MV Viewer 2016-2017 Issue 9

VOLUME 64 ISSUE 9 | June 2, 2017

THE VIEWER LIFE AFTER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE START TIMES 02/ JAMES COMEY 05/ 13 REASONS WHY 08

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News

friday, june 2, 2017

Board approves later start times

by Daniel Yong managing editor - online ’16-17

Following an extensive eight-month public review, the School Board has approved start time changes throughout the district. Starting in the 2018–2019 school year, Mounds View High School’s daily schedule will be 8:35 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

The School Board decided to change start times after re-examining the issue. Prior to considering the possible changes last fall, the board last reviewed start time changes in 2014. At the time, the School Board concluded that changing start times would be economically unfeasible, but new developments have now made revised start times a practical option.

“Mounds View has negotiated a new transportation contract in which the District is partnering with multiple providers to provide more flexibility,” said Board Chair Amy Jones.

Additionally, the School Board consulted more research regarding high schoolers’ sleep needs.

“When we last reviewed this issue in 2014, we agreed with the medical evidence and research that later high school start times would better align with teens’ unique sleep needs,” said Jones. The Board worked with Kyla Wahlstrom, a senior research fellow at the University of Minnesota, who found that later start times resulted in higher test scores and decreases in local car crashes and tardiness. This research — coupled with findings from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — led the School Board to make their decision.

2016-2017

Viewer Editors Editor-in-Chief

Sunny Lim

Managing Editor - Copy

Felix Zhang

Managing Editor - design

Kallie Slotvig Felix Zhang

Managing Editor - Online

Ben Davis

Business Manager

Aman Rao

Front Cover

Sunny Lim News

Diana Zhu Features

Kallie Slotvig

Editorials

Marley Jones Cassandra Downs center fold

Sarah Tang Michelle Wang

what’s trending

Haley Keeney

arts & entertainment

Shannon Haffely

While the School Board ultimately decided on the change, the choice was largely guided by input from the community and schools in the district as well. “There was a majority of support for later high school start times,” said Jones, citing the public review period that the Board had opened.

Mounds View’s schedule will be similar to the current school schedule, but all classes and lunch will be pushed back one hour. Class lengths and passing time will remain the same, and ReF.L.E.C.T. will be kept as well.

Though the changes to the school day are relatively simple, scheduling extracurricular activities may be an obstacle. “The biggest complication we anticipate is accommodating sports [and] activities after school and into the evening,” said Associate Principal Stephanie Bruggers. With a later school day, potential difficulties arise regarding facility space and available time.

Students are divided about the change. “I appreciate the thought and effort on behalf of the school board, said Rachael Wasson, 10, “ but I think this is going to have a negative impact on student activities because everything will go later.”

Though some students view the change negatively, others are looking forward to the later start times. “I think it’s really nice to have kids sleep in so they have more time to get ready in the morning and get more sleep,” said Leah Brandt, 9.

With its decision to change start times, Mounds View has joined a growing trend among not only Minnesota school districts, but also districts nationwide.

2018-2019 Tentative Schedule Bus Pickup and Arrival

7:35-8:05

1st Hour

8:35-9:31

Passing Time

2nd Hour

9:37-10:33

Passing Time

10:39-11:35

3rd Hour Passing Time

A Lunch 4th Hour

4th Hour (split)

11:35-12:04 4th Hour

B Lunch 4th Hour (split)

C Lunch

12:09-12:34 12:39-1:09

Passing Time

5th Hour

1:17-2:13

Passing Time

6th Hour

2:19-3:15

Academic clubs conquer the nation and take on the world

by Amber Zhao managing editor - copy ’16-17 April and May brought a lot of success to Mounds View’s top academic teams at both the national and world level. On April 22, Height Differential, one of Mounds View’s robotics teams, ranked first at the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship. One month later, on May 20, Mounds View’s Econ Challenge team won the Adam Smith division at the National Economics Challenge.

Grant Altenhofen, 10; John Helgeson, 11; Akash D’ Souza, 10; and Nick Riedel, 11; make up the Height Differential team and spent countless hours working together since fourth grade. They put in over 2,300 hours preparing their robot for the world competition, held in St. Louis, Missouri.

This season, Height Differential sought to build a completely customized machine, designing each part of their robot

from scratch. “It was hard to get all the parts for our machine,” said Helgeson.

“Getting all the 3D modeling and making sure that everything would fit and getting it manufactured so we could build it was really challenging.” At the competition, teams from across the world competed against each other to shoot a whiffle ball into a bucket, a game similar to basketball.

Height Differential did exceptionally well in their matches, and had the most total points at the end of the tournament.

Then, in May, Benjamin Chen, 11; Michael Pak, 10; Abhi Vijayakumar, 10; and David Zheng, 12; became both the national and international champions at the National Economics Challenge competition in New York, New York — Mounds View’s second first place finish within the past three years. The team, led by economics teacher Martha Rush, started their season on shaky ground, placing second at the invitational that they usually won. “We had

a rough start at regionals, but in state, we won [the individual rounds and] the quiz bowl against Edina, so we moved on to the national semifinals,” said Vijayakumar.

The tournament, hosted by the Council for Economic Education, was all expenses paid. The team competed in a total of five rounds. The first three, consisting of microeconomics, macroeconomics and current events, were written tests. After the fourth round, a 40-minute presentation, the team was in second place, but was able to sweep the fifth round, quiz bowl, to take home the national title.

Both teams have reached new heights through their hard work and dedication, and these accomplishments have set a strong precedent for Mounds View High School. While defending their titles will not be an easy task, both teams hope to return next year with another strong season.

