MV Viewer 2017-2018 Issue 7

VOLUME 65 ISSUE 7 | March 19, 2018

THE VIEWER

THE EVOLUTION OF NEWS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE GUN CONTROL 02/ MV YOUTUBERS 04/ BLACK PANTHER 09

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News

monday, March 19, 2018

Gun control policy under fire

by Justin Duffy staff reporter

Tragedy struck Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14 when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 17 and injuring 16 more. This was the seventh firearm attack at a school within the past year.

Cruz had a troubled past. He was twice orphaned, posted videos of him cutting small animals and suffered from depression and ADHD. Cruz was also allegedly connected to a white supremacist group, Republic of Florida, and mentioned wanting to kill minority groups, including African Americans and Jews.

The weapon used in the shooting, an AR-15, is a modified version of the fully automatic M-16 used by the military and has been deemed the “most popular rifle in America” by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Unfortunately, the AR15 is also one of the most popular weapons used in mass shootings. According to CNBC, the AR15 is semi-automatic, able to fire up to 45 rounds per minute. Bullets leave the muzzle at over 2,000 mph, and the extremely low recoil of the gun makes it easy for anyone to use. This weapon is undeniably designed to kill people as quickly and easily as possible. AR-15s or guns modeled after the AR-15 have been used in a multitude of recent mass shootings, including the ones in Newtown, the Pulse Nightclub, San Bernardino and Las Vegas. In Florida, an 18-year old can buy an AR-15 with no waiting period if they do not have a domestic abuse conviction, felony charge, commitment to a mental institution or other extreme warning sign.

Despite the shootings, Mounds View students doubt that any serious changes will arise.

“It’s the same shit after every shooting where people get sad right after, send thoughts and prayers, but then ultimately nothing happens,” said Sam Mesfin, 12. Indeed, lawmakers in Florida initially declined the opportunity to discuss banning assault weapons on Feb. 21, instead focusing on the “dangers of pornography”. Senator Marco Rubio and a representative from the NRA were met with boos for opposing a ban on assault rifles proposed at a public forum on Feb. 22. Protest-

ers have called out other Congress members such as John McCain for accepting millions of dollars from the NRA in exchange for their support of firearms. The NRA denies the need for stricter gun control, instead claiming that the real culprit in mass shootings is mental illness.

On Mar. 5, Florida’s Senate passed a bill, 2018, that would limit rifle sales and let some teachers, who volunteer to undertake law enforcement training, carry firearms in schools. “Do I think this bill goes far enough? No! No, I don’t!” said Democratic Sen Lauren Book to Time magazine.

The bill will still have to go through the House.

President Trump has had a mixed response to the shooting. Although hemet with victims of the tragedy, many criticized Trump and his administration for putting blame on the FBI and suggesting that the entire incident is a ploy by liberals to increase gun control laws. Additionally, while Trump proposed a regulation banning bump stocks — attachments used to make semiautomatic rifles faster — and suggested raising the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21, he also controversially proposed training and arming teachers as a means to stop school shootings.

Students fed up with gun violence have begun to fight for stricter gun control laws. Kids throughout the nation have planned walk-outs, marches and speeches to make their voices heard by the lawmakers that can change gun laws.

Mounds View held its own walkout and 17 minutes of silence on Feb. 20 to respect those who lost their lives in the shooting. Over 100 students participated in the walkout. “I really hope it gets the attention and shows that even though kids can’t vote, we still want change,” said Camryn Warner, 10, and Avery Hayek, 10, who coorganized the walkout. “We’re the people being affected by the school shootings, so I want the politicians to change it.”

Although the Florida shooting happened nearly 2,000 miles away, it still has a profound impact on Mounds View students. “It makes it kinda scary to go to school,” said Mesfin. “I shouldn’t have to worry about getting shot at school.”

“Kids can’t vote, [but] we still want change. We’re the people being affected by the school shootings, so I want the politicians to change it.”

-Camryn Warner, 10

photo by Michelle Wang Students gather outside during the school walkout advocating for gun control on Feb. 20.

“I shouldn’t have to worry about getting shot at school.”

-Sam Mesfin, 12

“If [students] really want to get something done, they should have a specific agenda.”

-Emily O’Brien, 11

Celebrating International Women’s Day

by Derek Chen staff reporter

Beginning with last year’s #MeToo movement, women’s rights have been brought to the center of attention in American news. This movement maintained its momentum into this year. The largely publicized Grammys and Golden Globe Awards featured inspirational female speakers, and posts on social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have united millions of women of all industries — art, fashion, film, music and politics — in a common goal to speak out about the abuse and harassment that they have suffered.

The empowering movements from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Aly Raisman and Lady Gaga have only accentuated the importance of International Women’s Day (IWD). Annually held on Mar. 8, IWD commemorates the movement of women’s rights; this day is symbolic of independence and equality.

The first observance of Women’s Day was held in New York on Feb. 28, 1909, and was organized by

the Socialist Party of America. Over the next couple decades, more and more countries in Eastern Europe began to celebrate Women’s Day, and some like Soviet Russia even made it a national holiday. Eventually, the United Nations adopted International Women’s Day in 1957.

Typically, celebration consists of civil protest in large cities, such as New York City, Los Angeles and even outside the U.S. such as Madrid, Paris and Diyarbakir. Demonstrations draw thousands of men and women in to bring attention to the importance of equality. “It’s more so about solidarity this time around — women banding together against an overall problematic administration and listening to each other,” said Fatima Rahman, 12. “Activist work is definitely encouraged on this day too.”

Despite its emphatic theme of independence and equality, the holiday doesn’t seem to be as well known or celebrated as others. Even English teacher Gretchen Nesset, known for advocating social justice, is not fully aware of the holiday. “I actually don’t know a lot about

it. When I first saw it I thought it was going to be International Workers Day,” said Nesset.

How can this be changed? The International Women’s Day campaign theme, #PressforProgress, has brought with it a strong tide of followers. This year’s celebration of IWD along with the growth of women’s rights is bound to be big, and the demands of protesters and supporters of this large movement may even result in government action. “I think we need to work on not just passing laws on women’s rights but enacting them and actually doing something about bringing women’s rights around the world,” said Nesset. “It starts from legislation and then it becomes normal.”

As the popularity of International Women’s Day continues to grow each year along with the issues of women’s rights and equality, its message has rapidly spread through social media, transcending the protests for hourly wages and the right to vote. “It’s become more of a symbolic thing now,” said Rahman. “People can sign a pledge, wear a certain color, follow a theme and even campaign.”

editorials

Monday march 19, 2018

New year, new system Current

by Derek Zhu staff reporter

Next year brings many changes for Mounds View: new start times, spring construction and a new grading system.

