MV Viewer 2023-24 Issue 2

The Viewer

Volume 71

Issue 2

October 31, 2023

Website: mvviewer.org

Instagram: @mvviewer

News 02

Features 04

Good Question 09

Reviews 10

Sports 11

2023 school board election

John Teah, a jack of many trades

How is AI being addressed in classrooms?

‘No One Will Save You’ review

Boys soccer

2 School board election NEWS

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

| Sinim Dhuguma & Justin Shao STAFF REPORTERS

On Nov. 7, voters in the Mounds View School District will choose four out of the 10 candidates running for school board. The ballot consists of two slates of four candidates and two candidates running independently, without an endorsement.

These candidates are endorsed by the Mounds View Education Association, a teachers union that represents educators in the Mounds View School District.

Alissa Daire Nelson

Alissa Nelson is a parent with two children currently attending Mounds View High School. Nelson is the founder and CEO of Daire 2 Succeed, a company that works to help create productive workplaces. She believes her career has equipped her with skills beneficial as a school board member.

If elected, Nelson hopes to improve communication between the board and the community.

She’s mentioned possibly starting a podcast or publishing briefings on a similar audio platform.

She would also consider changing the time of school board meetings to accommodate parents currently unable to attend.

Heidi Danielson

Heidi Danielson is a former Mounds View district parent running for reelection. With experience with the PTA and four years on the board, Danielson hopes to continue serving the community.

As academic excellence remains a priority, Danielson emphasizes the need for mental health resources. “I think

academic excellence is always going to be a core to our district,” she said. “I know that there are some students who still prioritize academic rigor over other things [like mental health], but I think the main emphases around mental health [are] connectedness and belonging.”

Jim DeMay

Jim DeMay, a Mounds View alum whose children also graduated from Mounds View, is seeking reelection after four years on the board.

He has also served for 10 years on the Mounds View Schools Education Foundation.

DeMay is motivated to repair pandemic learning loss. “Our game plan

is to identify students who are struggling, [and] provide intervention teachers for them,” he said.

DeMay also stresses the importance of keeping funding focused on the classroom. “[I’m proud that] we spend 76% of our money in the classroom,” said DeMay.

Jonathan Weinhagen

With eight years on the Mounds View School Board, Jonathan Weinhagen is the current head chair and, if reelected, will be the longest-sitting member of the board. He also previously served as the president of the Education Foundation.

Weinhagen emphasizes the importance of considering equity when

making school board decisions. “This district has been nation-leading in a focus and commitment to an equity promise that assures that regardless of your race, socio-economic disability, you’re gonna have the same types of opportunities,” said Weinhagen.

These candidates are endorsed by the Minnesota Parents Alliance, an organization created to provide parents with the resources to be involved in their child’s education.

Heidi Caccamo

Heidi Caccamo works in sales and lives in the Mounds View district with her four children and two stepchildren.

Caccamo’s biggest priority is student safety and implementing progressive discipline with a restorative component. “[If] we have a repeat offender, let’s see if maybe there’s something under-

lying. Let’s see if we can give them additional support or offer their family support,” said Caccamo.

Caccamo also wants to increase funding for mental health, specifically to get mental health providers, social workers and psychologists into schools.

Mark Kelliher

Mark Kelliher is a retired investment professional who has lived in the district for almost 40 years.

He wants to revisit the grading policy, addressing concerns that classes are too easy to pass. He would also like to reevaluate the homework policy, where homework is not allowed for

elementary schools and discouraged for middle school. “At the very least, there should be the option to be able to bring homework home,” said Kelliher.

Kelliher also wants to push for industrial education classes, such as metal-crafting, woodworking and other industrial arts.

Art Mills

Art Mills has two daughters: one junior at Mounds View and one 2023 graduate. His mission is to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education.

Mills wants to replace the Equity Promise of 2020 with something that acknowledges that every kid has a chance to succeed.

Mills believes that

the modern idea of equity, based solely on a student’s group identity and not their individual needs, is wrong and regressive.

“Every kid is equal, every kid has a chance,” said Mills. “Anyone who says a kid doesn’t have a chance to succeed, they’re the ones who are doing harm, and we need to stop that.”

Paul Wilkstrom

Paul Wikstrom is a parent of three Mounds View School District graduates and has lived in Shoreview since 1996.

He has served on multiple non-profit organization boards facilitating strategic planning and implementation, and multiple roles on a youth soccer club board, including field coordinator and president.

Wikstrom believes that both equality and equity need to be provided.

“Equality means giving everyone a challenge, and equity means providing adequate resources to everyone, to care for each and every kid,” said Wikstrom. “Caring is my slogan. It’s at the center of what I’m campaigning on.”

These candidates are running without a slate or endorsment.

Rich Priore

Rich Priore has been involved in the community as a parent with four children at schools within the district. He served in the U.S. Army, taught at multiple universities in the Twin Cities and currently teaches online at Tulane University.

Priore believes that the most important matters facing the board now

are school safety, diversity and student support.

Priore wants adequate resources for educators. “Necessary resources include competitive compensation, reasonable class sizes, technology and facilities,” said Priore. “Teachers should never have to pay for supplies out of their own pocket.”

Andre Koen

Andre Koen has a Master’s in Education with a focus on curriculum instruction. He is running on academic excellence, inclusion of different perspectives, transparency with education and intellectual respect for others.

One current issue that Koen wants to tackle is safety — being psy-

chologically safe and being physically safe. Koen would like to create better links between mental health providers and restorative programs to create a safer psychological school environment.

Alongside this, Koen believes in a restorative justice approach to dealing with conflicts within the schools.

PHOTOS VIA candidates’ websites

OPINION

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

The case against self-diagnosis

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Cases of self-diagnosis are increasing in the U.S., which may have disastrous consequences

| Elijah Easton STAFF REPORTER hen experiencing symptoms, people often search for the causes of these symptoms online. However, the internet is rarely an accurate source of medical advice.

In 2015, a study by the National Institutes of Health found that over a third of Americans regularly use the Internet to diagnose themselves. In 2019, a new study from LetsGetChecked, a personal health testing company, revealed that this number increased to 65%.

These studies shed light on the concerning rise in self-diagnosis. By choosing Google over a medical professional, people put their mental and physical well-being at risk.

People resort to self-diag- same probability as a caffeine withdrawal diagnonosis to alleviate unsis. Google and other certainty and anxiety search engines fail to by finding the root of understand how overtheir stress. However, lapping symptoms the information peowork, which leads to ple use to diagnose people identifying themselves is often with a completely difmisleading. ferent condition beFor example, cause it is associated according to a study with symptoms simiconducted by Milar to the ones they Elijah Easton crosoft, when someare experiencing. one searches for the One significant consesymptom “headache,” a brain tumor diagnosis showcases the quence of self-diagnosis is that it can worsen a person’s condi-

gers of self-diagnosis and emphasize the importance of seeing medical professionals.