Good question

Toni Baraga Sports

Sanjana Dutt back cover

Felix Zhang

Photographers/Artists

Zoë Lindberg Christina Mehrkens Sarah Tang Adviser

David Ostrom Staff

Gabe Cherniske, Jeffrey Hu, Jake Rosenow, Ethan Stromquist, Daniel Yong, Amber Zhao The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing

Mounds View’s economics team poses with CEE President and CEO Nan J. Morrison (left), and CEE Board Chair Barry Haimes (second from right) and coach Martha Rush (far right) after winning the national championship. photo courtesy of Benjamin Chen

Height Differential at the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship. (l-r) Grant Altenhofen, Akash D’ Souza, Nick Riedel, John Helgeson. photo courtesy of John Helgeson

features

friday, June 2, 2017

Building a base for success

by Jeffrey Hu staff reporter Every year, over 12,000 of the nation’s top chemistry students compete in the US National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO). For many, this competition is the culmination of years of training. Of the 12,000 plus students who participate initially, only 20 pass the national exam. Among these select few Alex Li. Li first started studying chemistry in sophomore year, taking honors and AP courses online. This year he moved onto organic chemistry courses at the University of Minnesota.

When Li started studying chemistry, the olympiad was not on his mind. “Initially, I just wanted to take AP Chemistry to meet the course requirements, but I picked it up really quickly,” said Li. “My parents thought that this was a good area of study to pursue because I had a knack for chemistry, so I guess I’ve just been doing this ever since.”

The olympiad consists of two major tests: a local exam that 1,000 people pass and a national exam which qualifies people for the training camp. After taking both tests this past April, Li received an email informing him that he qualified for camp and would be flown out to the Air Force Academy in Colorado. “We sort of have this thing where if there’s a major achievement in the family, my parents ‘jump through the roof,’” said Li. “The only two times they’ve jumped through the roof so far is when my brother got into MIT and when I made camp.”

Alex Li practices titration.

photo by Zoë Lindberg

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Alongside Chemistry Olympiad, Li participates in other science competitions, including Science Olympiad, Intel Science and Engineering Fair and Physics Olympiad. This, combined with a heavy course load of several APs, makes it difficult for Li to balance all of his work. “Honestly, I’m probably not the most productive, but it’s really all about squeezing the time you have. For example, during the week before the national competition, I went home early every day and stayed up late to study for the exam,” said Li. In spite of the challenges, Li still enjoys his work. “I think it’s really just about finding something you enjoy doing, and dedicating your part. A lot of people are intelligent, but [that] doesn’t mean you can get stuff done,” he said. “You have to be motivated to do what you want to do, and that’s really difficult to do if you don’t find something you enjoy.”

Solve one of USNCO’s problems!

courtesy of acs.org

From basement ’bot to world contender

by Zoë Lindberg same things I am, and I enjoyed being able to share that with everyone there,” said Froehle. Teammate Koshy agreed. “It didn’t matter if you were a young child or photographer and staff writer adult, you could just see how much everyone at worlds loved what people like us Although basements are typically used for storing old antiques, Rose Lam, 11, were doing,” she said. After the competition was over, the team went home with uses her basement for more than just a storage space. Instead of housing boxes of the Promote Award for a PSA video they submitted as well as a Judges’ Award for old pictures and holiday decorations, Lam’s basement serves as the official team gracious professionalism when faced with adversity. headquarters for the Ponytail Posse robotics team. Additionally, the basement also For the members of Ponytail Posse, participating in FTC has taught lessons houses 3D printers, desks, a sound system, a 12’ by 12’ robot playing field and all beyond building robots. “I personally like that it’s not all robots. Yes, there are rotools needed for the daily operations of a robotics team. bots to fix any engineer-crave we’ve been feeling, but social, organization and other The Ponytail Posse is an all-ladies FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition life skills are added to the recipe,” said Elmquist. For Helgeson, robotics has taught of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics team that particiher valuable skills that will be applicable later on in life. “It’s given me a sense of pates in FTC competitions where teams design, build, program and operate their purpose; I found my passion and what I love doing,” said Helgeson. own robots. It is made up of eight Mounds View students including Lam, Amelie Elmquist, 11; Meghan Froehle, 11; Charlotte Hamilton, 9; Amy Helgeson, 11; Nancy Koshy, 10; Heeral Narkhede, 11; and Sabriyah Taher, 11. The team began their career in the FIRST Lego League and moved onto FTC competitions after five years. They have been participating in FTC competitions for the past three seasons.

After a successful showing at the 2017 FTC North Super Regional in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the team received the second place Inspire Award, given to wellrounded teams that represent the FIRST organization and encompass everything that the FIRST mission aims to uphold. This award earned the team a trip to the 2017 FTC World Championship that took place on April 26-29 in St. Louis, Missouri. 1,400 teams attended the World Championship representing a staggering 62 countries.

During their downtime between Regionals and Worlds, the team spent their time fundraising for their upcoming trip as well as working on their robot. “When it gets close to a competition, people start coming over every day,” said Lam. “This is honestly my favorite time of the season because there’s basically a two-week-long Posse party happening downstairs.”

Upon arriving in St. Louis, the team set up their booth and got time to meet other teams. “My favorite part of the FTC World Champs was meeting people all over the world who enjoy building robots and working through design challenges just like our team does,” said Taher.

For the Ponytail Posse, the four-day competition was a flurry of robot inspecphoto courtesy of Ponytail Posse The members of Ponytail Posse. tions, presentations, challenges and matches. “Everyone was passionate about the

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editorials

Friday, June 2, 2017

Here and abroad, feminism matters

by Kevin Sabeti-Oseid guest writer

In many ways, it’s clear that America has made multiple steps forward in terms of equality. Women have the right to vote, the days of legally belonging to men are far in the past, both girls and boys tend to receive the same education and laws have been created in an attempt to stop social discrimination.

Similarly, this same progress has also been provided in varying degrees for racial, religious and other minority groups throughout our country.

