MV Viewer 2019-2020 Issue 1

VOLUME 67 ISSUE 1 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

THE VIEWER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEW DEANS 03/ EXCHANGE STUDENTS 04-05/ VAPE BAN 08

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News

Monday, september 30, 2019

MV reacts to coach defamation

by Natalie Nemes spread editor In 2015, former Woodbury High School girls basketball coach Nathan McGuire sued parents for accusing him of swearing at his athletes, flirting with them and touching them inappropriately. Now, a recent ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court has reopened the case. The ruling: high school coaches are not public figures.

When the Woodbury parents complained to the school district about his alleged actions, the school district put McGuire on administrative leave and refrained from renewing his contract. According to McGuire’s lawsuit, the complaints were false and were an attempt to get him fired.

None of the claims have been substantiated as of Sep. 5.

As a result of the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling, McGuire no longer has to prove the parents “knowingly or recklessly” reported false claims to have a successful lawsuit. In other words, he does not have to prove actual malice. This rule exists as part of the First Amendment to protect free speech surrounding public figures, who are often high profile individuals heavily involved in public affairs.

On why McGuire does not fit the definition of a public figure, Justice Natalie Hudson wrote that although the public pays attention to the results of high school sports, this interest is not enough; society has an interest in ensuring McGuire’s ability to protect his reputation, and basketball is not fundamental to democracy.

Mounds View athlete Beckey Jiang, 12, agrees with the ruling. “[The coach is]

focusing on a very specific group. For example, I’m on both gymnastics and performance team, and they’re responsible for us on those teams,” said Jiang. “I don’t think the team, which represents Mounds View as a whole, is considered exactly the public.

It’s more privatized, in my opinion.”

Hannah Erickson, 12, has mixed views.

She agrees in the sense that McGuire is not considered to have governmental or political power, but coaches are influential to the players and the school in general, depending on how good of a coach they are.

Julie Coopet, gymnastics coach at Mounds View, believes there is a clear answer to the case. “It’s not up to someone’s opinion about a coach being a public official. It’s understanding court rulings and the Supreme Court decision. A coach is not a public official. And if someone attacked me, and I lost my job, I have every right to recover monetary damages. That’s the reality. There’s no opinion in this,” said Coopet.

James Galvin, Mounds View’s activities director, sees it as an important development in the discussion surrounding coaches’ rights. According to Galvin, coaches’ rights have been a hot topic among coaches and activities directors for about the last decade.

“I think it’s important for any employees to have rights. Especially against slander or lies,” said Galvin. “I mean, if you just get fired when somebody lies about you, that’s not fair.”

If complaints similar to those about McGuire came up at Mounds View, the building and district administration would take the accusations seriously and investigate immediately, said Galvin. “If there’s evidence, then the coach would be either

be fired or not asked to return. And if there is no evidence, then he or she would keep their job.”

As part of the theoretical investigation, the building and district administration would talk to the students who made the accusations, as well as students who were not involved, who may have a different perspective. The administration would also interview the coach, as well as any other coaches who might have witnessed the alleged incident take place, parents and anyone who might have knowledge of any type of situation, said Galvin.

According to Galvin, no one has ever tried to get a coach fired at Mounds View during his time as the activities director.

Most of the complaints are about playing time, coaches not communicating well or coaches not developing a good relationship with an athlete. When that happens, said Galvin, administration meets with all parties to settle the disagreement. “We try to meet with the parents, the player and the coach, or coaches, all in the same room and try to iron out our differences.”

If a serious accusation were to occur at Mounds View in the future, many students agree that the school should take the situation seriously and investigate thoroughly to uncover the truth. “I think that even just accusations should be taken super seriously.

It’s not very often that someone makes up stuff like that, but you know, the coaches also have rights, so they should be treated like anybody else. So, I think that there should be an investigation, whether that’s with the school or with the court,” said Emma Snell, 12.

Student crashes on 96

by Brock Nelson sports editor

Mounds View’s school year kicked off with a rocky start, as students were involved in a car crash on Highway 96, a common route to school. Hardly a week later on Sept. 9, yet another set of accidents occurred involving three Mounds View students on the same stretch of 96, right after

crash; I saw my life flash before my eyes,” said Claridge. “The rain made it really hard to brake my car, and I couldn’t see all the stopped cars over the hill.” His limited viewpoint of the cars over the hill and lack of control over his car due to the rain caused him to crash into the car ahead of him, which belonged to another Mounds View student, Annie Moen, 12. “[The car] was

illustration by Jenna Stellmack

the slight uphill curve. The crash started with Henry Claridge, 12, and continued on to cause a domino effect for the other Mounds View drivers.

“It was the first time I had gotten in a

totaled,” said Moen. “I knew [Claridge’s car] was coming and yelled in anticipation.”

As Claridge crashed into Moen, Brendan Dunagan, 12, got into an accident soon

after. “I saw [Claridge] was in a crash,” said Dunagan. “But then I ended up rear ending someone while I was watching [the crash].” As in Dunagan’s case, getting distracted by a crash leads drivers to take their eyes off the road, and more importantly, the flow of traffic in front of them.

Barely a month into the school year, there have been a total of four accidents involving Mounds View students: one on the first day of school and three involving Claridge, Moen and Dunagan. However, Highway 96 also experienced other crashes right after, not involving Mound View students.

“While we were waiting [after the crash], we saw two other crashes,” said Moen.

Considering the number of accidents on Highway 96, students must be alert to stopped cars that are difficult to see over the hill, and rainy weather that can cause problems for the driver. “Just don’t be stupid and follow the rules,” said Amin Mustafic, 12, a passenger in one of the crashes. In addition, Will Rzeszutek, the school’s police and resource officer offered advice on how to avoid accidents, “Students should stay off their phones [while driving],” said Rzeszutek. With winter approaching, student drivers should keep these tips in mind and are advised to drive carefully on Highway 96, especially on their way to school.

“It was the first time I had gotten in a crash; I saw my life flash before my eyes.”

-Henry Claridge, 12

News Briefs U of M doctor goes Viral on TikTok with a message on vaping Dr. Rose Marie, a second year medical residency doctor at the U, amasses millions of views with a video comparing regular lungs with those of a vaper.

(Bring me the News)

“Simpsons” and “Rick and Morty” producer passes at age 54 Michael J. Thump, three time Emmy winner for “the Simpsons” and one time emmy winner for “Rick and Morty” passed away on the 22nd, just two days before his 55th birthday. (CNN)

“Pose” actor makes LGBTQ history with Emmy win Billy Porter won his first Emmy at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, being the first openly gay black man to win an Emmy in the Oustanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. (NY Times)

Greta Thunberg responds to Trump’s tweet After her emotional speech at the United Nations about climate change, Greta Thunberg responded to Trump’s tweet that “She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future,” by changing her twitter bio to “A very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future.”