These changes are designed to improve the high school learning environment, however, the new grading system is a step in the opposite direction.

The current grading system uses a point based system where the teacher scores each assignment then enters the score as a fraction of the points earned. With this system, anything 93 percent and above is an A, 90 to 93 percent is an A-, 87 to 90 percent is a B+ and an I is between 0 and 59 percent.

Next year, classes will shift towards an equal interval grade system. Each assignment will still be given a letter grade score such as A, B, C, D or I, but each letter representing an equal interval. Each interval represents achieving a higher level of mastery over a subject. For example, in algebra, a D would show that a student is able to answer easier questions, whereas an A shows the ability to solve complex problems. This marks a fundamental shift in grading philosophy. The new system will emphasize mastery over a subject rather than points and will hopefully encourage students to take learning as a priority over test scores.

However, this system still has many problems. While the idea of equal interval is a great idea for students’ motivation to learn, it makes it even more necessary for communication between students and teachers about the level of each interval. Teachers must have the same intervals between classes, and expectations may be less clear to students.

Additionally, although this grading system may be great for classes that have many rubric-graded assignments, the new grading system does not fit with many classes that currently rely on multiple choice tests. When directly converting from a percentage to an equal interval for a multiple choice test, each score is rounded and can result in many in-

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accuracies. If student A receives 90 percent on two tests and a 60 percent on a third test, the student ends up with two As and one D for an grade point average 3.000. If student B gets an 89 percent on two tests and a 79 percent on a third test, then the student gets two Bs and one C which results in a final average of 2.667. This is a problem because while student B has a percentage average of 85 percent, he/she gets a lower grade than person A who has an average of 80 percent. To avoid these problems, the current multiple choice tests will have to be redesigned completely to incorporate levels of mastery.

Multiple choice tests, however, make it extremely difficult for teachers to define intervals of mastery. Since there is a relatively high chance of guessing a question correct, it makes it difficult for teachers to judge a student’s mastery on a topic. For example, if a student answers some easy questions incorrectly but the most difficult questions correctly, it becomes unclear the true level of understanding of the student.

Having multiple choice tests also defeats the purpose of equal interval. While the goal of the equal interval is to shift students’ mindsets away from points and specific questions, it is easy to simply look at the questions a student answered incorrectly on a multiple choice test.

It is also impossible to completely ditch the multiple choice test. A majority of AP and other standardized tests rely on multiple choice questions and classes that are designed to prepare students for these tests also need multiple choice tests to help prepare the students.

Some potential solutions to this dilemma include discouraging guessing through penalty points for incorrect answers or incorporating multiple choice questions into short answer questions. Both of these solutions may decrease the effects of students guessing correctly.

Although the school has good intentions when implementing this new system by putting less pressure on gaining points and focusing more on gaining knowledge, it will take a lot of work for teachers to incorporate the new grading policy into their curriculums. Both students and teachers must be able to shift their mindset from a letter to a number grade and be able to interpret these grades. Coupled with the obstacle to create new methods that reflect a student’s knowledge, this new grading system may be more trouble than it’s worth.

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

Does ARCC prepare you for college?

by Kaylin Ro staff reporter

Almost all students have browsed the Mounds View course registration guide at least once in their lives — briefly before freshman year and then revisited during the course registration period in February.

It’s a handy source for information on courses offered at Mounds View and Irondale, as well as preparatory requirements for colleges. But many students might not notice the “Early College Access at Mounds View High School” portion under general information in the beginning of the guide — it seems confusing for those unfamiliar with the programs at Mounds View — and breeze by without a second glance.

Considering the purpose of an Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) course is to provide students with access to college level classes, it is worthwhile to note that the Mounds View course registration guide has specific prerequisites for some select ARCC courses, such as chemistry and physics. According to the registration guide, Anoka-Ramsey requires juniors to be in the top third of their class, seniors in the top half or to have recommendation from a dean or administrator. Not that the majority of students who do take ARCC courses are at the bottom rung of their class, but these prerequisites do seem quite gratuitous in the requirements for taking a community college course.

Most Mounds View students seem to have the ability to sign up for whichever ARCC course they want to with no regard to their class rank. Not that there should be strict prerequisites, but the ones that are set in place should be enforced.

Other ways to earn college credit include Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and College in the Schools (CIS), to name a few. Through these programs, students have the opportunity to earn a two-year associate degree for free while still enrolled in high school. According to the program information found on the district

website, AP courses “traditionally serve most effectively the highest-achieving students in the top third of their class.” Not far from accurate — most AP courses offered at Mounds View are typically rigorous and require a higher level of academic capability than other courses. Regular level courses seem to be designed for students who do not desire to take such onerous classes. It’s the students in the middle who may find ARCC courses beneficial.

ARCC courses might outweigh the benefits of taking AP courses: One can earn an associate’s degree for free with enough credits, which are dependent on the final grade of the course rather than an agonizing fourhour test taken in May. It gives students more control over their achievement and therefore the credits earned.

However, unlike AP courses, ARCC credits are typically only accepted by a few smaller colleges, most of them situated throughout Minnesota. For a student in the middle rank of his or her class (30th to 70th percentile) who wants to go to a more selective four-year college or university, taking an ARCC class will not be advantageous. Overall, an ARCC class most directly benefits an average ranking student who hopes to earn an associate’s degree before graduation at a local college.

The Early College program affirms that it “provides students with the academic foundation required for success in college [by] increasing the rigor and relevance of high school courses and exposing students to the rigors of college work.” Despite the fact that AP and ARCC courses do both, oftentimes the foundation of the courses are irregular or inconsistent. It’s as if an AP course is designed to feel like a true college level preparatory curriculum, but an ARCC course is too much like a normal high school level class. The gap between these two Early College options is too prominent — the former much more difficult than regular classes and the latter much too easy to provide a true academic foundation at the college level — making them poor choices

for the students ranked in the middle.

Thus, ARCC courses loses its appeal for the majority of students who take them. More often than not, students find themselves taking an ARCC course due to its denomination as a college level course that is not quite as brutally rigorous as an AP class or as insipid as a regular level class. In other words, it provides students a decently titled class for a lot less work, as ARCC College Chemistry may sound more impressive than Advanced Chemistry to some colleges.

There are, however, new and novel courses offered through ARCC, such as a College Music Appreciation Course that deserve more attention. As captivating as it sounds, the ARCC process seems tedious and possibly hinders the popularity of the class. Credits through the Early College program should continue to be emphasized, but are perhaps not the best option for students searching for suitable classes between the AP and regular level. To bridge this gap, the rigor of ARCC courses needs to be reevaluated, otherwise the purpose of Early College becomes lost.