While we have expanded the boundaries of legal equality in America, narratives fundamentally different from our own still exist in other parts of the world. Girls in some countries are still limited from receiving educations, child marriages continue to serve as an infringement upon many young girls’ freedoms and women in Saudi Arabia only recently received the right to vote — each still under the control of a male guardian. In contrast, much of the prejudice found in our country is clearly less binding, sometimes resulting in the dismissal of American feminists’ objections.

As a result of this “first world” privilege, whenever women criticize their treatment in society, their problems are often considered unworthy of attention by anti-feminists. In America, every citizen is equal under law, but this does not mean that every person is treated as such.

Responses to American feminism identifying the plight of oppressed people around the world are often used to minimize these struggles that remain in our completely “equal” society.

The trouble with these reactionary arguments, when used in a context to silence discussion of American social problems, can be found in the fact that they often seem to be used selfishly. Women in Saudi Arabia and child brides in Niger are frequently brought up to make those advocating for underprivileged Americans seem obnoxious and spoiled in comparison rather than to bring attention to the ways we can aid those in need around the world. This turns the discussion into a competition

over who is most oppressed, ignoring the more important issue of how to address each problem.

These arguments are also used hypocritically in an attempt to silence Americans’ valid concerns while exploiting the pain of suffering groups around the world, contradicting the supposed point of their initial comment. Although these issues still exist and deserve to be heard and fought against, to simply use them with the sole purpose to overlook another’s problem is belittling and a true performance of “first world” privilege.

Despite the fact that the argument is most often used selfishly, it does inadvertently help those advocating for feminism in America to remind themselves of the need for our arguments to address and make known the concerns of oppressed people around the world along with our own. It is certain, without a doubt, that discussion of confining gender norms or mansplaining are seemingly trivial in comparison to the misogynistic violence happening worldwide. The question remains if these criticisms of the existing tendency of Americans’ feminism to be self-important and spoon-fed are actually constructive and in interest of the oppressed people around the world or only out of the desire to devalue feminist arguments.

Silencing American feminism by referencing more severe world problems is pointless because all problems, no matter how big or small, are worth fighting to fix. The reasoning behind this antifeminist argument is intrinsically flawed. In order to achieve equity regardless of the various identities placed upon us, we must not compare our problems, but rather we must act. Both sides, feminist or not, can acknowledge the advantages we were born with and find ways to provide equal opportunity for those who are underprivileged. However, derailing legitimate American feminist arguments will only divide Americans further and will do nothing to solve the problems that women face in America and around the world.

How you can help: Donate to Girls Not Brides, an organization that strives to end child marriage.

Donate to The Malala Fund, which advocates for the education of young girls all around the world.

Donate to Equal Education Organization, which fights for equal educational opportunities.

Volunteer in third world countries and help bring clean water and goods to those living there.

illustration by Albert Pan

Stand up and speak for those who are voiceless

editorials

friday, June 2, 2017

Comey, an American hero

by Jake Rosenow editorials editor - ’16-17 Donald Trump recently fired FBI Director James Comey, sparking controversy due to Comey’s role as the head of the investigation into Trump’s ties with Russia. Specifically, Comey’s termination strengthened concerns of a cover-up of the Russia investigation by the president. Nonetheless, politicians and citizens are beginning to take preventive actions towards the president’s actions, and have displayed their distrust for the president.

Trump claimed that Comey was terminated due to his investigation into Hillary Clinton in 2016 as well as his execution of the investigation on Trump and his colleagues. In his letter to Comey, Trump complained about how Comey frequently informed him of his investigation, and concluded that Comey was simply unfit to lead the FBI. However, these claims are simply not enough to prove Trump’s claim of Comey’s inability to lead.

First of all, both circumstances don’t align with Trump’s bashing of Comey’s “inability” to lead the FBI. Though Comey’s actions may have been mishaps, they do not prove that Comey is incapable of leading the FBI. In addition, Trump initially praised and complimented Comey’s persistence in his investigation on Clinton, but now criticizes him for that same investigation. Trump praised Comey for some of his actions in the past, but later went against his own words and fired Comey for the same actions, only

adding to the confusion of the true reasoning behind Comey’s termination.

Following his termination, Comey released memos of the conversations he shared with Trump in the White House. These memos exposed Trump’s financial ties with Russia and his plea to Comey to close the investigation on Michael Flynn. If proven, these pleas could result in impeachment as they could be seen as obstruction of justice. Democratic and Republican politicians have expressed their concerns, and most notably, Representative Al Green from Texas called for Trump’s impeachment.

The president’s rationale for firing Comey seemed offensive towards the current state of law enforcement in the country. “It is essential that we find new leadership for the F.B.I. that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission,” said Trump. Surprisingly, it seems that the public’s distrust and lack of confidence doesn’t rest in law enforcement, but rather in the president himself.

In wake of the recent firing of Comey, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed a special counsel to investigate Trump and his ties with Russia.

Rosenstein decided that it was in the public’s best interest to appoint such a counsel. Trump, however, disagrees, calling the appointment “the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history.”

Special counsels have been utilized in the past and are often formulated to investigate crimes when the traditional option, the Department of Justice, or in this case, the FBI, may not be the best route. The most no-

Illustration by Christina Mehrkens

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table use of a special counsel was during the Watergate Scandal, which resulted in the impeachment of 37th president, Richard Nixon. In the case of firing Comey, the creation of a special counsel was the best option because Trump fired the man leading the investigation involving him which created a bias and the potential corruption of a traditional investigation.

This case has contributed to America’s growing distrust and falling approval ratings for Donald Trump’s presidency (42 percent according to Politico).

The creation of the special counsel could gain some trust from the public, as the counsel’s investigation is assured to play out without corruption and will provide an unbiased investigation into Trump’s supposed wrongdoings.

Trump’s presidency has consisted of many scandals and concerning situations. With that being said, we can only ignore so much before preventative actions need to be taken. After recent events involving Trump’s ties with Russia and violations of the obstruction of justice committed by the president himself, politicians from both sides have begun to take notice.