(NBC News)

News

monday, September 30, 2019

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Best Buddies brings life to MV

by Molly Shwiff features editor

Everyone needs a best friend, but sometimes it can be hard to connect with others and that is why Best Buddies is working to make an impact. Best Buddies is an organization dedicated to helping students with development and intellectual disabilities establish lifelong friendships with their peers. Recently, the organization has been determined to have Best Buddies clubs available in every state, and one of the newest additions is right here at Mounds View.

Best Buddies bills itself as the world’s largest organization of its kind with a mission to end the social, psychological and economic isolation of the over 200 million people with disabilities. According to Best Buddies International, “Our programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD [intellectual and developmental disabilities] by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills and feel valued by society.”

The purpose of the club is to provide a way for Mounds View students with disabilities to connect and interact with their classmates more so than what is happening now. The reason why this necessary can be partly attributed to the lack of integration between students with disabilities and the rest of the student population.

“A lot of times [students with disabilities] are just hanging out and doing their thing, and everyone else is just hanging out and doing their thing. So we’re trying to bring them together and have more inclusion across

Mounds View,” said Mackenzie Keimig, special education teacher and advisor for Best Buddies. In order to achieve this, students in Best Buddies plan to meet at least twice a month where everyone in the club can connect with others, play games and spend quality time with their peers. For example, the first meeting will be a board game night, and the next will be Halloween themed.

The club is based around the idea that students can pair up with each other to participate in a variety of fun activities. Meeting bimonthly, Best Buddies Mounds View creates a friendly environment where the students of room 132 can participate in various events ranging from going bowling to playing board games. “[We want] to stop the stigma of students with disabilities being segregated to make a more inclusive community within the two different groups,” said Anya Nustad, 12, Co-president of Best Buddies Mounds View.

No one likes to be left out, which is why Best Buddies works hard to include everyone. “We are in a stereotypical society, not just the whole country but the whole world. There’s a lot of people that are affected with disabilities, and they’re not included in a lot of things. So I guess that’s the inspiration for us at MV, to get them involved in many activities and treat them the same as we want to be treated,” said Gautam Muthukumaraswam, 11, Treasurer.

Best Buddies has its inaugural meeting on Oct. 10 after school in room 132. During the bimonthly meetings, participants will meet once with everyone in the club and once again with their buddy and another peer in their group. “We do fun activities, we will meet up

with the buddies two times a month, one personally and one with all the other people. We do games, fun activities, fun stuff, and will communicate with them and be like a best friend,” said Muthukumaraswamy.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join Best Buddies. It is considered volunteering, but it is also a chance to create an unexpected, personal connection with some of the students at Mounds View High School.

image courtesy of: Best Buddies International Best Buddies Logo.

Mounds View welcomes deans

by Michael Hu editorials editor

Meet The New Deans! photos by Arfa Ali

Nicole Fisher, Dean

Elen Elmquist, Dean

Although the deans at Mounds View High School have always changed from time to time, they have added three new deans this year to the array of staff members after the departure of former dean Breanna Peloquin. Nicole Fisher is the new dean for students that have last names Gb-Ka, Ellen Elmquist for students with last names Kb-Mil and Rebecca Ramacher for support services.

Prior to working at Mounds View, Fisher worked as a mental health therapist at the Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs. “I had been working at the Minneapolis VA for a number of years and kept feeling a pull to get into the school setting,” said Fisher. “I just have a lot of respect for what this district is doing for students.” Fisher credits her past work experience as her main motivation for taking the job. “Mental health is a huge passion area for me, and I just think it’s amazing. The student involvement in sending out the message that it’s okay to take care of your mental health is something I just really appreciate about this,” said Fisher.

“It feels like my dean has more time to talk with me. In the past, if I wanted to talk with him, there would always be a long line of people outside his office, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.”

Sanjana Pattanaik, 11

Rebecca Ramacher, Support Services

Not unfamiliar to the Mounds View district, Elmquist previously worked at Irondale with students with an individualized education program. “Working with lots of different kids is what I love, and if it’s here

or at Irondale, it’s good,” said Elmquist. In addition, she hopes to become more involved with her students.

“It’s my goal to help students achieve what they want to achieve whether that’s here at Mounds View, for their classes, or after high school,” said Elmquist.

Before taking the position, Ramacher was already working at Mounds View, as well as at Highview and Irondale in the past. In most cases, Ramacher will be the dean for those with an individualized learning plan.

Although Ramacher has always worked as a special education teacher, she hopes to gain some new experience with this position. “Sometimes change is better than what you’ve been doing for the past 20 plus years, so I thought I’d give it a try,” said Ramacher. “It is my intention to always do what is in the best interest of the students and provide each student with a meaningful and positive educational experience regardless of differences or difficulties that each student may face.”

The administration has also added an admin intern who will be introduced later in the year. The admin intern, in addition to the assistant principals, will be more involved with dealing with discipline as opposed to the deans. “We heard from students that it’s kind of weird to talk to them about social or emotional stuff or college, then also have to talk to them if they get in trouble,” said Assistant Principal Greg Martin. “We are hoping to take some of the discipline that the deans might have done in the past off the plate.”

The administration hopes that with the new additions, the deans will be able to connect with their students more which was shown to be necessary in a survey conducted within the school a few years ago.

“From those results, one of the things that came is that our kids would benefit from more of a relationship with their dean. So in order to achieve that, we wanted to lower their caseload numbers,” said Principal Stephanie Bruggers. Some students have already found the staffing changes to be helpful.

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features

monday, September 30, 2019

Foreign Exchange Students

Carlotta Lubian

by Angela Larson and Alissa Zhao news editor and debates editor

photo by Carlotta Libian Lubain (left) with her host sister Mati Carl, 12 (right)

Croatia, New York, France, Ireland, California, Switzerland, Germany, Hawaii and now Minnesota.

Carlotta Lubian, 12, from Bassano del Grappa, Italy, has traveled the world since she was 13, and her most recent destination is Mounds View High School.

Being integrated into a new culture is nothing new for Lubian as she has traveled to five U.S. states, Canada and almost every European country. Lubian credits her parents for sparking her interest in both American culture and traveling. “My mom owns a restaurant. My dad runs a fashion business, so he travels all over the world. I think my passion for traveling and coming to the U.S comes from my parents,” said Lubian.

Since Lubian has been to the U.S. before, she found the transition into a Minnesotan life to be relatively easy. However, after growing up surrounded by major Italian fashion labels, she has found the unconventional and casual clothing of high schoolers to be

Diego Di Belardino

by Angela Larson news editor

Diego Di Belardino, 12, walked into Mounds View expecting everyone to be dressed head to toe in camouflage clothing. “I met my host family before arriving in Minnesota so they told me some stereotypes about Minnesota, one being that people here in Minnesota dress in fishing or hunting clothing,” said Di Belardino.

Di Belardino is one of the four Italian foreign exchange students whom the Mounds View community has welcomed for the 2019-2020 school year.

“I wanted to see another culture, I wanted to learn really good English and I wanted to know if I should go to college here in America or back home in Italy,” said Di Belardino.