There are also better approaches to self-diagnosis.

Examples such as telehealth services, which offer free or low-cost consultations with healthcare professionals via calls require more attention.

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“To address the growing issue of selfdiagnosis, there must be additions to the health class curriculum.”

ILLUSTRATION | Lale Baylar

tion. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, relying on selfdiagnosis can cause people to neglect preventive care. Some conditions require early intervention, so delaying treatment can worsen health conditions, making them more difficult to manage effectively.

Another consequence is that it can falsely portray the condition to others. About a year ago, I watched a video on the controversy surrounding TikTok influencer @ticsandroses; she had faked her Tourette’s syndrome to pro-

mote her merchandise with the backing of her large following.

As someone who is medically diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome, I always thought her tics seemed very exaggerated and acted out to gain more attention, so it was no surprise to me when she was exposed for faking it. This is very dangerous because it encourages others to fake conditions to get attention.

To address the growing issue of self-diagnosis, there must be additions to the health class curriculum. For example, schools should teach the dan-

gant effortless look. It has faced a lot of criticism due to the evident cultural appropriation. It is a fairly new trend, but many of the stylistic choices utilized are commonly found in South Asian culture. For example, a popular choice for the aesthetic is hair slicked back into a bun.

Although currently popular, previously, when South Asian girls slicked their hair back, it was called unkempt and dirty.

There is also the “brownie glazed lip,” a beauty technique named by American model and socialite Hailey Bieber. The technique involves a brown lip liner and a clear gloss, and it’s a combination that Black and Latina women have worn for many generations. Claiming it is a new trend is disrespectful towards the Black and Latina communities that first established and used the technique.

It rebrands it as a new exciting trend, completely erasing the

influence of the Black and Latina communities.

These can provide guidance to those who may not have easy access to a healthcare provider.

In our fast-paced digital age, it’s tempting for anyone to take the easier route of self-diagnosing. However, we should focus on prioritizing our wellbeing by providing affordable options and opportunities for people to accurately identify and treat their symptoms. Selfdiagnosis will only create a false sense of understanding caused by misinformation, leading you in the wrong direction.

Social media aesthetics fail to recognize influencing cultures

| Christina Lang-Deetz STAFF REPORTER

tagecore to the classical allure of dark academia, aesthetics allow individuals to curate their esthetics have always own personal style. existed throughout fashHowever, it is essential ion and, in recent years, to recognize that aesthetics, have been fun trends for others like any other trend, must be to follow. The term aesthetics is approached with cultural sendefined as an overall mood that sitivity. The rising popularity a person is trying to conform to, of certain aesthetics has led to usually because they concerns of cultural find it visually pleasappropriation, as ing. But these aesthetthey often borrow ics are an opportunity elements from varifor cultural appropriaous cultures without tion to take over and proper acknowledgessentially steal from ment or understandminorities’ identities, ing. This can lead consequently erasing to the erasure of the the influences of their origins of these influculture from certain ences and perpetuate aesthetics stereotypes.

For many, aes- Christina LangOne probthetics are not just Deetz lematic aesthetic that about following trends, is rising in popularbut a way to celebrate individu- ity is the “clean girl” aesthetic. ality and creativity. From the It promotes clear skin, waxed ethereal and rustic vibes of cot- bodies, straight hair and an ele-

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

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

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“It is essential to recognize that aesthetics, like any other trend, must be approached with cultural sensitivity.”

Another popular aesthetic is Y2K fashion. The style usually includes high-contrast colors, low-rise jeans, crop tops and loose-fitting sweatshirts.

Makeup looks involve baby blues and pinks, glitter and lip gloss. While it has gained widespread popularity, it is important to remember that artists of color initially popularized many elements of this aesthetic. For example, Y2K’s popular velour tracksuits and prominent logos were first popularized by artists

staff list

PRINT EDITORS-IN-CHIEF - Maya

Gjelhaug, Tyler Quattrin ILLUSTRATORS - Lale Baylar, Charlotte Krum ADVISOR - David Ostrom

section editors

NEWS - Michael Wang OPINION - Lale Baylar FEATURES - Alex Bi, Isabella Kunc SPREAD - Isabella Kunc, Isabel Li DEBATES - Gloria Liu

GOOD QUESTION - Charlotte Krum REVIEWS - David Anton Golridge SPORTS - Gloria Liu

online editors

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Michael Wang

ONLINE MANAGING COPY EDITOR - Nikhil Kulangaroth ONLINE EDITORS - David Anton Golridge, Isabel Li

of color, such as American rapper and singer songwriter Missy Elliot and American rapper Nelly. Recognizing and respecting their contributions to this trend is essential.

Participating in fashion trends is not the issue, and aesthetics are not inherently bad.

Embracing aesthetics allows individuals to explore their identity, creativity and personal style.

However, participation in aesthetics should be accompanied by cultural awareness and sensitivity. By acknowledging the origins and cultural significance of certain styles, we can celebrate diversity and build bridges between communities.

staff reporters

Lale Akkin, Matthew Betti, Sinim Dhuguma, Elijah Easton, Graham Hanson, Barret Homme, Anna Honebrink, Zariyah Howell, Brayden Kopf, Lillian Landberg, Christina Lang-Deetz, Ezra Leonard, Elijah Mattfield, Vincent Meyer, Will Overbo, Mara Peacock, Liliana Peleska, Justin Shao, Suha Sharif, Sidharth Sharma, Cali Sidler, Scarlett Singerhouse, Tonie Torboh, Lauren Vail, Via Yang

4 FEATURES

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Art Studio at MV Classes | Anna Honebrink STAFF REPORTER

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hile most classrooms keep doors closed during the day, Mounds View students will notice the art room’s doors remain open, emitting the sounds of conversations and the smells of clay and paint. With halffinished projects covering the walls and old art on the tables, it’s no surprise that the art room has a very different feel than most other classrooms at Mounds View.

This unique environment is important to art teacher Jim Bias. “If we don’t have a sense of students feeling […] comfortable in a place that they feel they can be themselves, I think creativity gets kind of pushed back and inhibited,” he said.

In specialized classes like

PHOTOS | Gloria Liu

ABOVE: Senior Ray Cook working on a clay pot in Advanced 3D Art. RIGHT: Students working in the art classroom

Clubs

3D Art and Advanced 3D Art, creativity is explored through the use of materials like cardboard and plaster but mostly clay to create cups, bowls, pots and other pieces. Although the two classes share a room and are sometimes even held at the same time, 3D Art is a more structured class, while students in Advanced 3D Art have more flexibility. “Advanced 3D Art is very different than 3D Art because you have a lot more freedom in what you want to do — Bias hasn’t given me a single assignment. But I’ve thrown multiple things, and I’ve made multiple handheld pieces already,” said senior Ray Cook.