It has come to a point where politics needs to be set aside and a true, unbiased investigation needs to be executed; luckily, strides are being taken to do exactly that. The future of Trump’s presidency is unknown, but rest assured, the formation of a special counsel is for the best, and the firing of Comey in the process was simply unnecessary.

photo fair use by Flickr

Comey, an American disappointment

by Kallie Slotvig features editor “You are hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately,” said Trump in a letter to FBI Director James Comey. On May 9, 2017, Trump removed Comey from office amid an FBI investigation, sparking controversy from both Democratic and Republican parties. Although this decision was contentious, it was the best option that the president had in order to ensure national security and uphold the integrity of both the FBI and presidential office.

Comey was appointed by Obama in 2013 for a ten year term, but was fired by Trump due to his poor handling of the Hillary Clinton email scandal. In 2015, it was revealed that Clinton had illegally used a private email to handle top secret information. Comey knew that her actions were illegal, but failed to arrest her and placed no criminal charges against her. As the head FBI investigator, he did not fulfill his duties because he failed to imprison a criminal.

Comey also acted unprofessionally by releasing this information within two weeks of the election which weakened Clinton’s chances of winning. He

went about it suspiciously by withholding information from the government and citizens. If this information had been released when it was first discovered, many of the issues that came out of this would have been more easily resolved.

Before the presidential election, Comey was widely disliked by many people from both parties and brought many disruptions during his time as head FBI director, with the exception of Trumps liking to his investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails. The dismissal of Comey was inevitable.

Comey revealed that the investigation of Trump’s ties to Russia began in July, months before he had even been elected president, and yet he withheld that information for months. This leads one to question Comey’s credibility because he revealed Clinton’s investigation and withheld Trump’s. After Trump won the election, Comey continued to investigate Trump’s relations with Russia although there is no evidence on the case. By doing this, Comey lost Trump’s trust and brought publicity to an issue that may be only a false accusation. Trump has been getting plenty of hate for firing Comey because of this accusation. Trump’s

approval ratings in turn have hit an all time low to 48 percent.

Many people disapprove of Comey’s firing because they think that Trump did it to end the investigation involving his ties with Russia. This is false because the investigation will continue, with or without Comey conducting it. As said by White House press secretary Sean Spicer in a statement, “The investigation would have always continued, and obviously, the termination of Comey would not have ended it.”

Trump’s decision to fire Comey is completely in line with every president’s rights. According to Harrison Jacobs, a deputy editor at Business Insider, “The President has held the power to appoint and dismiss the director of the FBI at his or her discretion since 1968.”

Ultimately, the firing of Comey was a just and necessary act. Comey has not only acted unprofessionally in the past, but he also put democracy at risk by withholding secrets from the American people. By firing him, Trump has acted righteously by ensuring that those in government positions will be held responsible for their actions.

Life after Mound

The leap to college

by Diana Zhu and Jeffrey Hu news editor and staff reporter After high school, students are thrown into the real world, one with many newfound responsibilities. For many Mounds View graduates, the next stage is college, a leap away from their parents and the home they grew up in. However, this transition comes with a sense of uncertainty, as it can involve leaving everything that a student was once attached to: family, friends and home. In high school, there is a feeling of safety, but the transition into a new, unknown college life can be tumultuous and confusing. So what exactly is it like to leave the place they call home?

For Will Newhouse, who has completed his freshman year at the University of Minnesota, college has been a blast. “The best part about [college] has been meeting a bunch of people who are really cool and diverse and have a lot of different interests,” said Newhouse. “It’s cool for me personally because I can connect with people who are interested in the passions I am.” Since entering college, Newhouse has found his place in the Solar Vehicle Club, which works to race solar powered cars against other colleges in the country.

For others, the transition from high school to college has not been so easy. Camry Kelly, a Marquette University graduate, was ready to experience something new. However, upon arriving, she was surprised by the difficulty of moving away. “At first it was a really hard transition, [and] I felt like I was alone, trying to find my footing,” said Kelly. But once she joined the triathlon team, she found herself surrounded by people with the same goals and interests and soon felt at home.

Many college students agree with Kelly and Newhouse and quickly find their homes in extracurriculars. Others, like Isabel Miller, who finished her freshman year at Hamline University, instead dedicate their time towards focusing on their studies. Miller joined the honors program at Hamline not only to challenge herself academically, but also to find motivation to do work. “One important thing in my school’s honor program is that you’re a ‘lifelong learner’ they call it, so you go out and do ballet or to the opera. You try it, write a reflection on it and you get points for it,” said Miller. “Going to the opera and the ballet are things I already want to do, and this gives me an excuse.” To Miller, the extra freedom in college is both a blessing and a curse. “If I want to be an idiot that day and miss all my classes, I can, and there’s no one to tell me not to,” said Miller. “But if also I want to be super hard working and be in every club and do everything to the max, I can also do that.”

Another hurdle students often experience is the task of choosing what to study in college. Currently majoring in electrical engineering, Newhouse states that he decided to pursue this field because he enjoyed math and science throughout high school. Participating in the Mounds View Science Olympiad team contributed most to this interest, in which he competed in events like Electric Vehicle and Circuit Lab. When asked about advice for choosing a major, Newhouse said, “There are people who are undecided as of their sophomore year. It’s pretty common for all the students, so don’t be afraid to do

what you love, and if it doesn’t work out, try something else.”

To Newhouse, pursuing his passion allowed him to have more freedom in college.

Camry Kelly always wanted to study child cancer studies, although she was briefly derailed by the death of a Mounds View classmate Joshua Lavalle, who passed away from leukemia. “It made me not want to be a doctor anymore—why do I want to study the human body if it fails you?” said Kelly.

Ultimately, she decided to keep pursuing her dream. Now a college graduate, Kelly plans to move back to Minnesota and work at the Children’s Hospital for a year while preparing to apply for medical school.