Di Belardino started to learn English when he was five and continued to study English throughout middle

photo by Diego Di Belardino Di Belardino (left) with his host brother, John McGann, 11 (right)

quite interesting. “The first thing that I took a picture of was at the first football game. There were people standing in front of me wearing flip flops and socks, and I took pictures and sent them to my dad. He was like, ‘Should I come and pick you up and bring you back to Italy?’” said Lubian.

According to Lubian, American schools are a lot more relaxed than Italian schools. While many Mounds View teachers post their daily notes onto Google Classroom, Lubian’s Italian teachers require students to take notes entirely by hand. Additionally, Lubain’s old school had four hour school days, compared to Mounds View’s almost seven hour school days.

Although there are some substantial differences between Lubian’s life in the U.S. and in Italy, she is excited to see what the future brings. “I really hope to learn about your lifestyle and to be open-minded.” said Lubian.

and high school. Despite his broad background in English, Di Belardino finds attending an English-speaking school to be a challenge.

“Some people think I am [angry] at them because I use more intonation in my voice, but that is just normal in Italy, so I am trying to figure out how to use my accent,” said Di Belardino.

As he tried new foods as a way to adjust to the local culture, Di Belardino discovered his love for S’mores. “I think I am in love with s’mores. S’mores are so good; two marshmallows and three pieces of Hershey’s Chocolate.”

So far, Di Belardino has enjoyed his time as an exchange student, although Minnesotans wear a lot less camo and fishing clothing than he expected. Di Belardino looks forward to a year filled with s’mores, Caribou and more American culture.

Irene Lampredi

by Angela Larson and Alissa Zhao news editor and debates editor

Irene Lampredi, 12, of Parma, Italy, was drawn to the United States because of the many American stereotypes that she had heard. “I really wanted to try out the American life,” said Lampredi. “I’ve always seen it in movies or read about it in books, and it is really different from my country.”

Spending the year at Mounds View gives Lampredi a chance to learn more about American culture and to see if the stereotypes that she has heard of are true.

While she is here, she would also like to debunk some stereotypes that we have of Italians.

“The saying ‘pizza, pasta, mafia’—that’s not true,” said Lampredi. According to Lampredi, even though Italians invented pizza, they only eat it once or twice a week.

One of the many unique American events that Lampredi looks forward to experiencing at Mounds View are school dances. “The most exciting things are homecoming and prom. We don’t have those [in Italy] so I’m really excited about that,” said Lampredi.

Even though the school year has just begun, Lampredi has already started to get a taste of Minnesotan culture by going to local events like the State Fair. At the State Fair, Lampredi tried corn dogs for the first time and discovered Minnesotans’ fondness for frying foods on a stick. “I really loved the State Fair,” said Lampredi. “I loved the food; I tried so many new foods.”

Lampredi is looking forward to taking her first journalism class, attending her first high school dance and surviving her first Minnesotan winter. “I’m pretty excited about experiencing everything that is new to me, everything that I’ve never tried,” said Lampredi.

photo by Irene Lampredi Lampredi (right) with her family on the Dolomites

A Spotify Playlist by Lubian, Di Belardino, and Lampredi Featuring ...

♪ “BUTTERFLY EFFECT” by Travis Scott ♪ “Chiaro Di Luna” by Jovanotti ♪ “Perfectly Wrong” by Shawn Mendes ♪ “Everybody” by Logic ♪ “Borotalco” by Noyz Narcos

How to open the playlist: 1.) Open Spotify 2.) Click “Search” on the bottom 3.) Click the search bar 4.) Click the camera icon in the upper right corner 5.) Scan the code and enjoy!

features

Monday, september 30, 2019

Robbie Guadagno

by Alec Nelson arts & entertainment editor

However, she said the homework load was much smaller compared to Italy.

Other cultural changes Guadagno has encounComing all the way from Naples, Italy, Robbie tered is the style of food. “We eat a variety of food Guadagno, 11, looks to experience something new such as vegetables, pasta and meat, but the way we this year in America. Originally, Guadagno was unprepare our meals is different from America,” said sure if she was going to be able to make it to America Guadagno. Another culinary change Guadagno nosince there was a long wait imposed by the American ticed was the presence of fast food in America. “We Field Service Intercultural Programs (AFS). Howdo not eat a lot of fast food back in Italy. ever, America was Guadagno’s first choice, so she Most of the food is prepared at home,” managed to grab a spot. said Guadagno.

So far, Guadagno’s overall experience in Although the adjustMinnesota has been an adventure, but she is still “Italy does not ments listed above has adapting to the cultural changes. One of the biggest made it harder for her have competitive changes for Guadagno was the switch from Italian transition to Amerisports, so it is nice to to American high schools. “In Italy, we have schools can culture, there were that focus on one subject only. I study at a linguistic to have that opa few opportunities high school,” said Guadagno. The linguistic high portunity.”

America has provided school puts emphasis on the link between multiher for the better. “One - Robbie Guadagno, 11 culturalism and language learning. Some subjects of the cool things that include human science, classics, artistic lyceum and you can do in America is modern foreign languages. In addition, Guadagno join a high school sports team,” said Guadagno. “Italy has had to adjust to a seven-hour school day, which does not have competitive sports, so it is nice to have is different from her two-hour school day back home. that opportunity.” Guadagno also had praise for the

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camaraderie of the Mounds View community. “The people here are so nice to me and the teachers are very helpful,” said Guadagno.

“

Sofia Seck Jimenez

by Jenna Stellmack spread editor

Sofia Seck Jimenez, 10, has come a long way from her hometown in Spain. She has already encountered a variety of differences that Minnesota has thrown at her, but Seck Jimenez is loving this lifechanging experience.

One of the biggest contrasts Seck Jimenez has noticed between Spain and Minnesota is how different Mounds View is compared to her high school back home. In Spain, like many other countries, students stay in the same room for every class, while the teachers switch rooms with every period. “My high school is so hard for me, you just sit down and listen the whole day. Here, it’s more fun because you can like go to the bathroom, you have more projects. It’s fun. I like the high school here,” said Seck Jimenez.

Despite how much Seck Jimenez likes the style of teaching in Minnesota, she misses her friends from home. “In Spain I like my friends, but I don’t like

photo courtesy of Robbie Guadagno

the high school,” said Seck Jimenez.

In Spain, grades rely more heavily on tests, and there is less homework. In addition, Seck Jimenez said that her fellow classmates’ mentalities towards school are different here. “I feel like school here is taken less seriously than back in Spain,” said Seck Jimenez.

Another notable difference between Minnesota and Spain is the intense level of team spirit that Mounds View has for football games and other high school sports. “We have soccer, but it’s just on Sundays, and it’s not a high school team so not a lot of people go. Here it’s funny because every Friday is a different theme,” said Seck Jimenez.

One thing Seck Jimenez hopes to attempt during her stay in Minnesota is cross-country skiing.