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

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features

Monday, March 19, 2018

rs image fair use from Wikimedia Commons

photo courtesy of Zach Hoglund Zach Hoglund poses with a wrist watches display.

by Elliot Lee staff reporter Most students could never dream of holding a $20,000 watch but Zach Hoglund, 10, does this on a weekly basis on his YouTube channel, “WatchesOnYou.” Their channel, which primarily focuses on reviews of high-quality wrist watches, began in early 2017 and is managed by both Hoglund and his older brother. In order to review these wrist watches without paying an exorbitant amount for each video, the Hoglund brothers borrow the watches from various jewelry stores such as JB Hudson and Wixon Jewelers.

“WatchesOnYou” had a drastic increase in subscribers after Hoglund reviewed a smartwatch two months after he created his channel. Today, the channel has reached 2,600 subscribers and on his most popular video reviewing a Rolex Day-Date 40 watch, Hoglund received his highest number of views at 53,000.

YouTubers face many difficulties in the process of creating videos such as dealing with the time and effort needed to plan, film, edit and upload their videos. Unedited, the videos usually clock in at around 15 minutes while after Hoglund’s edits, the final videos are approximately six minutes long. In total, the editing process to prepare each video takes Hoglund around 45 minutes.

The amount of knowledge gained through new experiences is truly priceless and proves that experience is the teacher of all things. “I feel like my communication

skills have gotten really good,” said Hoglund. “It’s easier for me to communicate with adults, talking in front of cameras and just presenting information.”

A significant part of YouTube is the number of views that each channel and video receives. One way Hoglund tries to increase views is by searching for inspiration of other channels similar to his own and improving his technique. “What we try to do with our reviews is just give the essential information because we found that when we look at reviews ourself, a lot of them are like 20 minutes long, and nobody wants that,” said Hoglund. “We try to keep our [videos] under six minutes because that way, you just get the correct information and exactly what you need.”

Hoglund’s fascination with the complexity and craftsmanship put into the making of high-quality wrist watches inspired him to create a YouTube channel. “We realized that they’re basically the only thing around that are still handmade and complicated,” said Hoglund. “It just got us really interested, and we wanted to share that with other people, so we decided to create a YouTube channel.”

Beginning as a way to express their interests, “WatchesOnYou” has allowed the Hoglund brothers to share their knowledge and opinions on premium wrist watches. The Hoglunds have created a professional platform that allows them to express their interests as well as inspiring thousands of viewers to make smart purchases with each video they upload.

photo courtesy of Sofie Orstadius

by Alexis Larson and Michael Gennaro staff reporters Nearly everyone has browsed through YouTube to watch videos and subscribe to their favorite creators. Inspired by successful YouTubers, some have even tried to make their own videos, but few gain popularity on their YouTube channels. One rare exception is Sofie Orstadius, 12, who has accumulated 49 thousand YouTube subscribers and continues to upload videos for her fans.

Orstadius has had more success on YouTube than any other student at Mounds View. She has uploaded videos since she was 13 years old, inspired by Bethany Mota and Amanda Steele. However, she has only recently begun to upload consistently.

“I’ve actually been doing it for about a year and a half — making videos consistently.

But I started my channel when I was like 13,” said Orstadius. “They were really bad videos. We don’t talk about those times.”

Throughout her YouTube career, Orstadius has learned new skills, met new people, obtained success and discovered her passion for photography and fashion.

Orstadius is a self-taught filmmaker who began her career by filming and editing videos using iMovie on her iPhone. When she reached 30 thousand subscribers, she decided to invest in a camera and edit her videos on her laptop. The trial and error process allowed her to find success when teaching herself how to edit and create videos. “Literally every time I edit a video, I learn more. I think that’s also a really important part of being a YouTuber,” said Orstadius. “Never stop trying. You should always try harder.”

Orstadius has enjoyed meeting many people throughout her YouTube career.

One of the most significant accomplishments of Orstadius’ YouTube journey was meeting her best friend, Aaron. A rising YouTube star as well, Aaron found Sofie’s

YouTube channel and reached out to her to collaborate. Orstadius accepted, but since Aaron lives in Texas, they talked online before deciding to meet in person. “I found out he lived in Texas, so we actually never collabed, but we just started talking and Facetiming every night,” said Orstadius. “We became really good friends and now we visit each other throughout the year.”

Despite her greatest YouTube moments, Orstadius has dealt with hate because of it. “I actually had someone sophomore year make a video mocking me by making a YouTube video,” said Orstadius. “It’s pretty funny [now], but when I was younger, it got to me.”

This upcoming fall, Orstadius plans to continue her YouTube channel while also attending college. “I’m going to get an associate’s degree for two years, and stay here and keep making videos through that,” said Orstadius. “Then I want to go into fashion marketing, so I’m going to do that at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. Hopefully, [I’ll] film my experience through that. New York will [have] a lot more content.”

Despite the new opportunities that New York City might bring, Orstadius does not want to pursue her Youtube channel as a source of income. “I definitely don’t want to be one of those people whose main job is YouTube because I feel like it’s scary and it could end at any time,” said Orstadius. “I don’t feel like it’s a very stable job to have, but I do want to keep it going because it’s a fun hobby for me.”

For students thinking about starting a Youtube channel, Orstadius recommends uploading videos regularly and understanding what the audience wishes to see. “I think consistency and knowing your audience is really important because making videos,” said Orstadius. “Taking requests is really important because if you’re giving people what they want consistently, you’re going to keep growing.”

features

Monday, March 19, 2018

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Twins take on German school

by Leon Wang staff reporter

Every student attending Mounds View is required to take at least two years of a foreign language, but for Eamon Hauth-Schmid, 11, and Ellie Hauth-Schmid, 11, their second language journey began during elementary school.

The twins have attended the Twin Cities German Immersion School for nine years, and as a result, they have had a unique education leading up to high school.

From their first year in Kindergarten to their eighthgrade year, the Hauth-Schmid duo noticed that attending an immersion school allowed for a far more indulging experience with the German language than a traditional language class would offer. “[The language immersion] was mixed a lot,” said Eamon Hauth-Schmid. “The first four or five years we primarily focused on German and there were probably four or five classes in German. Then once we got to about fifth grade, we didn’t really have to improve all that much in German, so it kind of switched to three classes in German and three in English.”