“It’s more of a choose-yourown-adventure kind of thing.”

AP Art, the only full-year art class offered at Mounds View, is structured a little differently than other art classes.

Students create a portfolio with pieces centered around one theme that they may choose to submit to College Board for a score. “The class is trying to help you create a portfolio, especially if you’re trying to get into art in college — super helpful. You have to make 15 pieces by the end of the school year, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is,” said Cook. “It’s more work than people expected to see.”

No matter what class they choose, students are able to try new mediums that they haven’t tried before, and Bias lets them work with whatever materials they want. “I didn’t expect to actually get into painting, but [after] starting out on my first painting, I just wanted to do more,” said junior Diamond Davis.

The uniqueness of the art classroom contributes to classes that stand out for being creative, fun and personalized for each student. “Making sure that students have fun while also learning about the content — kind of give them a different experience,” said Alexander Giere, art teacher.

| Vincent Meyers STAFF REPORTER

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or many Mounds View students over the years, the art classroom has served as a sanctuary for selfexpression. Between the chaos of art materials and energetic conversations, upon entering the art room, people instantly find themselves immersed in a unique environment. After school, the space also comes alive as a destination where people go to free themselves from the stresses of school and indulge in creativity.

The art classroom hosts several clubs outside of school, such as Pottery Club and Students for Climate Awareness (SFCA). The pottery club, which started as an unregistered club last year, is fairly casual. Club members show up

to work on clay and socialize. “[Students] just experiment on the wheel. [It is] time for you to do whatever you want — just throw something for the fun of it and see if it turns out or not,” said senior Audrey Gladke, who helps organize and participates in Pottery Club.

The classroom strives to provide students with access to various tools to express themselves in different mediums, which many other classes do not offer. Additionally, SFCA utilizes materials like markers and different poster papers

to advocate for environmental awareness. “We [made] recycling and composting posters, and we used those art supplies,” says junior Sarah Pederson, who is one of the leaders of SFCA. Moving forward, there are hopes for how the art classroom will evolve in the future.

“I would like to have a little bit more organized, established clubs where kids sign up and we do planned activities,” said art teacher Jim Bias.

PHOTO | Mara Peacock

ABOVE: Junior Eva Rodriguez showing off a clay pot in 3D Art.

Art room teachers

Mr. Bias

Mr. Bias, who has been at Mounds View for 5 years, teaches ARCC Art History, AP Art and Design, 2D Art and 3D Art. He describes himself with the quote, “little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous,” from Willy Wonka.

Ms. Giere

Ms. Giere, who has been at Mounds View for 2 years, teaches 3D Art, Senior Art and Introduction to High School Art. “I’ve loved doing art since I was in middle school, [and] my favorite mediums [are] acrylic, paint and clay,” she said.

PHOTOS | Isabella Kunc

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

John Teah, a jack of many trades

| Brayden Kopf STAFF REPORTER araeducator John Teah has always followed his various passions, including his pursuits in photography and his involvement in coaching and playing multiple sports.

Today, he works in the district, where he continues to embrace all aspects of his interests.

One of Teah’s many passions, photography, was inspired by the passing of his father at a young age. “I got into photography because I lost people I loved. My father passed two months before I was born.

But I grew to love him through his photographs documenting my family’s life story. His images were a way for me to connect with him, even though I never met him,” he said.

In 2016, Teah’s sister asked him to photograph her wedding, knowing it was a hobby of his.

Ever since, he has been hooked.

In 2018, he began his professional photography career when he began working at JCPenney Portraits.

Although his photography

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career can be stressful at times, it has also given him unforgettable opportunities. “One opportunity came when I ran into a guy named Tim Williams, owner of Twill Sports. Every year, his company gives out awards for Minnesota’s best high school players, and they host a showcase where the kids compete against Timberwolves players. He invited me to be their photographer and videographer. I did some work for them, and through them, I was able to work with some top high school athletes, collegiate athletes and professional athletes,” said Teah.

While he was in high school, he found coaching to be another one of his passions.

Teah coached recreational soccer for a while in high school, and he loved helping kids strive to become better and being part of their success story.

After high school, Teah attended the Georgia Institute of Technology in hopes of becoming a sports medicine professional. During college, he played Division I football and also ran track. He contin-

TEAH in his college years at Georgia Tech

PHOTO VIA John Teah

JOHN TEAH celebrates at a girls’ track and field meet

ued with both sports up until his 2014 season, when he endured career-ending injuries. said Teah.

Once Teah was injured, he dropped out of school due to his scholarship ending and decided to visit Minnesota, where his sister currently lived. Eventually, he found new opportunities here. “I’ve always wanted to help kids be successful in and out of the classroom. I did not want to be a teacher because of the workload, so I became a para to at least try and help students and their educational teams to develop a plan and implement intervention strategies for the classroom and within the school environment,” he said.

Teah began as a behavioral interventionist at Outreach Academy. Through the years,

he got a job as a paraeducator at Mounds View High School.

Now at Mounds View, Teah has circled back to his love for coaching, where he coaches girls track and boys basketball.

He says while it’s busy, he still loves the job and looks forward to watching the athletes improve. “I hope our freshman season goes well, and the incoming freshman will be able to get moved to JV or the 10thgrade team,” he said.

Teah’s love for coaching remains, but fatherhood currently holds the most significance in his life. “Having my kids helped me focus more on life, and it gave me a sense of direction. It also made me a more responsible person,” he said.

Although Teah was unable

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PHOTO VIA John Teah

“Having my kids helped me focus more on life, and it gave me a sense of direction. It also made me a more responsible person.”

John Teah

to finish college the first time around, he plans to begin taking classes at the University of Minnesota this summer and finally get a degree in sports medicine.

For now, he plans to continue working at Mounds View and coaching the girls track team.

Isaac Tsai, the graphic design guy

| Scarlett Singerhouse STAFF REPORTER

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PHOTO | Isaac Tsai

any students will recognize the graphics of junior Isaac Tsai, which often appear on the popular Mounds View Senior Stable Instagram account to promote upcoming sports events. However, most are unaware of the story behind Tsai’s work.

Amid the pandemic, Tsai spent a lot of time on his computer and began exploring various design concepts. He especially admired Zimri Mayfield, a popular graphic design YouTuber whose videos offer tips

and ideas for creating original designs. Mayfield also shares insights into how he makes a living through freelance design work, which inspired Tsai to start his own creative journey.

“I started doing my own things, and eventually it started becoming something that I like to do almost every single day.”

Isaac Tsai, ‘25

“I started doing my own things, and eventually it started becoming something that I like to do almost every single day,” said Tsai.