Overall, Seck Jimenez has enjoyed her time here so far. “I like it a lot. I have a very good [host] family and I think the people here at Mounds View are very kind to foreign exchange students,” said Seck Jimenez. photo courtesy of Sofia Seck Jimenez

Supakorn Kitwattanachia

by Jenna Stellmack spread editor

photo courtesy of Supakorn Kitwattanachia

For most students, coming back to school this year was similar to any other year. But for Supakorn Kitwattanachia, coming to Mounds View is the experience of a lifetime.

Kitwattanachia, 11, lives 8,000 miles away in Thailand. Kitwattanachia has been learning English since elementary school, and she decided it would be interesting to visit an English-speaking country. “I’ve been studying in the same schools since first grade, and now I’m eleventh grade,” said Kitwattanachai. “So I decided to be an exchange student and came here.”

Kitwattanachia has witnessed many differences between Minnesota and Thailand. “The first thing I notice is the parents are less conservative, and they let their kids do a lot of things more than my Thai parents,” said Kitwattanachia. She found that her host family here was less strict than her family at home.

So far, Kitwattanachia’s favorite thing about Minnesota is the mild climate. “Thailand is extremely hot, so the weather here is nice. But I’m not sure about the winter,” said Kitwattanachia.

At home, Kitwattanachia’s school operates dif-

ferently than Mounds View in the way that students go about their day. “The students stay in the same class, and the teachers switch classes to teach the students,” said Kitwattanachia. “But here, I have to walk through my classes on my own, and the school is very big, so I got lost on the first day.” However, besides not changing classes every hour, schools in Thailand are similar to schools in America. The students have school five days a week, each day operating for seven to eight hours. The only noticeable difference is that most school years in Thailand start in May and finish in March Another notable difference between Thailand and the United States is the food. Thai food is a delicious variety of noodles, soups, salads and different types of meats. “Now I’m getting sick of all the bread and cheese. I really want Thai food,” said Kitwattanachia.

Exchange programs are a unique and adventurous way for students to take a look into different parts of the world they may never have seen otherwise. For Kitwattanachia, this year will be a year like no other.

Spanish Omelette Recipe Ingredients: - 1/2 cup olive oil - 5 medium potatoes, diced - 1 large brown onion, chopped - 8 eggs - salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in medium sized non-stick pan. Fry potatoes until crispy. Add onion and fry until transparent. Drain oil.

2. Return potatoes and onions to pan and arrange them in single layer.

3. Beat eggs, pour egg mixture into pan and constantly and gently push the mixture to make sure the egg is fully cooked 4.Place some sort of cover on top of your pan and use a heating pad to flip the pan and the

cover simultaneously so that the cooked omelette is out of the pan.

5.Then replace the uncooked side into the pan and gently shake while finishing cooking 6. Repeat step 4 to remove tortilla omelette from the pan.

recipe courtesy of Sofia Seck Jimenez

by Natalie Nemes spread editor

On the plus side...

I was amazed at how much work got done from teacher workshop week to the first student day. “

I think that this is just the thing that you have to walk through in order to get to the product that’s really nice.” - Lucas Shogren, orchestra teacher “I can’t wait for the weight room to get done and the gym to get done.” - Dan Engebretson, parking lot supervisor “I think the new spaces for the walking track in the gyms are going to be really beneficial.” - Mark Nelson, dean

The start of the school year has com and faculty of Mounds View due to t largest alterations are the unavailabil because of their renovation, as well as partial bus lot and the addition of the e though the construction aims to impro term, many students and faculty mem just plain terrible, while some see the sacrifice for the eventual benefits. Am some of them.

Before

“For faculty and staff it’s a little stressful. Just change, sometimes,

the end result will be some really nice perks for the school.” - Cindy McCallum, activities secretary it’s stressful. And yet we know there’s an end to it and that

“I’m excited to see how spacious it becomes, and how there’s going to be more chairs and stuff so that people can actually do more in the commons other than just hang out.” - Sanjana Pattanaik, 11 “You get more time to talk to colleagues on the walk in, and I don’t mind that part. I’ve had unexpected conversations with people I didn’t know very well before.” - Gretchen Nesset, English teacher

everybody who has worked on it has done a nice job to try and minimize the disruption.” - Mark Nelson, dean “It’s been a little bit challenging but I think that

“The

ferent.

classrooms

are

going

to

be

really

dif-

[Students] are going to love them; all the furniture is going to change.” - Cindy McCallum, activities secretary “So far, it [the construction outside of the classroom] hasn’t been too bad. Sometimes, we hear banging or knocking. It’s been intermittent. It hasn’t been unbearable. We’ll see if it gets to a point where it’s really bad.” -Lucas Shogren, orchestra teacher

photos by Jenna Stellmack and Emily Feng

me with many changes for the students the ongoing construction. Among the lity of the upper and lower commons s the split of the east parking lot into a entire north lot as a parking space. Alove the student experience in the long mbers have described it as disruptive or temporary disturbance as a necessary mong the differing opinions, here are

On the other hand...

“Sometimes it’s too warm [or] too hot and that part has been hard, especially for teachers in certain areas, but sometimes that happens when you try to work on things in the building.” - Mark Nelson, dean “There’s a lot of construction that disrupts learning, and noise is really disrupting.” - Sanjana Pattanaik,

[It’s]

ruining

my

senior

the 11

year.

“ I can’t have the commons to hang out in. [The school] is either hot or it smells like paint.” - Jamison van Laningham, 12 “I think it’s going to be super interesting in the winter when they ask students to walk over [across the parking lot] in the dark when it’s icy. It

After

was bad enough when they didn’t plow the flat parking lot, but now there’s potholes.” - Gretchen Nesset, English teacher “It’s good that they’re making the school better, but it’s annoying that it’s happening right now.” - Ana Ranallo, 10 “I don’t think there’s enough space for kids to hang out, especially in between classes or before and after school, and it’s very crammed everywhere.” - Sanjana Pattanaik, 11

if there was a fire, my designated exit door would be blocked.” - Gretchen Nesset, English teacher “I’m concerned because

“It’s very annoying, because

there’s just no space in the

school anymore. The stairs are just jam-packed, and there’s no-

where to go when you have any free time. And ReFLECT is gonna suck, because people are all going to go to the library, and that’s all there is. People can’t leave school, so they can’t do anything else.” - Ellie Keillor, 12 “The best parking lot is used 20 by the buses.”

Gretchen Nesset, “I’m not a fan [of the new parking lot].

minutes English

a

day teacher

I don’t feel safe walk-

ing across the street.” - Laura Breidenstein, math teacher “It’s kind of ridiculous how far people have to walk.

Like why did they even build the bus parking lot? They never told us they were going to do that; they never asked for our opinion.