As a result of the immersion, language classes at Mounds View were a cakewalk. “We took German Four last year, and it was like a first grade class for us,” said Eamon Hauth-Schmid. The two also enjoyed many other benefits of going to such a unique school which included an unforgettable trip to Germany, where they visited Berlin and the site of the famous Berlin Wall. “I still have so many memories from that [trip]. It was so fun,” said Ellie Hauth-Schmid.

Alongside rigorous German classes, the school also emphasized immersion in the German culture and language. “A lot of the teachers were from Germany. They were really strict about German, too, and we used to have a point system where you would lose points if you spoke too much English in a class,” said Ellie Hauth-Schmid.

Having a school environment with many educators directly from Germany challenged the students and elevated their exposure to the country’s culture and language. “[Because the teachers] went through an entirely different [education] system, the way they taught was different,” said Eamon Hauth-Schmid. “We had a system where we had interns for each class and they were all German college students that came here for a year. They were a sort of a teacher’s assistant, so it was always kind of co-taught.”

While language immersion did provide a unique and valuable experience for the Hauth-Schmids, it lacked some aspects that regular schools have. Extracurriculars and sports teams were not provided because few students attended the school. “We didn’t really have after-school activities,” said Ellie Hauth-Schmid. “There might’ve been a basketball team, but I joined a club for my sport. That’s what a lot of kids did because [the immersion school] was so small they couldn’t really make teams.” Furthermore, there were no choices or variety of class options such as AP classes. “It was pretty much only one level for each class because the grades were small,” said Eamon HauthSchmid. “I mean, we only had sixteen kids in our entire grade one time.”

Overall, the experience of language immersion was a positive one for the twins. “I would say we are more informed about the world because we learned so much about it at the German school,” said Eamon Hauth-Schmid. Although the school was small and lacked some public school opportunities, the Hauth-Schmids gained insight into Germany and became more conscious of the world around them, making for a worthwhile experience. “I don’t think [immersion school] is for everyone,” said Ellie HauthSchmid. “It kind of depends on what person you are, but I personally think it was just a really great experience to have.”

photo courtesy of Ellie Hauth-Schmid

Bonjour from French school

by Alexis Larson staff reporter With multiple educational options for children, many parents opt to enroll their kids in immersion schools so that they have the opportunity to become bilingual. Isabella Chaffee, 12, attended the French immersion school L’ Etoile Du Nord from kindergarten until sixth grade, and her experience has transformed her life.

L’ Etoile Du Nord features many Frenchspeaking teachers from around the world, including those from France, Canada, Senegal, Cameroon and Laos. This allows for diversity amongst the teachers’ instructing styles as they mirror their own education growing up.

Unlike non-immersion schools, L’Etoile Du Nord teachers begin speaking in French on the first day to allow students to become engaged with the language.

Chaffee explains that it was not that difficult to learn because she was only five years old when she entered the school.

“I think when you’re young, you are more impressionable,” said Chaffee.

“When you’re in kindergarten, it’s not like you’re really paying attention, so in some ways, it doesn’t really matter which language is being spoken to you.”

The largest challenge that Chaffee faced when attending the immersion school was not being able to receive guidance from her parents involving the French language. “My parents were really supportive and would get French books for us to read and stuff like that, but at the end of the day they couldn’t necessarily help me with my homework,” said Chaffee.

Although many years have passed since Chaffee attended L’Etoile Du Nord, the education she received continues to impact her life today by giving her a passion for different languages and cultures. Not only is she now fluent in French, but by growing up speaking two languages, Chaffee finds it easy to pick up new languages as well. “It made learning other languages a lot easier. I go to a Norwegian camp in the summer, and I found that picking up Norwegian was really second nature for me,” said Chaffee. “I don’t really have to try that hard to understand it, and it just clicked a lot faster.”

For families who are considering enrolling their children in an immersion school, Chaffee recommends it for multiple reasons. “Learning a photo courtesy of Isabella Chaffee second language opens up a lot of opportunities later in life, whether it be travel or job opportuni- Isabella Chaffee and her brother at the Queen’s Hamlet in ties, or even just exposure to different cultures at Versailles, France a young age,” said Chaffee. “Plus, it’s so much easier to learn a language when you’re little.”

photo fair use from Pixabay

The importance of media literacy

by Alec Weber staff reporter

With the rise of modern technology, media consumption has shifted from television and newspapers to social media and major news broadcasts. As time passes, the methods in which students get their news and information on current events will likely continue to change.

Scott Sochay, associate professor of Communications Studies at Bethel University, acknowledges the changes coming to news outlets and how they are received. “In my generation, we had the choice of three different television networks.

Our access to news was relatively restricted, and it came from whatever the local newspaper or the major television networks wanted us to know,” said Sochay. “Now you have so many more choices. You have the wonder of the internet. You have the option to choose the news which you are interested in, which may not necessarily be the news that you need to know.”

A major issue that sometimes goes unnoticed by many outside of journalism is the commercial and political bias news outlets show.

The solution to this problem is a media literate society.

According to the National Conference on Media Literacy, media literacy is the “ability to access, analyze, evaluate and produce communication in a variety of forms.” Media literacy is an important skill to possess, especially as the world and news are filled with a plethora of fallacies and opinions. Being able to distinguish what is true and false is also important because as a society, everyone is motivated by success, often embodied by money and fame.

According to Sochay, the vast majority of media producers are motivated by similar factors but instead of money and fame, with viewership and the funds associated with it. “The way to stand out is not to be the most credible but to be the most sensational,” said Sochay.

The stories that are prioritized by news companies are selected by estimations on which will draw the most attention and, in turn, the most money. “News framing is inordinately impacted by commercial needs, as in attracting eyeballs and not offending the advertisers that fund our private, corporate news system,” said Mark Pedelty, professor of Communications Studies at the University of Minnesota. “For example, there are several environmental news stories right now that should be front page news, but mainstream corporate news entities are always hesitant to poke the bear.”

Sochay believes that it is important that students become media literate in order to develop the ability to filter out misleading information and data presented in news stories. A greater prevalence of media literacy in America can combat the attention seeking that currently influences some news outlets.

The distribution and presentation of news will continue to change as the world becomes increasingly technology-integrated. Clickbait titles and deceptive news stories are inevitable; the best way to separate truth from falsehood is to be able to critically evaluate the stories we read. But in the end, it is up to us to ensure the core tenets of news, validity and transparency, continue to be upheld.

Student op

by Ben Steil staff reporter

News is an essential aspect of the lives o Americans. We consume it voraciously in an to keep up with current events, local happening figure out what the weather will be like next w In recent years, mainstream news sourc become controversial. According to a Gallup number of Americans that say they have a “gr or fair amount” of trust in mainstream media h tinued a 20-year downward trend, hitting an low of just 32 percent in 2016, falling from 50 in 2005.