With endless possibilities of subjects to study, college is a place for everyone to explore their interests and take new chances. “Don’t take yourself too seriously; it’s just life. Go have fun, study abroad [and] have the guts to go away from mom and dad,” said Kelly. “Be brave. Be adventurous.”

“

There’s a lot of freed go out to college, bu had tuition paid for a for. Real life is so diff you’re making your own choices.”

-Emily Sakamoto

“

In high school you wouldn’t have expected me to be the one to apply to medical school in a few years. I don’t fit the mold, the stereotype, but I have done it and I’m very proud of myself.”

-Camry Kelly

MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

photo courtesy of Camry Kelly

UNI

ds View

“

dom when you ut it’s a bubble. I and dining paid fferent from that;

Where you end up after college likely may not be your job for the rest of your life. So think about every opportunity as good way to set yourself up to find your path to your dream job.”

-Kelsey Wise photo courtesy of Emily Sakamoto

IVERSITY

photo courtesy of Kelsey Wise

Assuming responsibility

by Felix Zhang and Jeffrey Hu managing editor - copy and staff reporter To a five-year-old, adults are magical guardians: they are always punctual, understanding and seem to effortlessly juggle numerous responsibilities. They follow strict schedules, work at their jobs and rarely complain, all the while satisfying our whims and sedating our petty meltdowns.

Even entering high school, adulthood seemed like a distant dream. Yet, in just a few short years, current Mounds View students will graduate college and assume the responsibilities of working adults.

According to Alex Edinger, a Mounds View alumni that recently finished graduate school, the feeling of being an adult approaches incrementally. “It’s so gradual; you gain more responsibility when you go to college, and you gain [even] more responsibility when you live in your first apartment,” said Edinger.

Furthermore, even as you become an adult, the mindset and maturity doesn’t come naturally; adults need to adopt “grown-up” mindsets and more often than not, they are still subject to the same whims that controlled them as kids.

“When I would look at adults as a kid, or younger, I would think, man, they just have their whole life figured out, they have it really put together and [are] super responsible, and then you become an adult and you’re like, man, I still feel like I’m 19,” said Edinger.

For Emily Sakamoto, another alumni who now works as a reporter in New York, work life proved much more different than college life. After finishing college, she decided to move to New York where she faced challenges unique to living by herself in the city. “There’s a lot of freedom when you go out to college, but it’s a bubble,” said Sakamoto. “[In college], I had tuition paid for and dining paid for. Real life is so different from that; you’re making your own choices.“ Both Sakamoto and Edinger reiterated that students shouldn’t worry too much about what they are going to do in the future. For example, Edinger originally wanted to be a teacher, and decided to get an undergraduate education in

English to pursue his dream. However, after teaching for a few years, Edinger disliked the lack of appreciation students had for him and realized that teaching wasn’t the career for him. Then, after his girlfriend got into the graduate program at the University of Alabama, he decided to take a leap of faith, following his girlfriend to the University of Alabama and enrolling in an MBA program.

Another challenging aspect of being an adult is managing work life. Mounds View alumni Kelsey Wise, a consultant at DeLoitte, found this out by plunging straight into the deep end. Her first job was in a field that’s commonly referred to as a high burnout field, characterized by long hours and high stress. Not only was the field difficult to work in itself, the fact that it was her first job compounded the intensity. “It’s your first [job] and you’re so eager to please everybody. You’re trying to figure out how things work and how to make the best use out of all your resources and that sort of thing,” said Wise.

Luckily for Wise, she found help in the form of a friendly co-worker who helped her ease into the job. But for her, the transition into work life was much more difficult than her transition into college. “From high school to college, you are going from school to school, but when you go from college to adult working life, you are going from school to a whole new life,” said Wise.

The transition into working life is undeniably tumultuous and full of obstacles. However, there are ways to make the process smoother. According to Amanda Kamalapuri, a Mounds View alumni who is currently a merchandise analyst for Target, students should pursue internships as they provide insight into the work environment. “Internships give you a close view into adult life—you have a lot more responsibility with what you do from day to day, and you’re held accountable for it,” said Kamalapuri.

Without a doubt, the transition into adulthood comes with its challenges and issues. However, the most important thing is being true to yourself. “Just be yourself, and don’t feel like you need to fit a mold,” said Edinger.

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what’s trending

Friday, June 2, 2017

13 Reasons Why

by Toni Baraga good question editor

Most people can easily say they’ve seen or heard about the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why. Based on the New York Times bestseller 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, the show explores the life of high school student Clay Jenson and how he’s dealing with the loss of his crush and friend, Hannah Baker, who took her own life.

While trying to cope with the loss, a mysterious box of tapes find their way to Jenson’s doorsteps. On these tapes, Baker recounts every person and situation that led up to her suicide.

Whoever received the box of tapes had one tape dedicated to how they contributed to her death, and was responsible for passing the tapes on to the next person. If the recipient didn’t pass them on, the tapes would be released to the public, exposing the people on the tapes and what they did.

Teen suicide has been a touchy subject for a while and many students feel that the show brings light to a taboo topic. “I liked it because it’s real and brought light to teen suicide,” said Dalanie Oliver, 11. Other students felt that the show was entertaining and always left the viewer on the edge of their seat. “I liked the show

because it was hard to stop watching. It made me laugh and cry,” said Matthew Farmer, 11.

While many people praise the show for its hooking content and realistic situations, other students feel that the show glorifies teen suicide and portrays it as an act of blame. “I’ve dealt with mental health stuff and dealt with suicidal tendencies. Coming from where I’ve been, it doesn’t make it seem accurate and makes suicide seem like an act of revenge,” said Sam Stucky, 10. “It doesn’t fully express what depression and suicide really is.” Other students felt like the show was slow-paced and hard to watch.

“I stopped watching because I got bored of it.

Nothing interesting actually happened,” said John Cherne, 11.