Like, it was fine before. And it’s dangerous now.” - Ellie Keillor, 12 “I hate the bus parking lots; that’s such a waste of space. They took an entire like ¾ of the parking lot and made it specifically for buses.” - Grant Peltier, 11

concept art by Wold Architects

quotes compiled by Emily Feng, Molly Shwiff and Janae Lee

8

editorials

Monday, September 30, 2019

Trump shuts vapers down

by Alec Nelson arts & entertainment editor

Recently, the Trump administration has proposed a ban on flavored e-cigarettes nationwide. This proposal, however, has faced backlash for its inability to stop underage vaping. Be that as it may, there are obvious reasons as to why a complete ban on flavored e-cigarettes should be seen as helpful. The main reason for this ban comes from new reports of a “mysterious” lung illness that so far has 530 confirmed cases across 36 states in the United States. Eight deaths have also been linked to this illness, including one in Minnesota. Another reason for the ban can be attributed to the fruity flavors in the e-cigarettes that attract teenagers across the nation, including those at Mounds View. So far, New York is the only state that has enacted the ban, but many others are watching intently. While this ban has many who are opposed to it, Trump’s proposal of a nationwide ban on flavored e-cigarettes should be viewed as a step in the right direction.

Many students at Mounds View are infamously known for their vaping. First and foremost, vaping at school is foolish since since students should be focusing on their education and not their nicotine addiction.

Many students take up class time by going to vape in the bathrooms, ultimately losing valuable learning time.

Students also find creative ways to vape in class. One of these ways is hiding their e-cigarette under their sweatshirts or shirts. This puts their attention on not getting caught by the teacher, when it should be on learning.

Imposing the ban would take away these in-class dis-

tractions, shifting students’ focus back to learning.

Second, the recent evidence of a “mysterious” illness should be enough to convince students to not vape.

In the past, users have claimed that vaping is harmless since it cannot cause deaths. The recent cases have proved otherwise. Teenagers are young and have long lives to live. Wasting it on something as detrimental as vaping is absurd, especially when the consequences can last a lifetime. The addiction students at Mounds View have even affects life at home. Some only need to vape in a certain time interval, while others are more extremely addicted and need it to go to bed. When most students wake up in the morning, they usually have a routine such as brushing their teeth, showering and eating breakfast. However, the extremely addicted vapers need the fruity flavors and nicotine to get their day started. These habits are no different from smoking cigarettes, which is ironic since vaping was meant to be a healthier alternative to tobacco. Eventually, this routine will come to an end by the various illnesses that will catch up to these daily users.

Furthermore, the ban should be imposed because the government should be more responsible for the well-being of its people. Every drug that the U.S. has declared illegal is for a good reason. Why should the government stand idle when an entire society of healthy young people gets ruined by vaping? Furthermore, vaping is not a constitutional right. It seems pathetic that students are fighting for their right for an illegal and severely unhealthy activity. When vaping first started, people assumed it to be less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes. However, vaping has not been around

for long and only recently are we starting to look deeper into the side effects of vaping, which is why it is important for the US government to act on this situation now before this generation sees a rising death toll from lung diseases.

Overall, the Trump Administration’s ban on flavored e-cigarettes will benefit Mounds View students for the better. Some may claim that imposing a ban will not change the number of students who vape, but banning the source is a far better approach to underage smoking than simply raising the legal age. Banning flavored e-cigarettes can promote better grades for students and provide a healthy morning or night routine. In the end, students who vape should understand that any future ban is meant to protect them from ruining their good health.

illustration by Jenna Stellmack

College Board scams students

by Natalie Nemes spread editor

The College Board. Every student knows its function. It controls the scores students receive on standardized tests, like Advanced Placement Exams and the SAT, which play a large role in their acceptance into their dream schools. Although many students would describe the College Board as a mysterious organization that assigns them a number based on whether or not they can fill in the correct bubble on a multiple choice test, the College Board recognizes itself on its website as “a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success.” While on the surface the College Board may appear to live up to its mission statement, in reality, it unfairly manipulates students by overcharging them and strategically placing registration dates to force them to pay more.

Firstly, the College Board forces students who are unsatisfied with their SAT score from the previous month to register late for the SAT administered next month, making them pay an absurd amount of money.

It does this by not releasing scores from the previous exam until the registration date for the next month has passed, making students who wish to retake the SAT pay the $30 late fee. This practice holds true for the Nov. 2, Dec. 7 and Jun. 6 tests this school year; the score release date for the August test and the registration deadline for the October test were the same day. The College Board could hardly expect students to know the registration deadline and score release fell on the same date, meaning when most students looked up the registration date, they would have found that it had already passed. On top of the $49.50 testing cost, the total amounts to almost $80. If a student is taking the SAT with the essay, it comes close to $95. This is simply a ridiculous price tag for a student or his/her family to pay, especially for a test that is required at most students’ preferred colleges, and particularly for an organization that claims to “[connect] students to college success.”

The College Board does offer fee waivers to students from low income families; however, the waivers come with multiple restrictions for students who

qualify and want to use them. For example, they do not cover the cost of changing the testing location or testing date. Fee waivers also only cover two SATs and six SAT Subject Tests, meaning if a student wishes to test more times than that to achieve their desired score, they need to pay the heavy cost themselves. Furthermore, students with fee waivers may only take the SAT for free during their junior and senior years of high school.

While most students take the SAT during their junior year, some prefer to test at least once during their sophomore year to either gain testing experience or finish standardized testing before the infamously hard junior

infographic by Michael Hu Four out of the six SAT testing dates in 2019 have its scores released after the registration deadline of the following test date, as indicated by a higher white bar

year. If the College Board truly wished to help students with financial difficulties, the fee waivers would not come with so many limitations.

After all, students do not have many other affordable options. While many colleges accept either the SAT or the ACT, the ACT is not a cheap alternative either, with a price tag of either $52 or $68, depending on whether or not one chooses to take it with the writing test.

The College Board, combined with the ACT, holds somewhat of a monopoly over college entrance exams with its ownership of the SAT and the AP program. No comparable college-level programs exist. Only around

5,000 schools offer IB programs compared to the 22,612 schools with an AP program. Only Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as well as the University of Minnesota guarantee the acceptance of Anoka Ramsey Community College (ARCC) credits, and the only school that guarantees the acceptance of CIS credits is the University of Minnesota. The College Board capitalizes on its near sole control over early college credit to overcharge students with a fee of $94 per AP Exam.

In addition to its already unreasonable pricing, the College Board changed its deadline for schools to submit AP Exam orders to Nov. 15 this year, forcing AP students to register before this date (if the AP course starts after Nov. 15, students can register in the spring). Although this makes no difference to students who know they want college credit from a course as soon as they sign up for it, it is a bigger deal for students who sign up for an AP class solely to enrich their understanding of a topic, and do not necessarily want to take a long, grueling, expensive exam to obtain college credit.

By moving the deadline to November, the College Board gives these students less time to assess whether or not an AP Exam is worth their time, money and effort. Students may not have spent enough time in the course to judge whether or not they will do well on the exam, and subsequently, whether they will earn college credit by taking it. If students change their minds and end up registering late, they have to pay a $40 late fee. Essentially, the College Board rushes students into spending their money on a standardized test that may not even lower the cost of college and has thus increased its chances of earning an abundance of money just from late fees.