Most students at Mounds View also feel a skepticism when watching major news netwo cording to a Viewer poll of 100 students, 74 described a some distrust towards mainstream sources. “I see a clear bias. CNN used to b good, but now it’s really untrustworthy. There’s fake news out there and lots of articles or new that are very biased, which isn’t what I expec so-called objective news source,” said Kishan mugam, 9. Jonah Roesler, 11, specifically rem the story that led him to believe CNN had an tive agenda. “I remember back in the summ there was a story outing CNN by Project Verita

Word of mouth Major news sources Social media

Where do you get your news?

100 students polled information compiled by Ben Steil

Not at all Skeptical/some amount of distrust Very much/good amount

How much do you trust major news networks?

100 students polled information compiled by Ben Steil

The history of news

by Jenna Stellmack staff reporter

pinion

of many attempt gs or just week. ces have poll, the reat deal has conall time 0 percent

sense of orks. Ac4 percent m media be really ’s a lot of ws stories ct from a nth Arumembers alternamer when as. It was

an interview with a producer at CNN in which that producer, Van Jones, admitted that ‘The Russia thing is just a big nothingburger,’ even though that’s basically all CNN run stories on,” said Roesler (editor’s note: Van Jones is a political commentator at CNN).

Alternatively, some students still trust the validity of major news networks. “I trust mainstream media a fair amount because I think the media has to have more truths in it. The country relies on it to be factual, and we still hold the media accountable,” said Amira Bushagour, 12. Others trust the media, but not fully.

“I believe it, but wouldn’t be surprised if the story was found out to be untrue. Anyone can say anything so you have to take things with a grain of salt,” said Zoe Fallgatter, 9.

Today, most Mounds View students use social media platforms, like Twitter or Snapchat, for news because it gives free and immediate access to current events. “I choose social media because it’s easy [and] accessible at all times, unlike shows only on at like 5 o’clock,” said Emmanuel Mongare, 11.

In general, during a time in which mainstream news has become increasingly controversial, Mounds View students have become skeptical of major news outlets and value the convenience of social media for their news.

Every day, news sources bombard us with new information. Sometimes this information serves to inform us of the world around us, but at other times it serves an ulterior purpose. Yet, whether it be good or bad, the news is constantly present in our increasingly interconnected digital world and has undergone dramatic changes in the past few years.

News was once considered a public service during the mid-20th century. That changed once big businesses began to buy up news outlets. With increasing emphasis on advertising and sensationalism, news companies gradually became more commercialized. According to Business Insider, 90 percent of media companies in 2011 were owned by six large corporations, including Disney and Time Warner.

In the late 20th century, industries, notably magazines, began to divide into smaller subdivisions that catered to select audiences.

However, these outlets were still a part of their larger media companies. Large, general-interest magazines like Life began to die out and were replaced by smaller magazines with more specific audiences. This trend is most prominently seen today in the huge variety of magazines available, from sports-focused publications such as Sports Illustrated to political magazines like The Atlantic.

Television companies latched onto the same marketing strategy when cable TV was born. Ads began to target these new, less diverse audiences because it was cheaper and easier to focus ads at smaller and more specific groups. Unfortunately, along with channels that were more tailored to specific types of people, many news sources became more inaccurate, according to the Huffington Post. For example, 24-hour news channels, which cater to people with fast-paced lifestyles, sometimes result in

stories that are rushed and inaccurate.

Interestingly, according to the Center for Media Literacy, the abundance of misinformation in politically-oriented media didn’t begin in recent years. In fact, misinformation about politics has been the norm for hundreds of years.

The stigma around falsities in politics has been fueled in part by President Trump’s disdain for news organizations. According to factcheck.org, Trump referenced “fake news” 320 times in his public remarks. On Jan. 21, 2017, he referred to journalists as “the most dishonest human beings on Earth.”

In addition to print publications and television, online content has become increasingly personalized. Content that appears as “recommended” on sites like Facebook or YouTube is tailored through a series of algorithms to match what the user has already viewed. This serves to reinforce the opinions that one holds about the world.

In fact, many of the most popular sites on the internet, like Netflix and Amazon, use algorithms to match previously viewed content with similar options. According to the New York Times, these algorithms are so important to Netflix that the company has offered $1 million to anyone who can improve the accuracy of their recommendations by 10 percent.

Easily accessible online news has caused many print publications to decline in popularity, sometimes even dying entirely, according to WGBH News. When news can easily be found online, the general public is less willing to pay for print paper or a reputable online publication.

The news is continuously evolving to encompass broader media platforms, including specialized magazines, online news sites and live broadcasting. In our ever-growing digital world, these changes will continue to alter the face of how we perceive, filter and consume media.

8

DEBATES

Monday, March 19, 2018

Should students get a job?

Jobs bring money and responsibility

by Shelley Wang staff reporter Driving, friends, college applications and spending money. High school introduces students to a world of newfound freedom. Along with that freedom comes responsibility. Not only can taking on financial responsibility prove one’s maturity to parents and allow for more personal freedoms, it can also build onto one’s responsible tendencies, amplify a resume and help in college savings.

It can be frustrating to be constantly limited by parental rule. When students get jobs, not only are they self sustaining their leisure expenses, but they are also proving their responsibility. This often convinces parents to become more lax on their child’s social life, as well as their material expenses. With a job, students can fund their own leisure expenses, therefore expanding their purchasing freedom and easing the financial burden that offspring put upon parents.

Moreover, a student job is really like any other job. It sends the student into the real world, with real people, allowing for them to gain people skills needed in their future careers. High school can often be a student’s whole world, and a workplace environment can introduce them to an entirely new atmosphere, contributing to the maturity process as well. There, students have the opportunity to build social, financial and workplace skills that build on top of what they learn in school, preparing them even further for post-secondary plans. These skills play a crucial role in a student’s adjustment to life after high school.

With a head start on previous work experience, a student can easily hold an advantage over other

high school peers in the hiring process of a new job. Two candidates may have the same educational credentials, but the one with work experience is likely to seem much more reliable and capable than the one without any. Additionally, an individual with past work experience can yield a higher base pay in the next job than their inexperienced counterpart.

Furthermore, students can save their earnings for post-secondary expenses. Whether it be trade school, university or a car, students can make a dent in the financial burden to come. For many, university is the next step in the education system.

For example, at the University of Minnesota, the cost of attendance totals up to $27,469 per year.

While scholarships cover some of the cost, many students do not receive a full scholarship. To fund the rest of the cost, students can start saving in high school, easing the burden of college debt.