Tsai began his hobby by redesigning book covers or corporate logos. That progressed into him designing for other people or events. Recently, he has created designs for Mounds View sports and activities. “I would

say one of my proudest designs is the first graphic I made for the boys lacrosse team, not because it looked maybe the best or had the most likes, but it was kind of the first step I took towards using my own skills,” said Tsai.

When Tsai comes across a roadblock while designing, he finds that it is more efficient to start over completely. “It’s frustrating because you feel like your time is wasted, but some of those graphics that I’ve had to completely restart have been some of my best graphics that I have made,” he said.

Another aspect of Tsai’s process is working independently. Although Tsai sometimes works with others, he

“A lot of your individual skill probably has to come from you just trying things out by yourself.”

Isaac Tsai, ‘25

ISAAC’S DESIGN for Mounds View Football

prefers to design by himself.

“A lot of your individual skill probably has to come from you just trying things out by yourself and seeing how they fail. I think the skills that you need to be able to share ideas and create something as a group is really

GRAPHIC | Isaac Tsai

helpful,” he said.

Tsai said that if there is continued interest in his designs, he sees no reason not to continue doing what he loves. Nevertheless, for now, Tsai considers graphic design more of a hobby rather than a serious career.

6 SPREAD

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

It’s not just about pay — the causes of the teacher shortage | Mara Peacock STAFF REPORTER

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cross the country, school districts are struggling to hire teachers and encourage them to stay. The teacher shortage affects not only the teaching staff, but also substitute teachers and other staff at school districts. This issue has been going on for years, going back to the Great Recession.

During the Great Recession, which lasted from 2007-2009, teachers’ salaries were reduced, and according to a study published by MIT Press Direct, about 300,000 school staff lost their jobs in the U.S. This discouraged many teachers from staying in the profession or accepting new teaching positions after the Great Recession ended. As inflation began to rise afterwards, already low teacher salaries could not keep up.

The amount of funding for public schools also dropped during the Great Recession and, according to the US Census Payroll, did not improve even after the recession ended. Because of this, as well as the lack of interest in teaching, school districts were unable to fill in the teacher gaps after the recession. In 2009, teacher education enrollments were at 691,000 people, but in 2014, the number dropped to 451,000. These effects of the Great Recession were mirrored years later in schools with the COVID-19 pan-

“

Teachers are only paid for when they’re standing in front of students teaching [...] and for a lot of teachers, the majority of the work happens outside of work.

Ashley Walter, English teacher

”

demic, as funding for education decreased again according to Chalkbeat, a non-profit news organization that covers education.

Teachers agree that COVID-19 and online learning has worsened the teacher shortage. With students’ and teachers’ needs changing during online learning, schools were structured in a different way than before. According to a Harvard University and Stanford University study, the average student in U.S. public schools from grades 3-8 lost about half a year’s worth of learning in math and a quarter year’s worth of learning in reading due to online learning. The learning loss caused teachers to have to play catch-up with their students, a learning change many teachers were not ready for, adding additional work and stress to teachers’ day-to-day lives.

The most commonly cited cause of the teacher shortage is a lack of pay, due to the amount of unpaid

work that occurs outside of the school day. “Teachers are only paid for when they’re standing in front of students teaching [...] and for a lot of teach-

“

It’s one thing to teach, it’s another thing to motivate; if you have to do both, that’s exhausting.

Rob Reetz, principal

”

ers, the majority of the work happens outside of work,” said Ashley Walter, English teacher.

There is no doubt that student behavior plays a role in teacher retention.

Due to isolation during the pandemic, student behavior has only gotten worse over the past few years according to an EdWeek survey, which may partially explain the postCOVID teacher exodus. “The most challenging thing for teachers [is] to manage behavior of students in class, to keep kids engaged on tasks and completing work,” said Principal Robert Reetz., “It’s one thing to teach, it’s another thing to motivate; if you have to do both, that’s exhausting.”

In addition to a lack of respect towards teachers, fewer people are interested in pursuing a career in education. According to the Learning Policy Institute, a survey of students who took the ACT from 20102014 showed a decline in the number of students interested in going into teaching as their career, with 34% of students showing interest in teaching in 2010, compared to only 5% in 2014.

Fewer students going into education leads to a lack of teachers that can be hired in schools.

The shortage in the hiring pool can be seen at Mounds View, both throughout the district and at the high school.

“When I first started teaching here, this was a super sought-out job.

It was really hard to get

into Mounds View High School, and now, we have no one who applies,” said Bias. On Mounds View Public Schools’ website, job openings for the district and school display the number of positions open for hiring, and as of Oct. 25, there are currently 10 open nutrition services positions and 16 open paraeducator positions.

The teacher shortage has a longer history than people may think, beyond online learning from COVID-19. The teacher shortage can be traced back to many different causes, but all are important to understand when addressing this problem.

Growing di | Lale Akkin STAFF REPORTER

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any students may notice that the teachers they had just a few years ago have already moved on from their teaching careers.

Reports from the Minnesota Department of Education show that the average years of teaching experience that Minnesota teachers had during 202021 was only two years, compared to 14 years during 2017-18. In those five years, the average years of teaching experience dropped by 12. This means that teachers are replaced more often than before and that many of the current teachers are new to the profession.

The biggest reason for this is the increase in teacher attrition, especially after COVID. As teachers leave and

Tea Shor

In schools around the U. lem has only worsened f resulting in schools and teachers while remaining up the slack.

SPREAD

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023 • WWW.MVVIEWER.

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isparities from the lack of teachers become harder to find, it causes many issues for people involved with education, including other teachers, staff and students.

The number of teachers in Minnesota is decreasing while the number of students is increasing, which puts more work on each teacher. This makes it difficult for teachers to give time and energy to all of their students. “If you’re actually trying to reach every student and see their potential, you just can’t do that as your numbers climb and climb.

So I think that the quality of education is significantly impacted and decreases with every increase of class size,” said Kelly Kahle, science teacher.

Such a phenomenon is supported by findings from the Tennessee STAR experiment, which found that students

acher rtage

in a class size of 13-17 students per teacher had higher performance and received the equivalent of three months more schooling than students in regular class sizes — even those with teacher aides.

As the workload increases for remaining teachers, more of them experience burnout and end up quitting. In June 2022, the Gallup Panel Workforce Study showed that 44% of teachers felt burned out at work, which is more than any other industry in the nation. “I’ve talked to more teachers that I never thought would even consider another career who have just found that they feel so burnt out and they don’t know what to do. And some of them have left, and that’s really sad because I think what we’re facing is the loss of some of the best teachers,” said Ashley Walter, English teacher.

