is superb, it does not make up for a plotline that is jam-packed with horror movie cliches and a dull-witted ending.

30

Raves for the Red Cow

by Riley McCorkell staff reporter

Red Cow has made a name for itself with their juicy burgers, superior service and enjoyable atmosphere.

Serving quality food made by professional cooks, Red Cow is any foodie’s heaven. The local grass-fed blues burger comes embellished with Wisconsin bleu cheese and apricot-rosemary black pepper jam. The Manhattan 2.0 burger is a true American dream with bacon, gruyere cheese and a pretzel bun. For those not craving a burger, the grilled cheese with cheddar, gruyere and smoked gouda cheese creates a flavorful eruption.

Big parties can even share the tender chicken wings that come with BBQ, buffalo or japanese sticky sauce.

The atmosphere at Red Cow is exceptional. The

wait staff are both friendly and swift, providing the perfect balance of assistance. The restaurant has a western feel with a quirky cow pattern as an accent wall and red snakeskin booths. The place crowds around dinnertime, but the exquisite food makes up for it.

The Minneapolis location on 50th street is open from 11 a.m to 1 a.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m to 12 a.m. on Sundays. The St.Paul location on Selby Ave. is open from 11 a.m to 12 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. on weekends. The North Loop location on N 1st Ave. is open from 11 a.m to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends.

Bringing innovative and gourmet burgers to the table, Red Cow is a major step up from fast food. Don’t have a cow, just go to Red Cow!

Illustration by Kallie Slotvig

The right stuff

by Rigney Cunningham arts & entertainment editor

Ingredients Cafe in downtown White Bear Lake Photo by Rigney Cunningham

Utilizing ingredients found at local farmers markets, Ingredients Cafe brings flavor-filled cuisine to downtown White Bear Lake.

The cafe provides a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere with mood lighting and jazzy music playing in the background on Friday and Saturday nights. Optional outdoor seating is also available in the summer months. Wait-staff are helpful yet unobtrusive, offering recommendations to guests who don’t know what to order.

The menu is small, but the dishes are top-notch. Appetizers like lamb sliders with lemon garlic saffron dressing and artichoke dip served with a warm baguette start the meal out right. For the main course, the lemon caper chicken penne is highly recommended and has a cream

sauce drizzled over the chicken with asparagus and sun dried tomatoes served on the side. The lunch menu is slightly different with cheaper options including a wide range of burgers, sandwiches and soups.

Dessert is a necessity. The frozen blood orange mousse comes with a coconut sauce, vanilla glazed tropical fruit and toasted coconut, making this dish a flavorful explosion.

Ingredients Cafe is located on 4725 U.S Hwy 61 in White Bear Lake and is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Prices range from $15 to $30, a fair deal considering some of the ingredients are farm to table during harvest season.

With a pleasant atmosphere, innovative menu and live music, Ingredients Cafe is a well-liked hotspot that is sure to dazzle.

10

good question

Friday, February 17, 2017

Heartache on the big screen

Is watching a sad movie the key to happiness?

by Christina Mehrkens staff reporter Imagine that it’s a Tuesday night. Your homework is done but you’re feeling a little down. What could be the perfect solution? Surprisingly, viewing a sad movie can be the best pick-me-up for your mood.

Sad movies are never easy to get through due to the emotional journey they invoke in their audience members. Despite that, people still watch them. Why do people enjoy this form of sensitivity and emotional manipulation?

Researchers have been studying this odd attraction for decades and have proposed many theories.

The most popular theory is that the disastrous events seen in movies boost the viewer’s mood short-term by connecting the characters from the movie to people they recognize in real life. After comparing the negative relationships from the movie, the viewer is encouraged to value their relationships even more.

Ohio State University directed a follow-up interview in 2012 on a former study done by Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, associate professor of communications at Ohio State. Her study examined the change in mood of 361 college students before and after they had watched an incomplete version of the

2007 movie “Atonement.” The movie includes a couple who are torn apart during a war. The tragic story of the two lovers drastically changed the mood of the viewers.

Once done viewing, the students had to rate their level of enjoyment the movie elicited from them and wrote a quick passage about how the movie had led them to reflect on themselves, their bonds with others and lives in general. Thinking about others who have impacted their lives without realizing it brought happiness to the participants, which led to more enjoyment in the movie experience overall.

Meghan McFarling, 11, agrees with the scientific findings for many reasons. “I have a lot of built up feelings and watching sad movies helps me let them all out by crying,” she said. After letting go of those held-in emotions, McFarling explains she feels relieved and happy that she did not have to go through what the characters in the movie did.

Sarah Miller, 10, disagrees that sad movies improve a person’s outlook on life. “They open people’s eyes to the bad things happening in the world.”

Knobloch-Westerwick realized the reason why people may feel happier after viewing a sad movie is because it brings attention to positive aspects in their own lives by comparing them to the depressing situ-

A great place to

ations the characters in a movie may face. “Tragedies appeal to people because they help them to appreciate their own relationships more,” said KnoblochWesterwick.

Psychology also suggests that being in a negative mood makes people more thoughtful about life.