Although some may say the hours spent working could be put to better use studying, statisticbrain. com shows that students spend an average of 3.11 hours on homework per night. With the weekend included, there is more than ample time for both a part-time job and leisure activities. Students heavily involved in extracurriculars, however, may not want a job, as athletics usually run late into the evening.

In such cases, students may want to consider a summer job to save up for the school year.

Students are some of the most stressed individuals in society. With a job in high school, students can ease the impending stress over finances in college. Those who are not financially stressed may want to consider the other benefits a parttime job carries — work experience, autonomy, responsibility and of course, money.

Anders Bandt, 12, makes a drink.

photo by Sarah Tang

Jobs bring stress and distraction

by Michael Gennaro staff reporter Part-time jobs are a common way for students at Mounds View to bring in extra money on the side.

However, these jobs are often strenuous, consuming a significant amount of time. Along with school, extracurriculars and a personal life, jobs create a difficult juggling act that just isn’t worth it.

Studying and getting school assignments done on time should be a student’s first priority, but working students often find that a new job absorbs all of their precious free time after school, placing academics as second priority. This can then lead to one of two possibilities: becoming sleep deprived or performing poorly in school. In many cases, taking on an afterschool job results in both of these possibilities.

A student’s academic career is far more important than taking on the burdening risk of working a minimum-wage job. While having some spare cash is nice to have on certain occasions, earning better grades in school could help greatly with one’s chances of acceptance into higher-tier colleges. This will then yield a greater chance of having a larger income when one is older. This is an example of a less-now, more-later situation which will help most out in the long run. High school jobs will only lead to lower grades due to a lack of time for studying and school work in general.

Along with the importance of keeping up in one’s academics, sleep too is an often overlooked necessity that is in short supply for high schoolers.

When a job is added to a student’s already busy schedule consisting of homework, sports, eating, studying and family time, students will have to spend more time awake doing work rather than resting for the next day to come. Losing sleep over a job is simply not worth the physical and mental burdens it can bring to students.

Finally, the compensation of most jobs is simply not worth it. Especially for seniors and juniors, scholarships can reward more money for a fewer amount of time and work. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of scholarships available to Mounds View students that reward hundreds of dollars for a simple essay. Compared to a job that pays 10 dollars an hour, it’s far more time effective to apply for these scholarships, many of which are strings free.

All in all, getting a job in high school is not worth the fuss because it causes over scheduling in a high schooler’s busy day, which then causes stress and overrides the importance of one’s academics. Time is one of the most valuable items that high schoolers possess, and with the constant responsibility of work, everything else is no longer an option. In order to remain a sane teen with a wellbalanced schedule and social life, one does not have the time of day to take on a job in high school as well.

illustrations by Christina Mehrkens

Viewer Staff 2017-2018

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING COPY EDITOR MANAGING DESIGN EDITORS MANAGING ONLINE EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER FRONT COVER NEWS EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR DEBATES EDITOR

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STAFF WRITERS Derek Chen, Justin Duffy, Rachel Ganske, Michael Gennaro, Jeffrey He, Emma Hoyhtya, Alexis Larson, Elliot Lee, Jason Lou, Robert Nelson, Luka Pejic, Kaylin Ro, Benjamin Steil, Jenna Stellmack, Leon Wang, Shelley Wang, Alec Weber, Derek Zhu

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Arts & Entertainment 9

Monday, March 19, 2018

Black Panther breaks box offices

by Robert Nelson staff reporter

The long awaited movie, Black Panther, hit theaters Feb. 16, marking a new statement in the superhero industry. As the first black superhero to have an independent film, it interweaves African culture into a classic superhero narrative, pushing new cultural boundaries in the process. Additionally, in terms of the Marvel Universe, it also sets the scene for Infinity War, a huge film that will tie together all the different Marvel movies.

With all of this hype surrounding Black Panther, it’s no wonder it had the fifth biggest opening weekend of all time. This film is currently on track to take the throne of the highest rated superhero movie with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97 percent. The movie’s four-day opening weekend grossed a whopping $202 million, smashing multiple box office records.

The setting of the movie takes place in an advanced civilization unknown to the outside world called Wakanda. A fictional element called Vibranium makes up the entirety of Wakanda, the result of a meteor strike that happened long ago.

The Black Panther’s suit is also made out of this rare resource, the same material that makes up Captain America’s shield.

T’Challa, also known as the Black Panther, is played by Chadwick Boseman, who made his first Marvel appearance in Captain America: Civil War, where he attempted to avenge his father’s death.

Returning home after his father’s death in Black Panther, T’Challa is crowned king of Wakanda but is tested for his position when an unknown person finds a way into Wakanda. The person reveals himself to be a potential heir to the throne, and he threatens to expose the secrets of the sacred land, putting both Wakanda and the world at great risk. T’Challa is guided by his female leaders Nakia and Okoye, to serve justice to the kingdom of Wakanda.

Throughout these scenes, we see T’Challa redefine his initial morals while struggling to deal with his identity as a ruler. T’Challa must grapple with how he should guide Wakanda, and in his struggle, the film draws direct parallels to current political debates and societal problems — all the while dazzling with gorgeous graphics.

The movie displays some of the best Marvel characters in the Marvel Universe. One of the best is the main villain. Moviegoers can relate to this character’s rage over the ongoing problems around the world and could be able to understand why he uses violent behaviors in attempt to establish equity in the modern world.

Maybe the greatest part about Black Panther is the amount of representation displayed. With an almost entirely black cast, the movie finally allows an entire culture to have well deserved recognition. Not to mention the incredible strength in each of the women. Through and through, this movie is one of Marvel’s best.

The Verdict

Black Panther displays phenomenal cinematics, charismatic characters and strong story structure.

It is one movie you don’t want to miss and should definitely consider going to see in an IMAX theatre. If you’re a big fan of Marvel, intricate plots and well developed characters, this is sure to satisfy.

5/5

photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

Every Day : not worth every view

by Luka Pejić staff reporter Based on the bestseller by David Levithan, Every Day was released on Feb. 23 and is a truly inspiring romance story. The film follows Rhiannon, a 16-year-old girl who falls in love with a mysterious entity named “A.” However, A has a unique problem: He wakes up in a different body each day, without knowing how or why.

Constantly feeling an unmatched connection, Rhiannon and A encounter different situations each day to find each other, unaware what or who the next day will bring.

As the movie and their relationship progress, the realities of loving someone who is a different person every sunrise takes a toll. This puts stress on their relationship, and Rhiannon and A cannot avoid facing the hardest decision one has to make. They have to ask one question no couple ever wants to — is it worth it?