It is also becoming increasingly difficult to find substitute teachers to take spots in classrooms. “It’s kind of like patchwork or quilting, putting together everything so that everyone is covered for the day [and] all the classes are covered. And it’s sometimes very challenging. There’s more teachers out than substitutes to fill the spots,” said substitute teacher Layna Peltier.

Substitutes are working more than they used to to keep up with all of the empty spots. A few years ago, they could pick and choose what class they wanted to fill in for and teachers would not worry about finding someone to take over their class. After COVID, Building Secretary Lori Diekoff explains that many substitutes retired, which left the sub pool smaller. Because of this, teachers have even started using their prep hour to fill in, and according to Walter, they constantly get emails asking them to substitute.

Even after all of these efforts,

sometimes there are classes that cannot be covered. After math teacher Kate Milkert went on maternity leave last year, her 6th hour AP Calculus class did not have a substitute teacher who was qualified to teach calculus for around a month; it was more of someone supervising their class. “There was just really not that much we could do to ask a teacher [for help],” said junior Michael Kivinen. The students had to rely on online sources like videos from AP Classroom and YouTube. “It kind of just felt like a study period the whole hour,” said Kivinen.

The Mounds View school district is better than many other districts at finding staff, but the teacher shortage is growing. If nothing is done to encourage more teachers to pursue and stay in the profession, these effects may only worsen.

Potential solutions | Sidharth Sharma STAFF REPORTER

A

s the teacher shortage continues throughout the country and at Mounds View, educators have proposed various solutions to tackle the problem.

The most commonly proposed solution is increasing teacher salaries. “I think pay would make a big difference for getting people to become teachers,” said Ashley Walter, English teacher. “I think the reality is the current generation that [is] becoming teachers don’t even consider it as an option because the narrative of [it having] such terrible pay.”

Increasing pay can also improve teacher retention. This is already apparent in the Northeast region, which has higher teacher salaries than other regions and the lowest teacher turnover rate in the nation at 10.3%, according to the Edvocate, a website that advocates for education reform.

However, even with these benefits, pay is only a temporary solution. The work environment and support teachers receive is arguably more important because it directly impacts teachers’ well-being. These solutions include increasing mental health support, providing financial support for classroom resources and giving teachers more time to grade or plan lessons during the school day. “Teachers just need more support,” said Walter. “We need more time in our day to actually be effective. If I had more time in my day to plan, to give feedback, to grade, it would be amazing for my students.”

Another way to improve work conditions is to alleviate the stress of administrative work.

“Special ed […] teachers need a lot of help with their paperwork; that’s a very time-consuming piece of their job. We want those teachers working with students. So hiring somebody maybe to do the paperwork aspect of their job [would help],” said DaNae Klimek, business teacher. By hiring other professionals to take care of more administrative tasks, teachers could reduce their workload and burnout, which may lead to higher retention rates.

Students’ behavior in the classroom can also impact a teacher’s mental well-being. Encouraging students to be more engaged during class can relieve teachers of the stress of managing student behavior. “If students could become more aware of just how much we do to create those lessons and to make sure they un-

.S., the teacher shortage probfrom the COVID-19 pandemic, students lacking qualified g teachers work harder to pick

ILLUSTRATIONS | Charlotte Krum

derstand the content [...] and really just kind of acknowledge that, not in a way of giving gifts or anything like that, but just by participating in the lesson [and] getting the work done, yeah, that’s huge,” said Walter.

Alongside retaining teachers, universities and high schools across the nation have implemented programs to encourage students to pursue a teaching career. Educators Rising at Mounds View is one of those programs.

Through shadowing teachers, talking to guest

“

Teachers just need more support. We need more time in our day to actually be effective.

Ashley Walter, English teacher

”

speakers and learning about teaching paths, Educators Rising provides students with opportunities to understand what it is like to be a teacher. “I joined the Educators Rising program to see if I could gain knowledge on what it takes to become an educator and hear some different stories about the profession,” said junior Jayda McAdams. Clubs like these help young students understand how the education field works, which may lead more students to pursue teaching.

Another way that schools have tried to entice more people to enter the profession and retain new teachers is through the resident teacher program. This program, implemented by Minneapolis Public Schools, has helped teachers in their initial days. “I was hired as a resident teacher,” said Benjamin Chiri, associate principal. “I [...] was paid as a full-time teacher but I had a reduced course load. I taught half the day and observed other teachers and received mentorship for the rest of the day.” This increased support makes for a smoother transition into the teaching profession, which may improve teacher retention.

If widely implemented, these solutions can improve the school environment, positively impact teachers’ workspace, and ultimately, combat the teacher shortage.

8

DEBATES

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Should there be an age limit to run for office?

ILLUSTRATION | Charlotte Krum

Not necessary

Would be beneficial | Elijah Mattfield STAFF REPORTER

C

andidates running for office are getting older, with the current Congress being the third-oldest Congress since the founding of the U.S., and this has sparked concerns among Americans. Seeing the people who lead this country have appar-

“Seeing the people who lead this country have apparent freezeups in interviews demonstrates how politicians’ ages have affected their capability to lead this country.” ent freeze-ups in interviews demonstrates how politicians’ ages have affected their capability to lead this country. For example, many voters agree that 81-year-old Mitch McConnell’s age limits his ability to deliver efficient responses in an interview.

First of all, many Americans want age limits for politicians.

According to a CBS News poll, 73% of Americans support a maximum age limit for elected officials — a

Tonie Torboh | STAFF REPORTER sentiment shared across party lines, with 75% of Republicans and 71% of Democrats supporting an age limit for Congress members. Americans want to see themselves represented in their politicians, and with the median age in Congress being almost 20 years greater than the median age of Americans, many younger Americans feel as though their interests are neglected.

64-year-old Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a strong proponent of age limits for Congress members and also a gastroenterologist, claims that once people reach a certain age — typically around age 80 — rapid bodily decline begins. As a doctor, Cassidy is concerned about the effect of age on competency in Congress, where many senators and representatives are over 80 years old.

The effects of bodily decline are most noticeable in the brain.

According to Harvard Medical School, certain brain areas, like the hippocampus, shrink in size as the brain ages.

Additionally, the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers wears down, which slows communication between neurons. This can affect one’s ability to remember new information and retrieve information

that’s already in storage, perhaps explaining McConnell’s interview freezes.

While it’s true that Congress benefits from the experience and insight of the older generation, it’s even more important that elected offices are filled with people of many different ages and generations. By enacting a reasonable age limit, probably somewhere around age 70, the entrenched seat faction in Congress would likely be reduced. With their political influence and large campaign funding, incumbents tend to have a strong advantage over challengers, and age limits would bar many veteran congress members, such as McConnell or Nancy Pelosi, from reelection.

“Many Americans want age limits for politicians.”