“Positive emotions are generally a signal that everything is fine. You don’t have to worry, you don’t have to think about issues in your life,” said KnoblochWesterwick, “but negative emotions, like sadness, make you think more critically about your situation.

With the amount of stress students are put under these days, this information can be very helpful for Mounds View students. Taking a break from life to sit down, grab some popcorn and put on a sad movie can be a great way to cope.

So, the next time you’re looking to escape from the stress school may bring or just need a good cry, then curl up, grab the popcorn and make sure you’re close to the tissue box just in case.

Do you have a good question? Email us at daniel.yong@mvviewer. org and we will investigate it for the next issue of The Viewer!

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illustration by Christina Mehrkins

sports 11

Friday, february 17, 2017

Athlete of the issue

Seasons and signings fair use from crookstontimes.com

Yaquub Mohamed fair use from central.txeclipse.org

Football Q: How long have you been playing football?

A: I started in ninth grade and I wanted to play in middle school but my mom didn’t want me to.

Q: Who introduced you to football?

A: My head coach of my old school in Missouri. He came to my middle school and talked to me about football.

Q: How have you balanced education and sports?

A: Any sport you play coaches will tell you school comes first, and I focused on school for one reason because I knew that football will only take me so far, but schooling is forever.

Q: Who has inspired you in your football journey?

A: Myself, because I wanted to be better than everyone else so I workout everyday and put in field work on the weekends.

Q: What made you choose Bemidji State over other colleges?

A: I picked Bemidji because they have a great sports medicine program and the coach really wanted me to play for them.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

A: Getting accepted to a PT school.

photo courtesty of Justin Geisen Students sign national letters of intent to participate in collegiate sports. (left to right) Yaquub Mohamed (Bemidji State), Justin Geisen (University of MinnesotaCrookston) and Eric Holloman (St. Cloud State).

fair use from sportslogos.net

Wrestlers pin the competition

by Jack McCoy staff reporter The section tournament is right around the corner for the wrestling team. With the first section meet beginning on Feb. 18, the Mustangs gear their practices towards preparing for the big day.

This year has been a successful one, with the boys meeting all their pre-season goals. “We knew we had a lot of potential at the start of the season. We’ve done a pretty good job living up to it,” said Jack Graham, 12. The team started the season well with a second place finish at Coon Rapids.

Mounds View also finished fourth place at the Foley Invitational on Jan. 7, where Nick Dunagan, 10, and Rowan Morgan, 11, both placed first individually. The team’s record is 9-5 going into senior night against Centennial on Feb. 9.

This year’s team contains plenty of highly touted individual wrestlers. Dunagan is ranked seventh in the 120 pound weight class, and Morgan is ranked second in the 182 pound weight class. Daniel Van Oort,

11, is also ranked tenth in the 195 pound weight class. Will Rogers, 9, just recently qualified for the ninth grade state tournament.

Perhaps the biggest story of this season has been Morgan, who already broke the single-season Mounds View pin record, with matches still remaining. “This year has been really fun. I never thought I would break the pin record as a junior, but it’s a huge honor, considering all the great wrestlers who have gone through Mounds View,” said Morgan. “He’s a beast. I can’t wait to see what he can do at state, and next season,” said Graham.

The Mustangs will enter sections as one of the better teams at the tournament.

“As a team, we could definitely place high at sections. But, I have no doubts guys like [Morgan] and [Dunagan] are going to do really well individually,” said Graham.

The state tournament will be held at the Xcel Energy Center on March 2. Until then, Mounds View will look to perform well at sections.

Q: Is there a specific meal you have before a game?

A: Maybe an apple or a banana, but I don’t eat that much before a game.

Q: Who’s your biggest role model?

A: My mom because she raised me and my other siblings on her own, and I don’t know where I would be without her.

photos courtesty of Jack Graham

12 Games

Friday, february 17, 2017

top 10

is h t In ! e u iss

ways to be heard by others

10

Use a megaphone

9

Bribe them with chicken nuggets

8

Protest

7

Persistently annoy them Put it in the morning announcemtents

6 Down

Across

1. What is a famous new horror movie?

7. Who won the Minnesota Principal Award?

8. What is the name of the anti-abortion march?

9. What popular business is getting backlash?

10. Who signed at Bemidji State?

11. What was the protest for women’s rights?

2.What restaurant is known for their fresh ingredients?

3.What restaurant is known for their bacon burger?

5. What are the best cards to get for your valentine?

6.How many points is the new grading system out of?

Viewer Mission Statement

1. To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about student, faculty and administration activities, interests and policies.

2. To maintain high ethical standards with regard to fairness, personal and legal rights, responsibilities and accuracy.

3. To provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced, locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest.

4. To strive for a high level of competency in the technical aspect of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity, and precision.

5. To welcome diversity and increase the scope and depth of our coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness throughout our entire school community.

Articles and letters to the editor appearing on the editorials pages represent solely the opinions of the writers and do not represent in any way the viewpoint of Viewer, our advertisers, Mounds View High School or its staff.

The editors of the Viewer welcome and encourage the publication of all viewpoints.

Sudoku

5

Realize no one listens to them

4

Sit patiently on their car

Stare awkwardly until they see you

2

3

Poke them

Write them a strongly worded letter

1

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