Throughout the plot, A inhabits 16 people of different genders, races and sexualities, thematically touching on the motif of true love being universal and withstanding all odds. Every Day speaks many inspirational messages, the most notable being that everyone should have the freedom to be who they are and love whoever they want to love.

The movie also promotes the idea of digging deeper and looking beyond superficial love. Although the film has an interesting and intriguing approach to this topic, every concept is answered with an even more problematic solution. Each plot twist raises several questions that are never completely answered in the movie. photo courtesy of Orion Pictures

Additionally, the film’s crucial, final moments, which are meant to tie everything together, do it in such an unconventional way — it feels as if nothing has been resolved at all. Many people may leave the theater with a sense of discontent and confusion because of the ending.

In the end, Every Day is a well-intentioned message about being inclusive and valuing inner beauty over the first physical impression. Sadly, the film is stuck in a stubborn attitude between confusing and snooze-inducing. But at the very least, it’s not the typical clichè romance movie and gives some well deserved representation to members of the LGBT community.

The Verdict Every Day is not a typical romance movie. It inspires messages of love and acceptance in ways that have hardly been touched on in the last era of romance. The new spin with this film strays far from clichè and into delightfully original territory.

Even so, it is so unconventional it arouses clouds of confusion and is likely to lull many people to sleep.

3 5

10

good question

monday, march 19, 2018

Why do we have deans?

by Emma Hoyhtya staff reporter

Students are taught that constant communication with their deans is vital to a successful high school career. Although the administration insists that deans are there to help and encourage each student, some students disagree. With two new and four returning deans, there seems to be a variety of dean-to- student relationships that range from excellent to underwhelming.

According to nami.org, one in five teenagers ages 13 through 18 have or will have experienced a mental illness during their lifetime. This being said, students need more support, but are the deans prepared to personally get to know each student, connect with them and understand their unique situations?

To answer this question, it’s important to define what a dean is. “[Deans are] a one stop shop. They are [an] academic counselor, a social emotional support and a liaison between students, teachers and family members,” said Principal Stephanie Bruggers. “They have a broader responsibility in this district than a typical dean or counselor in a different district.”

In 2006, Mounds View switched from the guidance counselor model to the dean model, giving deans smaller caseloads with more responsibilities to fulfill in the daily life of each student. With the original guidance counselor job description, principals and associate principals were in charge of all discipline while guidance counselors took on the mental health and support duties. While the dean model is very different than the models of other schools, the deans feel that it allows more flexibility when helping students. “A failure to adapt and change is failure to meet the needs of students,” said Dean David Ritter. This requires deans to continuously look for new ways to improve their positions and make it beneficial for both parties.

It’s also important to understand the educational backgrounds of Mounds View’s

deans. In the model that Mounds View uses, there are many educational pathways that can be taken to become a dean. “You have to have either an administration license, a counseling license, social worker or special ed [teacher] in order to apply to be a dean,” said Bruggers.

With such a wide variety of prerequisites, students notice that there is a large difference in the deans’ ability to help with certain situations. When 100 Mounds View students were asked how likely they would be to go to their dean with a personal issue on a scale of 1-10, 72 percent chose a four or below. “They aren’t on the top of my list,” said Kaya Sherman, 12. “I’d go to family and teachers first because they know more about my personal life.”

While many students don’t have a personal connection with their dean, some students feel the deans are one of their most trusted adults. “[My dean is] one of my closest confidants, and he has helped enormously through my college process,” said Scott Binder, 12.

Deans are the people in the school who live in the gray area between teachers and administrators and take on several different roles every day. They manage issues as they come, but oftentimes overlook students who aren’t coming into their office to talk about their current hardships.

While it’s easy to blame the deans for the lack of a personal relationships with students, students themselves are also responsible for opening up to their deans and talking about their problems. “I think what you put into the relationship is what you get out,” said Ryanna Buganski, 12.

There is always room for improvement for both parties, and while the system isn’t perfect, it’s important to understand that the deans are always trying to improve and create better relationships with the students. “[The deans] are here for you,” said Ritter. “Working together is what is going to make us successful.”

What is St. Patrick’s day?

by Rachel Ganske staff reporter

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually based on the date of Easter, and this year, it fell on Mar. 17 over Mounds View students’ spring breaks. As the historical importance of this day has slowly been lost throughout the years, many students have no idea why this day is significant. “I mean, I’m Irish and I have no idea what [the history] is,” said Anna Montgomery, 10.

According to Time magazine, St. Patrick’s Day originated in 1631 when the Catholic Church established a day honoring the late Patron Saint of Ireland who had died during the fifth century. Saint Patrick was born and formally trained in Great Britain, but he moved to Ireland for missionary work. The main reason why the Irish celebrate the late Saint is because St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland and in turn, drove out the snakes or serpents who are symbolic of the pagans or heathens. St. Patrick’s Day was not annually celebrated in Ireland until the early 18th century and did not make an appearance in the United States until the large amount

of migration due to the Great Potato Famine in 1845.

Today, many cities across the United States still celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. One unique tradition held in Chicago is dyeing the Chicago River green. In 1961, Savannah, Georgia first attempted to dye the Savannah River green to celebrate this holiday. Although this was unsuccessful, it inspired the city of Chicago to attempt the river dyeing one year later — the river was successfully dyed green in 1962. Over 50 years later, the tradition still goes strong. “I was in Chicago on St. Patricks Day one year,” said Steve McCoy, 11. “I don’t know what they put in the river, but it was really bright green and there were tons of people in the streets. Everyone was in green and celebrating.”

While river dyeing is a unique celebration, other places around the country celebrate in a more traditional way. According to the St. Patrick’s Day parade website, the parade in New York City draws a crowd of around 150,000 marchers and 2 million spectators. The parade honors St. Patrick himself and has occurred annually since 1762.

Have any good questions? Email us

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“They decorate all of the buildings very fancy with green streamers, signs and pots of gold,” said Grace Pitsenbarger, 9. “Times Square was crazy.” While some students celebrate by wearing green and eating festive foods, many don’t celebrate at all. “I don’t celebrate it. I’m not strongly tied to my Irish heritage,” said McCoy. Despite its historical significance, most students admit the holiday is less about honoring St. Patrick and more about partying.

“It turned from a traditional holiday actually meaning something, to people just drinking and having parades,” said Montgomery.

While St. Patricks Day does have less historical meaning, most students can agree that it is a fun, lighthearted holiday celebrated world wide. “I think it’s fine. It’s fun to celebrate, as long as you’re safe it’s not really insulting anyone,” said McCoy. American culture has moved towards celebrating all events even though you don’t have any connections to them, but as proved by St. Patrick’s Day anyone can celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland for a day.