Non-profit organizations such as the College Board should prioritize the financial needs of students who use their programs. If the College Board had a true interest in the success of students, it would lower its ridiculous fees, move its manipulative registration dates and reallocate some of its funds towards assisting financially challenged students.

DEBATES

monday, September 30, 2019

Gatorade

by Emily Feng

And...that’s the tea

features editor

Gatorade is more popular than Powerade, and for a simple reason: Gatorade is better than Powerade. In addition to having a wider variety of flavors and products, Gatorade is healthier than Powerade.

While Powerade has a total of 21 products available, Gatorade has 29 different products, making it far more versatile. Additionally, Powerade only has their normal product and a lowcalorie Powerade Zero option. On the other hand, Gatorade has their normal product in addition to Gatorade Fierce, G-2, Gatorade light, Gatorade FLOW, Gatorade Organic and Gatorade Rain.

Most of Gatorade’s sugar content comes from sucrose and dextrose while Powerade’s sugar content is al-

Smoothie

by Brock Nelson sports editor

Imagine sipping your milk tea at a local bubble tea shop. Then, a tasteless bubble hits your mouth, disrupting the flavor and ruining your tea. The soggy and squishy texture of the tapioca pearl lodges in your throat and makes for an uncomfortable experience to swallow. This kind of event is why it is safe to say that smoothies are superior.

To start, smoothies are richer in flavor, with hundreds of possible flavors. This is because smoothies are usually a mix of fruits and vegetables blended with a sort of dairy products.

Due to this, you can make a smoothie with any fruit or vegetable imagin-

Pizza Hut

most purely from high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup, which Powerade has a higher quantity of, is associated with health risks such as increased abdominal fat when consumed in excessive quantities.

As far as replacing electrolytes, Gatorade does a better job. Gatorade contains 160 mg of sodium and 45 mg of potassium per serving compared to Powerade having 150 mg of sodium and 35 mg of potassium per serving.

This means that Gatorade is more prepared to replace electrolytes lost through sweat which is useful if you play a high-intensity sport.

In terms of versatility, healthiness and practicality, Gatorade is better than Powerade. If you are looking for a more efficient energy replacer at the end of a long game, Gatorade is the choice for you.

able and even make creative combinations as you see fit.

Additionally, unlike bubble tea, smoothies are versatile and thus used in many different ways. They can be made into smoothie bowls, smoothie juice concentrate or even a smoothie parfait paired with things like nuts, berries or vegetables. While bubble tea is gaining popularity in the U.S., smoothies should remain as the top choice.

graphic from www.needpix.com

by Brock Nelson sports editor

It is more than just pizza at Pizza Hut. With more variety on the menu, better quality food and a dine-in option, Pizza Hut is an overall better pizza chain than Domino’s.

For those new to the Pizza Hut experience, you will quickly find that the experience is more than just the standard pizza option. While Domino’s does offer some subs and pastas to go with the main option of pizza, Pizza Hut has french fries, garlic bread, potato wedges, lasagna and even cheesecake. Even with the extra options, Pizza Hut has perfected the variety to either compliment the pizza

or be a stand-alone meal. When it comes to pizza chains, you will have more combinations at Pizza Hut than anywhere else that is sure to satisfy a diverse range of appetites.

Personally, Pizza Hut’s food has always shown to have a higher degree of quality than Domino’s in regards to presentation and taste. While Domino’s focuses on food and then sends its customers away, Pizza Hut offers a dine-in area where you can enjoy your food in comfort making it trump Domino’s in yet another evaluation standard.

Viewer Staff 2018-2019

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Michael Gennaro Leon Wang Jenna Stellmack Leon Wang, Emily Feng Leon Wang Janae Lee Jenna Stellmack Angela Larson, Janae Lee Molly Shwiff, Emily Feng Alissa Zhao

Powerade

by Brock Nelson sports editor

Just because it is a more well-known drink does not mean it has better products. This is evident in the sports drink industry when comparing Gatorade and Powerade. According to marketrealist. com, Powerade owns only 29% of the industry compared to Gatarode’s 65.5%.

This is because Gatorade has been on store shelves for many more years than Powerade, and consumers are more familiar with it. Familiarity and marketing don’t make the actual product better.

For starters, Powerade has much more diverse flavoring, which includes Strawberry Lemonade, Mountain Berry, Arctic Shatter, Jagged Ice and even Sour Melon. While Gatorade also has some unique flavors, it is the head-to-head

Bubble Tea

by Emily Feng features editor

With a satisfying pop, my biodegradable straw pierces the film covering my boba: the superior drink.

Boba, sometimes referred to as bubble tea, is comprised of two main parts: the “base drink” and the “toppings.” For both the base and the toppings, there are a variety of both traditional and nontraditional options, making it far more customizable than smoothies.

The “base” can be pretty much anything that is liquid and sweet: milk tea, iced tea, espresso, slushies and fruit punches.

Milk tea and iced tea and espresso all have caffeine, which makes boba a far better option for a late night pick-me-up than smoothies. Milk tea has a perfect blend of tea and milk; it is creamy but does not have an overwhelming milky taste and also does not taste like simple,

Domino’s

by Emily Feng features editor

Domino’s, in comparison to Pizza Hut, is a far better option because of its user friendliness, convenience in terms of online ordering, large variety of options and customizable options.

When you go to visit Domino’s website, the option to order online is one of the first things that pops up, making it extremely convenient to the user. You then have the option to choose a Specialty Pizza, with topping combinations such as Hawaiian or BBQ Chicken, or a custom pizza, where you get to pick your toppings.

For a personal pizza, you have the

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matchups that show Powerade’s superiority. Powerade’s blue-colored flavor, Mountain Berry, tastes significantly better than Gatorade’s counterpart, Cool Blue. Furthermore, Powerade’s Fruit Punch flavor also has much more of a kick to it than Gatorade’s equivalent.

Additionally, Powerade will suck less out of your budget as a 32-ounce bottle of Gatorade sells for a dollar compared to a same-sized Powerade bottle at 85 cents. Furthermore, the drinks have extremely similar electrolyte, sodium and sugar counts, and are often marketed in similar ways. When it comes to the two drinks, bigger may not always be better, but cheaper and greater flavoring sure is.

plain tea.

The “toppings” of boba are marble sized semi-solids that can be paired with the base of the boba: tapioca, pudding, popping bubbles or jellies.

Tapioca pearls, also known as boba, are the traditional topping. These pearls are chewy without being overly pungent.

If you do not like traditional tapioca, you can get popping bubbles which pop the second they reach your mouth, hence the name.

You can get a huge variety of milk teas, slushies or even just normal iced teas and then pair it with tapioca, pudding, popping bubbles, herbal jelly, red beans or aloe jelly. Not to mention that you can control the sweetness level. Clearly boba has a larger number of better-tasting options in comparison to smoothies.

So, next time when the cashier at Caribou Coffee says, “Sorry, we can’t take sugar out of the smoothies. They’re made from a mix,” remember that you

option to choose your own pizza crust, sauce, cheese and toppings. They also accommodate requests for toppings to be put on only one side of a pizza, making it easier to appease even the pickiest eaters at parties.