Despite all of its controversy, many students claim they will watch the second season, which was officially announced by Netflix to air in 2018. “I read this thing on a conspiracy theory on season two, and I’d like to see if that’d play out or not. It’s intriguing,” said Sarah Larsen, 12. The official 13 Reasons Why Twitter account posted a teaser trailer featuring many memorable locations from the first season, confirming a second season and giving many students something to look forward to next year.

Digital Druglord

by Ethan Stromquist staff reporter

On April 21, 2017, Blackbear dropped his newest album, Digital Druglord, which reached top four on the iTunes music charts the same day it was released. Before this, Blackbear had a successful past due to his role in co-writing Justin Bieber’s 2010 mega hit, “Baby,” as well as his first two albums Deadroses and Help, which got some attention on streaming services such as Soundcloud and Spotify.

With all commercial success aside, Blackbear’s new album is irrelevant and not worth your time.

After listening through this album a few times, it’s clear that, lyrically, it’s nothing more than a self obsessed, whiny description of his proud prescription drug abuse and his anger towards women who didn’t call him “daddy” (as shown in “I Miss the Old U”). A good example of the conceited nature of the album is in “Wish U the Best,” where Blackbear uses his last one percent of phone battery to text a girl, trying to make it sound like a big sacrifice that

wasn’t worth it. He also has the guts to claim that he was the best thing that could ever happen to this girl.

Another notable song is “Chateau” which heavily magnifies the shallowness in his thoughts towards relationships with women using dehumanizing lyrics. It is very safe to say that Blackbear’s lyrics are poorly written and incapable of expressing heartfelt emotion or deep thought.

Ignoring the lyrics in Digital Druglord, the music of the album is equally as bad. To call this album R&B, as it is labeled, does not come close to the genre. The only ‘R’ and ‘B’ you could say is present in this album is ‘rap’ and ‘bass’, which is all it tries to go for. The entire album sounds the same with the popular minimalistic, spacey, trap sound relying on a lot of bass. Yet, this also explains why this album and the artist are so popular—it plays into the catchy pop sound that takes the center stage in the music that today’s younger generation listens to. Despite the letdowns throughout the album, the best part of it is the tail end of the album’s opener with a dreamy sounding piano that lasts about 30 seconds. Regard-

illustration by Haley Keeney

ing the singer’s talent, he doesn’t seem to play any of the instruments in his songs, and his voice is pushed back by the layers of effects and autotune.

The most accurate description of what talent Blackbear has created in this album would be someone with lots of time, money and production.

The Verdict Digital Druglord is not worth wasting your time. It doesn’t stand out, negatively or positively, amongst the wave of dozens of other rap albums that are so popular today. If you don’t think about what you listen to too much, it could serve as background music for certain occasions, but it’s definitely not something to take seriously.

2/5

Starbucks frappes

by Shannon Haffely arts & entertainment editor

illustration by Christina Mehrkens

Starbucks has recently released a variety of new Frappuccinos that have become must-try drinks. Among them, the limited edition Unicorn Frappuccino has received the most attention. Once it was released, it hit social media and was trending within hours.

This sugary frappé starts off pink, sweet and fruity, but later transforms into a sour flavor.

The frappé was only available from April 19 to April 23, but while it lasted, this frappuccino was all the rage. It was so popular that some people even dyed their hair to match.

The Midnight Mint Mocha is also amongst the new frappuccinos. The polar opposite of the multi-colored Unicorn Frappuccino, this dark brown mocha explodes in a rich mix of dark chocolate and mint. “It isn’t too sweet and it isn’t too bitter. I’m not a fan of dark chocolate but this is an exception,” said Molly Lahmann, 11.

These signature Starbucks drinks have been very successful among teens and sales have continuing to grow in popularity. With numerous customers and Starbucks itself advertising the limited edition frappuccinos on social media, these drinks have grabbed the attention of teens, adults and even children. Bringing original and creative spins on coffee, Starbucks has reeled in a wide span of customers all over the world.

Since the frappuccinos creatively incorporate pop culture while creating original flavors, they’ve become very trendy on social media. From the Pokémon Go Frappuccino to the Red Velvet Cake Crème Frappuccino, these new blended beverages bring a fun twist to traditional coffee and have succeeded to intrigue and satisfy many people.

friday, june 2, 2017

A Vali-Hi voyage

by Gabe Cherniske staff reporter In Lake Elmo, a retro drive in theater by the name of Vali-Hi has been gaining in popularity as a fun entertainment activity.

Unlike traditional theaters, once you pay the entrance fee, you can stay for all three movies. Unfortunately, I had missed watching Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2, the previous movie, because I had arrived late.

The theater opens at 7:30 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and at 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and in all weather.

One of the things I noticed when buying my ticket was that there was an arcade booth with a plethora of games to play. While I found this interesting, I didn’t play any of the games at all; I was more excited for the movie.

During the film, Beauty and the Beast, it started to rain, and within a good twenty minutes, it was pouring outside. Yet, the movie continued playing. Unfortunately, due to the heavy rain, I couldn’t hear the movie. Luckily, I managed to fix the issue and tune back into the movie by messing with the FM radio in my friend’s car. While I am grateful that the theater had this option, I ended up leaving before the third movie, Kong: Skull Island,

arts & Entertainment

was to show; it was just too rainy outside to see anything.

Even though I went to the theater in the middle of the work week, I decided to show up 30 minutes in advance, assuming that the drive-in was going to be busy. I was right.

Despite the nasty weather and the day of the week, the theater was jam packed.

Overall, the Vali-Hi Drive-In theater was a unique experience. Rain or shine, the theater appeals to its customers by making sure that the movies are always showing. Vali-Hi charges a ticket price of $8.50 per person, a fair fee for a one-of-a-kind experience: Attending a drive-in theater is not something that many people get to experience nowadays. Admission is only $1 for kids from six to twelve and free for children 5 and under.