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

toni.baraga@mvviewer.org

sports

monday, march 19, 2018

Athlete of the issue

Sarah Voytilla Gymnastics Q: How long have you been doing gymnastics?

A: I have been doing gymnastics since I was 3 years old.

Q: What’s your favorite part about gymnastics?

A: My favorite parts of gymnastics are the bonds/friendships that I have made with my teammates, the challenge of learning new skills, and the feeling I get when I accomplish my goals.

Q: How do you prepare for meets?

A: To prepare for meets, I practice as much as I can and visualize all of my routines a ton.

Q: What was your goal last season?

A: My goal was to make it to state and I accomplished this goal.

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

A: I think the best advice i have gotten is to just take things one at a time, and not get too far ahead of yourself in gymnastics and in life.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the season? Why? A: My favorite part is always the end of the season. It’s the time when you can really see all of your hard work pay off.

It is always fun to go back and look at the old memories from the season.

Blazing a new trail

by Jason Lou staff reporter

Many students enjoy biking on a freshly paved path, but members of Mounds View’s Mountain Bike Club (MTB) are different. These student athletes test the limits of speed and agility by going off-road on rugged terrain.

Each season, the team competes in five races across Minnesota and Wisconsin and finishes in the top ten at most of them. These races range from 4 to 20 miles and can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to complete. Coach Rich Van Sickle leads the 15-member team through the races and practices, which are held three days a week during the summer and two days a week leading into the school year.

Every race begins with 50 to 70 people lined up at the start of the track.

The rugged course then narrows for each biker with space varying from a foot to 24 inches wide. “You’re just cruising through there, taking turns and climbing short and long hills,” said Chihiro Gustafson, 11. “The terrain is like hiking trail, but for bikes. It’s got flow to it.”

To fit so many racers on the trail,

race authorities often need to improvise.

“Sometimes, they’ll split the stronger and weaker riders to help keep it safe,” said Gustafson. “[They] spread out the race and make it fun and safe for everyone.” As the stronger and more experienced riders race ahead through the trail, the beginners tend to fall behind.

As one of these stronger bikers, Gustafson hopes to achieve a podium finish. Due to the team’s lack of captains, every member benefits from a rider’s success by learning from it.

Even though the experienced bikers have set goals for the upcoming season, some of the new team members joined simply for a recreational sport. “As long as I am having fun, it is a success,” said Colby Lessard, 11, new member.

Despite their various goals, the team agrees that the most important measure of success is how the athlete feels after racing and how good of a race one had, either by earning a podium finish or a new personal record.

Whether it be casual biking or intense racing, the team tries to make the most of it. The MTB team is training hard in the off season as they look forward to another successful season in the fall.

11

Chihiro Gustafson, 11, approaches the finish line at a race.

photos courtesy of Chihiro Gustafson Team members hold up their trophy after a race.

The ultimate sport

by Jeffrey He staff reporter

Disks fly through the air. Players voices call out, “Hold the mark! Shallow cuts let’s go!” These cries can be heard at every girls ultimate frisbee practice and game.

Senior captains Echo Fatsis, Hannah Kremer and Cate McNabb will lead the team this year, along with new head coach Sara Helm. These four made it their goal to help both new and older players to hone their ultimate skills.

The Mounds View girls ultimate frisbee team recently started their season and is working together to overcome obstacles that come their way. Although most of the teammates are returners from last year, the team has grown in number, causing a possibility of creating two groups. “Last year, it was kind of small with around 20 people on the team, but this year, a lot of people tried out,” said Olivia Symonik, 12. “We might end up having two teams this year.”

Welcoming a new coach is a big change the team will have to adjust to for this season. “Even though it may be hard to work with a new coach at first, as captains, we are excited to see how she can help our team change for the better,” said McNabb.

Helm played on Mounds View’s ultimate team in 2012 then joined the University of Minnesota’s team from 2013 to 2016. Last year, Helm was assistant coach at Mounds View along with Kalli Perano.

Through her learnings as an assistant last year, Helm gained more interest and experience in coaching. When previous head coach Cindy Tamaki retired, Helm filled the vacancy. Many ultimate athletes feel that the new coach will help them improve their skills and teamwork while pushing the team to a better record in the upcoming season.

“We made it to our section championship last year, and we lost there, but this year we want to make it back and win and then just go far in state,” said Fatsis.

With Helm, the team has already made great strides towards a successful and exciting season. “We’ve been focusing more on our athleticism by adding more drills that involve lots of running and scheduling conditioning times for the team,” said Fatsis.

Not only does Helm focus on the skills of the sport, but she makes sure that her athletes have the stamina and strength to perform their best.

Another addition to the new year was changing their practices by adding more conditioning to their drills to prepare for

conference matches. “[The new coach] definitely makes us run more because in ultimate, you can have 30 minute points just running the entire time,” said Fatsis. “We are in much better shape than last year.”

As the season progresses, the girls seek to improve their skills and their program’s success. The senior captains and Helm hope to enhance the ultimate experience to make it more fun and to develop agility throughout the season. “We’re always trying to be spirited, stay positive and improve each other because that is ultimate,” said Fatsis. stamina and strength to perform their best.

Another addition to the new year was changing their practices by adding more conditioning to their drills to prepare for conference matches. “[The new coach] definitely makes us run more because in ultimate, you can have 30 minute points just running the entire time,” said Fatsis. “We are in much better shape than last year.”

As the season progresses, the girls seek to improve their skills and their program’s success. The senior captains and Helm hope to enhance the ultimate experience to make it more fun and to develop agility throughout the season. “We’re always trying to be spirited, stay positive and improve each other because that is ultimate,” said Fatsis.

Q: What has been your favorite gymnastics experience?

A: My favorite gymnastics experience was probably going to state, especially this year since it was my last year.

Kylee Moberg, 12, jumps up to catch the frisbee during a game.

photos courtesy of Echo Fatsis The team makes silly faces to celebrate their victory.

:

12

MONDAY, March 19, 2018

top 10 Ways to have spent SPRINg Break

10

Working out

9

Watching the world burn

8

Hanging with friends Traveling abroad

6

7

Sleeping

Doing absolutely nothing

4

Chilling on a beach

Facing a existential crisis over college decisions

2

5

All of these words are used throughout the issue. To learn more about these key words, read the articles!

3

Doing homework

Binging Netflix

1

YOUTUBE

ARCC

GUNS

KILLMONGER

FRISBEE

WATCHES

TRUMP

DEANS

IMMERSION

NEWS

IWD

JOBS

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