Domino’s menu offers more customizability and in general caters to the needs of picky eaters more than Pizza Hut’s does. If you’re ever ordering pizza for a party, Domino’s is the better option.

Domino’s menu in general caters to the needs of picky eaters more than Pizza Hut’s does.

Jenna Stellmack, Natalie Nemes Michael Hu Alec Nelson Brock Nelson Arfa Ali Jenna Stellmack David Ostrom Sauk Centre Publishing

Mounds View High School ‌• 1900 Lake Valentine Rd. Arden Hills, MN 55112 • www.mvviewer.org‌ • @mvviewer • business@mvviewer.org

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Arts & Entertainment

Monday, september 30, 2019

Holy cow, it’s Red Cow

by Michael Hu editorials editor

Ever since opening its doors in 2017, Red Cow has found itself constantly busy every night. However, this is not surprising at all as they live up to their standards of exceptionally prepared food and drinks. As a result, Red Cow has become recognized throughout the Twin Cities for its signature tavern-style food.

Like a traditional restaurant, a host or hostess asks for the party number and the preferred seating options of a booth, table, at the bar or outdoor patio. Depending on the day and time, wait times can be upwards of 45 minutes, though it is possible to make a reservation. Shortly after being seated, the waitress asked for our drinks as well as suggesting appetizers to try.

photo by Michael Hu Tennessee Hot Chicken sandwich served with a topping of pickles (above).

From a simple glance of the menu, it may seem borderline expensive for most high school students to spend around fifteen dollars for a burger or sandwich, especially since the menu lacked pictures and detailed descriptions of the food.

But once the food arrives, it becomes evident where the money went.

In addition, you will most likely find an item that pleases your appetite.

Their menu contains a variety of options ranging from appetizers, various burgers, sandwiches, soups and also a few vegan options.

After receiving the burgers, it was clear that more thought was put into designing the look of them rather than its convenience. With the Tennessee Hot Chicken sandwich, while only the slices of pickles were already applied, slices of lettuce, tomato and onion were placed on the side, intending for the customer to finish assembling the sandwich themselves. With both the Cowboy burger and Tennessee Hot Chicken sandwich, sauces leaked from all sides, soaking the bun and making it a mess to hold. Since the Cowboy also contained onion rings, it was not possible to take a bite out of it without either smushing the burger or taking out some of the onion rings, defeating the purpose of adding them in the first place. Although out of the ordinary for the entreé, the chicken in the Tennessee Hot Chicken was also much larger than the bun, making it difficult to keep the sandwich intact.

Nevertheless, it is clear that the food at Red Cow was made with passion. The flavors and combinations were unique, the meats were cooked exactly to preference and the quality of preparation was unmatched. The cheese curds were fluffy and crunchy on the outside but as soon as the first bite was taken, the cheese melted in my mouth, making it satisfying to chew without becoming too

gummy. The unique jam sauce fused remarkably well for dipping cheese curds and fries, as it did not overwork the taste buds as ketchup or barbeque can do. The fries, coated with a small amount of seasoning, contained an immense amount of its signature flavor with strong notes of onion and garlic. The Tennessee Hot Chicken had much more spice than anticipated, taking me through the undesired side effects of sweating, noserunning and happy crying, although part of the heat coming off the chicken was from just being cooked. The breading had a thick crunch, making a good pair with the thick slab of chicken inside it.

However, the sandwich lacked a sauce to balance the moisture and as a result, required a sip of water every time after finishing a bite. The Cowboy, on the other hand, was a superb combination of meat and sauce. The barbeque, with the perfect amount of sweetness and tanginess, blended wonderfully with the root-beer pulled pork.

Priding themselves on their outstanding food, it is no surprise that Red Cow also has fantastic customer service.

Their staff does their best when it comes to listening to your questions or concerns, such as the waitress who came by regularly to fill our water pitcher without needing to ask for permission when we had food in our mouths. Even the manager came by to ask how our meals were, which is usually uncommon in other restaurants.

While Red Cow is obviously not the place to go if you are looking for a quick bite or a cheap meal, it certainly is a great place to eat every now and then for a date night or special occasion because a good meal deserves to be paired with a special experience and atmosphere like the kind Red Cow provides. Overall, it is a must-try if you are in the area.

Red Cow Uptown is located on 26th

Street and Hennepin Avenue and is open from 11 a.m.-midnight on MondayThursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m.midnight on Sundays. Parking is located to the left of the building and extends behind it. Other locations are located in Edina, downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul and the airport.

The Verdict

9.5/10

photo by Michael Hu Cowboy burger with a side of fries (above).

Martinez grows up in K-12

by Janae Lee news editor

Ever since her first studio album “Crybaby” in 2015, “The Voice” contestant Melanie Martinez has gained a cultlike following. On Sept. 6, 2019, Martinez not only dropped an album titled “K-12,” but also an entire film shown in select theaters across the country going by the same name. In her film, Martinez returns once again with her role as “Crybaby,” a fantasy version the singer created of herself since her debut album.

Both written and directed by Martinez, “K-12” features thirteen songs for each grade from kindergarten to 12th grade, and tells the story of Crybaby and her friend Angelita who are sent away to a sleepaway school, a boarding school, where they are confronted with problems from dealing with school bullies to battling an evil principal trying to brainwash them by using their magical superpowers. Typical of Martinez’s signature style, her film consists of bright pastel imagery and her well recognized “Lolita” fashion, which is a fashion subculture from Japan influenced by clothing styles from the Victorian era. At first glance, the cute outfits and abundance of pink may seem kid-friendly, but “K-12”

is better described as dark, containing sinister undertones and, at times, graphic imagery and crass language. Martinez’s film, as well as her songs, address a wide variety of different topics that teenage girls will easily recognize from facing sexism to dealing with body image.

Martinez does not shy away from being blunt, sometimes even using unsettling imagery and lyrics in her film to get her messages across. In “Strawberry Shortcake,” the seventh track on her album, she sings about feeling sexualized by her classmates and feeling self-conscious about her body. “It’s my fault,” Martinez sings, referring to feeling as if it is her fault that others are objectifying her due to the way she behaves and the clothes she wears. While singing “Strawberry Shortcake,” Martinez is nude from the waist up, and is wearing a giant skirt made of cake. Her nakedness represents her vulnerability and the feeling of being objectified, while her classmates that are literally taking a bite out of her skirt represent those who are making her feel violated.

Like in “Strawberry Shortcake,” Martinez often shows harsh imagery and makes it seem normal to discuss subjects that others find uncomfortable talking about, let alone sing or create a whole

film about. Another example is shown in “Orange Juice,” where Martinez encounters a girl with an eating disorder in the bathroom. In the scene, Martinez sings, “You turn oranges into orange juice. Enter there, then spit it out of you,” accompanied by bothersome images of girls throwing up orange juice. One of the most disturbing parts of the film is the combination of the haunting lyrics and images that leave the audience squirming. However, at the end of the scene, Martinez explains why eating orders are such an important issue. “Wanna know something about bodies? They don’t define us. They’re just temporary.”