Furthermore, the cheap food helped enhance the experience. While most theaters are known for overpricing their concessions, Vali-Hi offers $1 hot dogs every night. Additionally, the largest size of popcorn available is around $4.50, which is a steal compared to any normal theater. The value of this whole experience is worth the trip to Lake Elmo — you won’t regret it

Cup and Cone, a must try classic

photograph by of Zoe Lindberg

Galactic Getaway

by Shannon Haffely arts & entertainment editor

On May 5, 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released in theaters. This epic sequel, directed by James Gunn, stars actors Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Vin Diesel among others.

The movie opens with a couple heading into a forest while driving down a road in Missouri. Even though this couple seems unimportant, the scene provides vital background information which is critical to the plot later on. Subsequently, all the characters are introduced after the couple. With both action and humorous mechanics, this scene provides a fantastic exposition in a unique way.

In this exposition, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), along with his close knit team Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), have been enlisted by Ayesha, the empress of an artificial race called the Sovereign, to defend Anulax Batteries, their valuable power sources. They are successful in this feat and receive Gamora’s sister, Nebula (Karen Gillen), in exchange. The rest of the story is launched when Rocket steals some batteries from the people of this golden planet for himself.

When Ayesha discovers that the batteries were stolen, she sends a fleet of ships to shoot Quill’s ships down, which leads to arguments between the characters on if they

Illustration by Christina Mehrkens

The Verdict

4.5

While I definitely had a good time, I couldn’t help but feel a little upset because although I could still listen to the movie through my speakers, it would have been more enjoyable if there was a way to hear the movie the way it’s meant to be heard.

5

by Sanjana Dutt sports editor Cup and Cone is a retro ice cream shop situated in downtown White Bear.

It serves a variety of cold treats, such as ice cream and slushies, while also serving lunch options. Due to its popularity, the line is always long, but with its mouth watering soft serve and local roots, Cup and Cone is the small town experience that your summer needs.

The establishment is best known for their flavor of the day — two different flavored soft serves each day of the week.

From orange and lemon dole whip, to lemon and lactose- free peach, this endless selection of unique flavors won’t disappoint.

Another hot item is their “crunchie cream” treats, which is a vanilla soft serve dipped in a crushed candy of your choice.

“My favorite thing to get there is the

should make the jump to a safer planet. All seems lost until one mysterious man singlehandedly destroys the entire fleet of ships, allowing Quill to successfully make the jump, albeit with a damaged ship, setting up the adventure.

This movie is, by far, one of the best Marvel has made. There is a perfect balance between action and serene moments. While the humor is a bit thick, especially at the beginning, the comedy is great overall and isn’t tiring even when a joke is dragged out.

Besides the content, plot and characters, the awe-striking graphics also contribute to the awesomeness of this film. From the explosions to beautiful planets and the characters, the CGI (computer generated imagery) definitely adds to the majesty of the movie.

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a great sequel and is just as good, if not better, than the first movie. With an enthralling plot, cheeky jokes and well-rounded characters, the movie has something for everyone. This film evokes laughter, questions and heart-wrenching tears out of the audience, and to top it off, the suspense is perfectly timed, keeping everyone on the edge of their seat.

9

Oreo crunchie cream because you can get cookies and ice cream in one dessert,” said Shriparna Patnayak, 11. Customers also enjoy the various malts, shakes and slushies that Cup and Cone serves as a cold drink on hot summer nights.

Located at 2126 4th Street, White Bear Lake, right next to White Bear Lake and across from Pizzeria Pezzo, the shop is the perfect spot to hangout with friends and family. “I definitely recommend going there in the summer because it is outdoors and ice cream is very enjoyable in warm weather,” said Mikey Gennaro, 9.

Hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Verdict Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is an intriguing movie that offers a little something for any viewer. It’s definitely worth the watch, especially for fans of Marvel.

5 5

photo curtesy of Flickr

10

good question

Friday, june 2, 2017

Should you cram for finals?

by Ben Davis managing editor - online

It seems like every teacher has warned their students to not cram, but when almost every student has crammed before, are these claims substantial? And if so, why are they?

To determine whether cramming is a successful study strategy, you must know how much time is available and the goal of the study session. If the endgame is to get a good score on a test, then cramming could be considered an effective strategy.

However, if the goal is to retain the information, many studies have given better alternatives to cramming.

The first of these methods is known as “distributed practice.” This is slow, spaced out, short practice for long periods leading up to a test—this is what most teachers recommend when it comes to studying. In research conducted at McGill University, fifth graders who learned vocabulary words with “distributed practice” retained around three times as much information as those who learned them in one long session. In a similar study done by Nate Kornell, a professor of psychology at Williams College, this method resulted in increased scores for 90 percent of the participants.

Many students at Mounds View use this approach when studying. “I personally believe that if you pay attention in class, do the homework and ask questions when you need answers, there is no way you need to study because all the information will already be cemented in your head,” said Elliot Lee, 9.

The other major factor in scoring higher is sleep. This may seem counter-intuitive to many students, especially those who want to study for tests in their weaker subjects. In a recent study by the Duke-NUS Medical School, participants went to a lecture on a subject that they were unfamiliar with which they would be tested on later. Then they were given two options: cram for the exam or take a nap. Surprisingly, although the difference was slim, those who napped performed better than those who crammed.

Even though cramming in the last five minutes before a test may sometimes result in slightly higher scores, countless studies have shown that this method does not help students retain the information they learned. The point of education is for students to recall what they have learned in the future, and there are simple ways to do this. Students simply need to distribute their studying and get more sleep. illustration by Christina Mehrkens

How about those parking passes?

by Christina Mehrkens and Haley Keeney staff writer and what’s trending editor

Are students happy with the parking pass system?