In order to increase competition for seats in Congress and promote the election of younger candidates, it is necessary to enact an age limit for elected officials.

An age limit seems to be one of the only things that Republicans and Democrats can actually agree on, so let’s give the people what they want.

E

lected officials are growing older as the years go by, and as a result, voters may worry that they can no longer competently represent American interests. However, this fails to acknowledge that seniors are often more respected, can

“Setting an arbitrary age limit would ignore the fact that chronological age is different from biological age.” work at the same level as younger people and are more reliable.

While many people may think that older people are usually more unhealthy and vulnerable than younger people, this isn’t necessarily true.

Anna Tudar, a 75-yearold fitness teacher at the Ridgedale YMCA in Minnetonka, exemplifies how older age doesn’t necessarily matter if it doesn’t impact work ethic. So, although Tudar is older, that doesn’t mean she struggles more with certain things than younger people.

It may seem like older officials only care about helping old people, but that is not the case. For example, the Kosa bill, introduced by

Richard Blumenthal, a 77-year-old senator, was recently passed to protect minors from harmful content on social media platforms. This shows that not only do older elected officials look out for their own generation, but they also look out for younger folks.

Also, maximum age limits would inevitably remove political power from voters. If age limits were enacted, voters would be unable to elect experienced and influential politicians of their choice simply because the politician’s age surpasses that of the limit.

Setting an arbitrary age limit would ignore the fact that chronological age is different from biological age. In other words, not everyone ages at the same rate, and an age limit fails to understand that age is not necessarily correlated to competency.

“Age limits also inevitably promote age discrimination.”

Age limits also inevitably promote age discrimination, and because of this, may be illegal.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act specifically forbids discrimination against adults over 40. In this regard, barring

individuals over a certain age from office is arguably unlawful.

It is often claimed that older politician’s competency depreciates as they age, but this is not necessarily true. According to Harvard Medical School, some functions of the brain actually improve with age as the branching of dendrites increases and connections between brain areas strengthen. These changes improve the brain’s ability to detect relationships between diverse sources of information, capture the big picture and understand the global implications of specific issues, which are undeniably important to the job of congress members.

Finally, it is simply unrealistic that an effective age limit will ever be enacted. To get such an amendment passed would require either a two-thirds majority in the Senate and the House or a national convention called for by a two-thirds vote from state legislatures, and it would need to be ratified by threefourths of states.

Ultimately, age should never be the only factor that determines one’s ability to perform their job, and it is necessary to recognize the potential harm of trying to impose an age limit in Congress.

9 How are teachers combatting AI? GOOD QUESTION

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

English teachers struggle to detect and prevent AI usage in the classroom

| Matthew Betti STAFF REPORTER

S

ince the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT last year, both teachers and students have raised concerns about the effect of the new technology on education. As more companies launch AI programs, teachers now face the difficulties of handling student use.

The effects of AI are especially hitting English classes, given the bot’s ability to write virtually anything with a single prompt. This year, Mounds View’s English department now deals with a new age of student academic dishonesty.

According to the Mounds View handbook, using AI is academically dishonest. The student handbook defines academic dishonesty as an act that gives students an unfair advantage or doesn’t represent the student’s work.

“Asking AI to generate responses to questions or an essay assigned by a teacher and submitting that work as though it is your own original thoughts or ideas is academically dishonest. [...] Text generated by AI is not the same as plagiarism, or even the same as copying

the work of another student, yet it also meets criteria for being academically dishonest,” said Principal Robert Reetz. The punishments for academic dishonesty include meeting with the dean or admin, phone calls to parents or guardians and possible loss of credit.

According to GovTech, a magazine covering new technologies, AI use in

is there is currently no accurate way of proving it. “We have one platform that we can use to check for, but all it does is tell you if something is likely to have been written by AI [...] and that’s really all we have,” said Rebecca Hauth-Schmid, English teacher. While AIdetecting websites such as GPTZero can be helpful, they are often inaccurate.

Teachers now have to discover solutions to de“At this point, [...] tect the use of AI on asinstead of doing signments. “We have a work online, we’ll series of things that we can do. There’s programs just do work the old that we use, there are diffashioned pen-andferent tools that we use to look at [the writing],” said paper way.”

English Teacher Angelique Gretchen Nesset, English teacher Butterbrodt. Checking the drafting history of an asschool is increasing, with signment to prove it wasn’t at least 30% of U.S. high copied and pasted is one school students using Chat- strategy.

GPT. As student AI use is Most teachers simply becoming a bigger issue, use their best judgment to it has affected how English recognize it. “You can just teachers test their students’ tell when something’s not writing abilities. “At this written by a human,” said point, [...] instead of do- Butterbrodt. To academiing work online, we’ll just cally dishonest students’ do work the old fashioned disadvantage, AI has a writpen-and-paper way,” said ing style that tends to be obGretchen Nesset, English vious and easy to identify. teacher.

Some teachers have One of the biggest is- been left wondering if sues with students using AI changes should be made to

their curriculum to prevent AI use. Assignments that require more critical thinking are harder for AI to answer. “I think many of us

“We have one platform that we can use to check for, but all it does is tell you if something is likely to have been written

by AI [...] and that’s really all we have.”

Rebecca Hauth-Schmid, English teacher

are being compelled to kind of redesign so that students-

ILLUSTRATION | Charlotte Krum

it’s not about [...] what they’re thinking, but it’s more about how and why they think what they do with other stuff that we’re asking them,” said English teacher Steve Morrissette.

Of the options presented, updating the curriculum may be the most effective solution going forward.

When navigating the ever-evolving landscape of AI in education, teachers continue to seek answers to the challenges posed by the new technology and also prepare students for a future in which the role of AI is undeniable.

What is changing with the FAFSA? | Michael Wang & Nikhil Kulangaroth ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR

T

he Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is a well-known way for high schoolers who are applying to college to receive reduced or free tuition for public institutions. Mounds View seniors have long since taken advantage of this application to afford post-secondary education, but starting this year, the FAFSA application is changing significantly.

The first change to the FAFSA is the date the application opens. This year, seniors can start filling out the application on Dec. 1.

In future years, the FAFSA is slated to open on Oct. 1, as it did previously.

Before filling out the form, a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID is required. The FSA ID provides an electronic signature for security purposes. This year, anyone filling out the form — including parents, step-parents and spouses — needs to create an FSA ID. Previ-

ously, only the student had to create the FSA ID. When filling out the FAFSA form, there are a few documents needed.

Families need their Social Security numbers, driver licenses, current bank statements, investment records and the names of schools they are applying to. Both students and parents need to include information on their citizenship and marital status, their residency, their social security number and the number of people living in their household.