Yes, “Orange Juice” was a hard song to get through visually, but ultimately, after the song ends and Martinez speaks, the audience is offered a greater insight into the struggles and messages her song offers. This is a perfect example of why Martinez’s “K-12” is really worth a listen and watch. All of the imagery—regardless of whether it is stunning or disturbing—is carefully chosen.

Each of her songs hold an important message, with Martinez telling everything as it is, no matter how harsh it may be. Martinez should be applauded on her raw expression and emotion, and her willingness to be vulnerable and address

issues head on. “Strawberry Shortcake” and “Orange Juice” are just two of her tracks, and the eleven others are just as memorable. From getting a peek into the world inside Martinez’s head, witnessing the stunning visuals, and seeing the raw messages and emotions that Martinez is screaming at the world “K-12” is definitely worth the watch.

photo courtesy of Jose Garcia, Flickr Martinez performing at a concert (above).

sports

Monday, September 30, 2019

Servin' up sizzlin starts

by Angela Larson news editor

When a team wins four times more than they lose, it is usually a sign that something special is brewing in the program. And the Mounds View girls tennis team, coached by Sunnyside teacher Scott Sundstrom, is doing just that as they start off their season with eight wins and only two losses.

Co-captain Leah Brandt, 12, voices her excitement over the team’s success this year. “This is probably the best team we’ve had in 10 years,” said Brandt. “It is really fun to be a part of a team that is going to go far and do good things, especially in the state tournament.”

The team is currently ranked 3rd in state, with their biggest rival being Edina High School. While they have not beaten Edina this season or in many years past, they hope to find success against them in the state tournament. “The teams we lost to last year were Rochester Mayo and Edina, but we have a really good chance to beat them this year at state. [Edina] lost a lot of their ranked players so they are hopefully going to be easier to beat,” said Sanjana Pattanaik, 11.

Success comes from hard work, which the girls tennis team embodies with their daily two- to threehour practices and weekend tournaments every other Saturday. In addition to their hard work, the coach has played a factor into the team’s success. “[Sundstrom] is a super good coach. He is a teacher himself, so he works really well with kids,” said Brandt. “He has been coaching through Lifetime [Fitness] for a really long time, so he knows how to reach our age group. He does

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a great job motivating us.”

For Brandt, tennis has been a big part of her life from a young age. “I started playing tennis when I was four and I’ve been playing for Mounds View since 7th grade,” said Brandt. Usually partnering up with Emma Sun, 9, Brandt’s favorite match style is doubles.

A popular sport for all ages, tennis can be enjoyed by just about anyone with a little hand-eye coordination and a racket. “It’s a really fun community and a really great way to meet people,” said Brandt. “The girls who play are all really great people, and it’s also a lifetime sport so it’s definitely worth playing.”

The varsity team poses for the camera after a hard-fought victory over Elk River (left) photo courtesy of Leah Brandt

Bounce back boys

by Alissa Zhao debates editor “It’s not how you start but how you finish.” This quote, often used in the world of sports, refers to a team’s response to adversity. And through the first 10 games of the season, the Mounds View boys soccer team has bounced back from a rough start and is setting their sights on the state tournament.

Through the first ten games of the season, they are sitting with an even five wins and five losses. The team had a victory in their season opener against Cloquet but then underwent a threegame losing streak.

They rebounded in order to earn their second win against Stillwater.

“We’ve been waiting to beat Stillwater for about two years now. It was a crucial moment in our season,” said Christopher

Wikstrom, 11. The win against Stillwater meant a lot more to the team than breaking their losing streak. Last year, Stillwater won the state championship, and by successfully beating them 1-0, the Mustang soccer team proved themselves and showed rapid improvement since the start of the season in August.

“We just start off slow and sloppy. We just don’t play our best at the beginning of the year,” said co-captain George Demay, 12.

The team then went on to beat Cretin-Derham Hall, White Bear Lake and Spring Lake Park, creating some positive momentum in an up and down season so far.

These results are a testament to all the hard work and all the hours of training put in by this team. To be selected to play on varsity, each player must show that he has the skills necessary to con-

tribute to the team and for younger players, the potential to grow into important assets. “I think the coach has to see a lot of potential in you to put you on the varsity team, especially if you’re a freshman,” said Demay. “They usually bring them up to develop them.”

Almost half of this year’s varsity team is new to playing varsity. As a result, they had to spend more time learning how to play as a cohesive, varsitylevel team. “The more experience, the better,” said Demay. “Young players need more varsity experience.” Trying to bring 24 players together is no easy task. Then, ensuring that any combination of 11 players can go out onto the field and play together is even more difficult.

The varsity team has finished playing over half of their regular season games. With the upcoming sections

tournaments, the boys are looking forward to a team tradition—sections haircuts.

This tradition gives upperclassmen the chance to have some fun. “The youngest underclassman going into playoffs gets the worst haircut. So Chris Wikstrom, two years ago, they shaved an arrow into his head,” said Demay.

When Wikstrom was asked about this tradition, he said, “It’s fun if you’re not the one getting a haircut.”

As the end of the boys soccer season nears, they have slowly but steadily started to win more. If they can continue to bring it game in and game out, this teams only ceiling will be US Bank’s— the venue of the state soccer tournament.

Sports trivia After the end of week three in the NFL, who is the highest-scoring fantasy football QB? A) Lamar Jackson

C) Tom Brady

B) Patrick Mahomes D) Kirk Cousins

Which Mounds View football player kicked the winning field goal against Minnetonka on September 20 to help

How many different songs are in the performance team’s mash-up for their hip-hop dance routine?

secure a 17-16 win?

The U.S. women’s national soc-

World Cup this past summer.

How many times have they achieved this?

What place did the boys cross

Which Mounds View sports

country team place on September

team won the title of state

21 at the Milaca Mega Meet?

champion last spring?

Answers: B, Ben Samuel, 12, four times, 2nd place, boys tennis

cer team won the FIFA Women’s

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Monday, September 30, 2019

top 10

things to have to be a VSCO girl

10 Birkenstocks Friendship Bracelets

9

Kanken 8 Fjallraven Backpack Carmex 7 TikTok 6 4kfollowers Oversized t-shirt 5 Shell Necklace 4 Metal Straw (Save the turtles) 3

2 Scrunchies

Hydroflasksksk

1

Coaches Thailand Italy Highway Gatorade Soccer

Buddies Construction Melanie

Fisher Vaping Spain

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

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Pet of The Issue

Name: Mitri Age: 8 years old Gender: Male Breed: Siamese cat Owners: Daniel and Amina Knapp, 12

Favorite Food: Purevita Duckcat food with ham Favorite Toy: Multi-colored string

fun facts about Mitri He is a very fat cat who is scared of everything

He wants food all the time

DM

He loves to be pet but only by people he likes

He loves to play with his toys which is good for his exercise

photo by Amina Knapp

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