Ye s No 50 students polled information compiled by Haley Keeney

Do you have a good question? Email us at toni.baraga@mvviewer.org

Many students have become irritated with the school’s parking pass system, claiming it is expensive, unreliable and time consuming. As the weather warms up and more students hit the roads, this problem only becomes worse. Students have different reasons for disagreeing with the system, ranging from the high prices to not getting priority, even though they live outside the school district.

Almost every student who is denied a year-long or semester pass can attest to the same story: coming to school behind schedule and hurrying to the front desk to buy a pass, only to find they’re sold out. This forces many to either spend extra time parking far away or face the consequences of not buying the daily pass at all, resulting in fines if caught. The limited number of daily passes available is one thing students find the most upsetting.

“Every Monday we go to get a parking pass, but they always sell out and it’s very annoying. Then, we have to move our cars across the bridge, and don’t get to class on time,” said Thomas Limborg, 11. “I understand that the people who get the passes first have to have a spot, but it appears that there are over 30 spots left everyday that don’t get used.”

Many students prefer a change to the current system, making the process more efficient. “I wish I could somehow apply for passes online to guarantee myself a spot,” said Emma Ross, 11. Although many students believe that this could be more efficient, Matt “Goldy” Goldsmith, the person in charge of distributing the daily parking passes, responded by saying most people cannot print off the correct color pass for the day, making it easier for the staff to check off passes, and the current system is fair because it’s first come, first serve.

Selling 40 passes per day, each for $2, the school earns a total of over $10,000 each year from daily passes alone. This, in addition to the semester passes sold this year, has already racked up around $14,000 for the school to use. What about the extra 209 year-long passes sold? Considering the year-long passes are sold for $256 each, those alone account for over $53,000 in just one year. All the money gained from selling daily, semester and year-long passes add up to around $68,000 in one year.

So where is all this money going exactly? Goldsmith claims it goes toward a variety of different places. “[The money is] used for a lot of different things like staffing, security, parking lot maintenance, snow removal and parking lot security,” he said.

Since the system hasn’t changed for over 10 years, there aren’t many signs pointing to changes any time soon. When the shortage of daily passes starts to occur, usually at the end of the year, students should plan ahead and arrive at school around 6:50 a.m. to guarantee their chances of getting a parking pass. “If you [put in more] effort for it than the [other students], you get to buy permits,” said Goldsmith.

sports

Friday, June 2, 2017

Athlete of the issue

11

The girls of spring ball Mounds View softball team ready for next season

by Aman Rao Business Manager

Emma Bangert Soccer Q: How long have you been playing soccer?

A: I started playing soccer when I was five.

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

A: My favorite part about playing soccer is the team carbo loads, sleepovers, and playing with all my friends.

Q: How do you prepare for games?

A: I listen to music and drink lots of water before my games.

Q: What are your plans after high school?

A: I am commited to play soccer at North Dakota University.

Mounds View girls softball is a sport gaining a lot of popularity and support from new sports enthusiasts. The girls varsity team has a mix of players ranging from the freshman to senior class, and each of the players have played a critical role during the current season.

The softball program is dedicated to creating successful student athletes in a structured, positive, competitive and fun environment. Following the lead of captains Jeanna Lavalle, 12; Abbey Witham, 12; Marissa Peschel, 12 and Mattie McClellan, 12, the team has been able to look up to strong, supportive role models.

Throughout the season, the girls have worked hard to stay focused during tough games and have learned the importance of teamwork.

Even though the team continues to get more recognition, the girls have been struggling over the past few years to reach a state championship. However, the new captains have worked towards creating a new approach for the girls on the bench and the role they play. Peschel commented on how she has had more fun this season as a leader and how she continues to make unforgettable memories throughout her final season at Mounds View. “I have had a lot more fun this year than all my other seasons, because I get to come out here and play with my friends and make more funny memories,” said Peschel.

A few of the girls pose before playing against Stillwater at home on The season may be over, but Peschel hopes that Mounds View teacher. can continue to improve and bring home the section championship next season.

As the girls look back at their ups and downs throughout the season, they remain confident in their ability to succeed, become better athletes and become positive teammates. “We need to have more confidence in the field and have more focus. This game is mental and we need to be mentally dialed in,” said Witham.

Even though the team ended with a loss at sections, the girls still had a great season and are looking forward to next year.

“

Q: What are some obstacles you have faced?

A: Balancing school and sports has definitely been one of my greatest struggles with being involved in three sports.

Players motivating each other during the game.

I have had a lot more fun this year, than all my other seasons, because I get to come out here and play with my friends and make more funny memories.”

Q: What is your greatest accomplishment in soccer?

A: I got the golden boot award and scored the winning goal against Stillwater last season.

Q: How do you manage three sports (hockey, soccer, and track)?

A: I try to prioritize my current sport and commit to the big meets or games. Soccer interferes with track sometimes, but I try to communicate with my coaches to make it more managable.

Players under the lights after their first game against Forest Lake.

- Marissa Peschel, 12

Q: Out of the three sports you play which is your favorite?

A: I honestly can’t choose between the three because I love them all for different reasons and I have to overcome different obstacles every season in each sport.

Emma and Maya Patty, sophmore twins, in the Mounds View stands.

Players talk about strategy during their game against Rice Creek. photos courtsey of Emma Patty

12 Games

Friday, june 2, 2017

top 10

is h t In ! e u iss

ways to waste your summer

10

Play Pokemon with Yugioh cards.

9

Go bear wrestling in Yellowstone.

8

Lift weights to pick up chicks.

Learn how to hack computers to unblock Reddit at school.

6 AlexLi CupandCone FIRST Start Times

Comey Feminism Softball

Blackbear Econ PonytailPosse ValiHi

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Sudoku

Become the spiciest of dank meme lords.

Make fun of people who still play Pokemon Go.

4

5

Attack cub scouts and steal their popcorn.

Volunteer at a charitable organization with Tyler Hong.

2

7

3

Bring vegans to a barbeque and laugh in their face.

Consume the flesh of mass produced fowl at Raising Cane’s.

1

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