One major change to family information is the replacement of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI). The terminology was changed due to confusion between EFC and the cost of attendance of a school. The main effect of this change is a shift away from a family’s cash flow and an increased emphasis on their wealth, which includes assets and

savings. Also, the number of children in college at the same time will no longer affect eligibility for needbased financial aid.

It is important to estimate the aid you can receive from the FAFSA before applying. Typically, each additional $10,000 of income reduces financial aid eligibility by $3,000. As a rule of thumb, income above $140,000 will typically disqualify you from financial aid qualification at a public university, and $250,000 in income will typically disqualify you from garnering financial aid entirely.

This may change this year, as the FAFSA now emphasizes wealth over income.

But that shouldn’t discourage anyone from filling out the FAFSA — the nature of financial aid is constantly changing, and filling out the FAFSA is necessary to receive federal loans.

This year, there are also changes to the Pell Grant, which is a scholarship given to students from low-income households.

The financial threshold for receiving the grant is based

“

The number of children in college at the same time will no longer affect eligibility for need-based financial aid.

”

on the poverty threshold, which indicates the least amount of income a household needs to meet their basic needs. Students qualify for the maximum Pell Grant, which was $7,395 last year, if their family is 225% below the poverty threshold for a one-parent household and 175% below for a two-parent household.

This grant is in addition to

the financial aid from the FAFSA. The student’s financial data gets transferred from each application contributor’s IRS database, which reduces the number of questions in the application from over 100 to just over 50; also, the form requires consent from the applicant to transfer their IRS data.

If the student does not give permission, they might not qualify for aid.

It is important for Mounds View seniors to understand the new changes to financial aid programs as they apply to college this year. Whether public or private, attending postsecondary education is an endeavor that should be treated with care to ensure academic success for the least cost.

DO YOU HAVE A “GOOD QUESTION?” Email it to mvhsviewer@gmail.com to have it answered in the next issue of The Viewer.

10

REVIEWS

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

No one should watch ‘No One Will Save You’

| Graham Hanson STAFF REPORTER

scenes, there are still a few redeeming qualities. The CGI in the film is excellent. The aliens, designed and edited in, seem real, unlike the grainy, poorly edited-in aliens seen in other movies.

Verdict: 1.5/5

“It seemed like they didn’t spend much time ensuring the plot would be apparent to the audience, and the movie felt rushed.”

W

hen aliens come down to earth and start to invade your home while you are alone, what do you do? “No One Will Save You” is a horror movie about a woman named Brynn who lives on the outskirts of her town because she’s widely disliked. So when aliens invade her home, she has to fend them off alone.

With a budget of $22.8 million, “No One Will Save You” was directed by Brian Duffield and released on Hulu on Sept.

22. The movie stars Kaitlyn Denver as Brynn in a perfectly mediocre performance.

“No One Will Save You” had a lot of potential as a movie with very little dialogue, similar to “A Quiet Place,” but they took the silence too far. With so few words, the viewer has to pay close attention to the small details throughout the movie to pick up on the important storytelling elements. For example, at the movie’s climax, it’s explained why no one likes Brynn, but the silence makes the scene unnecessarily confusing.

Also, I don’t like how fastpaced the story is, with little room for plot development.

The essential parts of the movie moved very quickly and were under-explained. In the climax, the movie shows why the town hates her, but there is still not enough background information about her actions. Another example of this is how the falling action is at most three minutes long, and then the movie goes to the conclusion. This leaves the viewers guessing what influenced Brynn’s decision.

There are also a lot of mo-

ments in the movie where the main character stumbles or falls, leaving her vulnerable.

Still, she is only chased after she gets up, making the scenes feel unrealistic

“The movie stars Kaitlyn Denver as Brynn in a perfectly mediocre performance.”

Additionally, the UFOs and aliens make no sense. They only

POSTER VIA 20th Century Studios

use beams through windows instead of breaking the house to get to Brynn. Also, a scene in the movie shows around 30 UFOs in the sky at once, showing that there are hundreds of aliens in the town, but for some reason, only one alien attacks her at a time.

The inconsistencies in the film were also annoying. In one part of the movie, the aliens have to charge up the beam to the UFO, and many times later in the film, it shows the UFOs using their beams instantly.

While the movie has a confusing plot and awkward chase

The film also does an excellent job of foreshadowing what will happen next through clues in the environment. In the beginning, a circle of dead grass being watered by Brynn is shown, but it isn’t for a while that the viewer finds out what it means.

With all that, there are numerous elements that the crew could have done better. It seemed like they didn’t spend much time ensuring the plot would be apparent to the audience, and the movie felt rushed.

I wasn’t impressed with this movie. I could see what they were trying to accomplish, but it was not executed well.

Makwa Coffee: where coffee and community meet | Lilian Landberg STAFF REPORTER

Verdict: 5/5

M

Makwa Coffee is an Ojibwe and queerowned coffee shop at 2805 Hamline Ave. North, in Roseville. It is special not only because of its top-notch coffee but its strong community involvement.

The heart of Makwa Coffee is its commitment to community-based events. This includes a quarterly puppy rescue with Safe Hands Puppy Rescue and a large shelf with many books that serve as a free library for all customers. Makwa Coffee allows customers to borrow these books as long as they return them and add their own books to the collection.

To accommodate various events, the shop extends its hours on Thursdays. That evening, they hold a bi-monthly book club that reads pieces written by Indigenous authors.

Anyone is welcome to participate, even if they can’t attend the meetings.

Thursdays are also open for Craft Nights, where people

can come in and use materials that the shop provides or bring their own to make their own art pieces.

Additionally, almost every Sunday, local artists set up popup shops in front of the venue.

These include candle making, nail care, paintings and pottery vendors.

I tried their newest drink, which is called Honey Bear. It was served as a latte with cinnamon, whole milk and honey.

The drink has a prominent cinnamon taste that reminds me of fall. At first, the drink has the bitter taste of coffee, then it gives way to the cinnamon and the sweet-tasting honey, with a touch of creamy whole milk.

ple, a caramel cold brew with oat milk. It is their most popular drink for a reason. This drink, unlike the Honey Bear, is served iced and is perfect for a sunny fall day. For sweet iced coffee lovers, I highly recommend this drink. The first sip delivers the “sugar maple” namesake and leaves the aftertaste of that cold brew. The oat milk comes through right at the end, giving it a creamy and sweet flavor. This was my favorite of the two drinks, but the Honey Bear would be the way to go on cold days. The Honey Bear

and Ziigwan Sugar Maple were each around $5.50. Although the prices are a little higher than what you would find in chain coffee shops, the quality of the drinks makes up for it.

Along with its wide selection of drinks, Makwa Coffee also has baked goods. They sell pastries and packaged snacks like Milano cookies and chips that pair well with coffee.

The shop had a pleasing brown and blue interior and many fall decorations. There were many pumpkins everywhere, along with silly art piec-

es made by the staff and other customers. The employees were very welcoming and kind and shared their favorite drink recommendations for me to review.

Makwa Coffee is the perfect place to catch up on homework or to grab coffee with a friend. I highly recommend Makwa Coffee. You can find them on Instagram at @makwacoffe to see all their activities and newest drinks.

“Makwa Coffee is the perfect place to catch up on homework or to grab coffee with a friend.”

It leaves a fall flavor in your mouth, reminiscent of popular pumpkin spice lattes sold in chain coffee shops nationwide.

It was thicker than regular coffee because of the foam, milk and other flavorings, adding to the appeal.

Next, I tried one of their more popular drinks on the menu, the Ziigwan Sugar Ma-

PHOTO | Lilian Landberg

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

11

Boys soccer falls short of redemption | Liliana Peleska STAFF REPORTER n Tuesday, Oct. 10, the Mounds View Boys Soccer team lost their first section game in a harrowing 0-6 defeat to Champlin Park — a disappointing end to another seemingly disappointing season.

From winning state in 2021 to not making it past the 1st round of sections the last two seasons, it’s clear to fans that the boys soccer team is in need of a redemption.

O

“The team spirit could be helped so much by people’s attitude on and off the field.”

Seba Gallegos Guadarrama, ‘24

Making it to state was an immense success for the team because they had not won since 1977. Unfortunately, last season, the team lost some of their best players and has struggled to be competitive for state since. Nevertheless, the boys are working towards improvement.

This past season they attempted to focus more on their “family” dynamic in hopes of improving their performance and achieving success as a closely-knit team. “We were like a family, we always had each other’s backs, regardless of the game, and we had to defend each other,” said senior Jammes Garcia.

Even with these efforts and a strong start to the season, the team eventually lost their undefeated status in game five to Park Center. “I feel [the loss] really pushed us down [...] especially since we had a 4-0 record. You know, we were undefeated, and then just losing a game like that [...] it’s just unfortunate,” said senior Seba Gallegos Guadarrama. After that loss, the boys began to lose the motivation that had led their earlier victories. “We acted like we lost a game before we even started it,” said sophomore Everett Wynn.

Throughout the season, the team struggled to develop any real sense of consistency. “We had four formations through the season and never stuck to one,” said junior Dane Peterson.

In the end, the team never returned to their early season

success. “I was surprised because we had the players to make it far. We just didn’t pull it off,” said senior Captain Oliver Elias.

As the team looks ahead to next season, they understand the road to improvement begins with a shift in attitude. “The team spirit could be helped so much by people’s attitude on and off the field,” said Gallegos Guadarrama.

PHOTOS | Samuel Hagen

Meet girls cross country’s top runner: freshman Linnea Ousdigian

PHOTO | Amy Francisco

| Barret Homme STAFF REPORTER

L

innea Ousdigian, a freshman cross country athlete, runs for the girls team at Mounds View. Not

many are able to become a top runner, but Ousdigian managed to start running on the varsity team starting in 7th grade. But even as a freshman, Ousdigian consistently places in the top 15 at races with her sub-18:00 5k time.

Before Ousdigian started taking running seriously, she liked running just for fun. “I decided to join my middle school cross country team in 5th grade since it was a sport that complemented Nordic skiing,” she said.

Ousdigian comes from an active family. Her brother ran cross country at Mounds View too, and her parents were also involved with sports from a young age.

Ousdigian didn’t know what to expect at first, but upon joining the Mounds View Cross Country team in 7th grade, she noticed how engaged the team was. “At least at Mounds View,

the cross country team has just such a good environment, and all the people in it are so nice and welcoming, and so encouraging. It’s just a really fun environment to go to every day,” she said. During COVID, Ousdigian was still competing for the middle school team and only had mandatory practice twice a week. But by the time she entered high school, she began to take training seriously by going to captain’s practices over the summer.

Being a top runner for the team, however, placed a lot of pressure on Ousdigian. “The biggest pressure, though, is to run faster than you have before,” she said. Even with the pressure to constantly improve her personal record, “To cope with pressure I usually pray, take deep breaths, smile and just be my normal self,” said Ousdigian.

With the team currently

ranked third in state, Ousdigian strives to help her team continue their streak at state or potentially place higher. “[I hope] that our team does get top three in state, that’s podium at state, so I think helping lead the team to that would definitely be [my goal], or going to national meet, which would be really cool,”

said Ousdigian.

Ousdigian also hopes to potentially continue her passion after high school. “Yeah, I think it would be really fun, and I would definitely want to [run in college] if I get the chance to,” said Ousdigian.

Boys Cross Country State meet

Girls Cross Country State meet

Girls Swim & Dive Sections meet

• Nov. 4 at 10:00 am

• Nov. 4 at 10:45 am

• Nov. 10 at 6:00 pm

• UMN, Les Bolstad

• UMN, Les Bolstad

• Stillwater Middle

Golf Course Club House

Golf Course Club House

School

PHOTO VIA Linnea Ousdigian

Upcoming events Girls Vollyball

Bowling tournament

• Oct. 31 at 7:00 pm

• Nov. 3 at 3:30 pm

• Roseville Area High

• Flaherty’s Arden Bowl

School

10/25/23, 3:06 PM

12

issue 2 - Crossword Labs

PUZZLES

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

First two students to complete both puzzles and DM a picture to @mvviewer on Instagram win a free beverage from Mustang Mocha.

issue 2 Across

1

3. Defined as “the quality of being fair and impartial” and a topic frequently discussed among school board candidates 4. 81-year-old Senate minority leader 6. Design hobby of junior Issac Tsai 2

7. Where the STAR experiment took place

3

10. AI program MV student handbook considers academic dishonesty if used by students 12. Fashion trends

4 5

Down

6

1. Indigenous tribe of Makwa Coffee owners 2. What there is very little of in

7

8

“No One Will Save You” 9

5. Teacher who supervises clubs 10

in the art room

11

8. One of the clubs that use the 12

art room after school 9. Tournament boys soccer won in 2021 11. State where John Teah attended college

Across 3. Defined as “the quality of being fair and impartial” and a topic frequently discussed among school board candidates 4. 81-year-old Senate minority leader 6. design hobby of junior Issac Tsai 7. Where the STAR experiment took place 10. AI program MV student handbook considers academic dishonesty if used by students 12. Fashion trends

Down

Scan QR code to 2. What thereaccess is very littleThe of in “No One Will Save Viewer’s You” website: 5. Teacher who supervises clubs in the art room 1. Indigenous tribe of Makwa Coffee owners

8. One of the clubs that use the art room after school 9. Tournament boys soccer won in 2021 11. State where John Teah attended college

https://crosswordlabs.com/view/issue-2-36

1/1

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SUDOKU | Opensky