MV Viewer 2022-23 Issue 1

The Viewer

Volume 70

Issue 1

September 30, 2022

Website: mvviewer.org

Instagram: @mvviewer

The Gap: the problem with academic inequity in America

News 02

News 02

Features 03

Arts & Entertainment 06

Sports 07

Parking predicament

Digital hall passes

Principal Rob Reetz

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ review

Girls soccer

02 News

Friday, September 30, 2022

Digital hall passes

by Shivam Vashishtha online editor-in-chief

Last year, Mounds View’s administration implemented hall passes, which were orange cards that students brought with them whenever they left class, whether it was for the bathroom or for meeting peers.

This year, there are many new staff members in the administration, including Principal Robert Reetz and Admin Intern Matthew Scardigili, who helped develop the new policy of digital hall passes.

These hall passes, powered by Student Support Time, require students to fill out an online form each time they want to leave class to use the restroom or get a drink of water. Although this new system is introduced with the intent to digitize and ease the use of hall passes at Mounds View, many students have stated that there is a catch - only 20 hall passes can be used per semester for using the bathroom, and passes for Mustang Mocha have been restricted to one per day.

“I’m kinda tired of all these restrictions, and we should have more freedom being seniors.”

Jessica Sprague, ‘23 As a result, many students had contrasting opinions on this new initiative. “It’s limited, and you can only go to the bathroom only twenty times.- I just feel that it’s overbearing. The main reason to use it is to stop fights in the hallways, but I don’t think it’s going to

happen,” said senior Jessica Sprague.

Except for freshmen, every class has gone through a lot of changes in the past years. During the 2021-22 academic year, orange paper passes were introduced for the first time, and with the new pass system this year, many students are becoming irritated with all the changes. “It’s a little frustrating. I’m kinda tired of all these restrictions, and we should have more freedom being seniors. I don’t like the pass system at all; we should switch back to the thing we did last year, or completely get rid of them,” Sprague said.

Many freshmen, who did not experience last year’s pass systems, had contrasting views on this topic. Having never been introduced to any previous system, they found it relatively easy to adjust. “It makes sure that the adults know where people are. You can always have a paper pass with all the information, but with an online pass, you can’t really fake information,” said freshman Suraj Pattanaik. Students with special conditions might have an issue with the limited number of hall passes available. “I would recommend the school admin to give more bathroom passes because some people might have a faster metabolism, and they might need to use the restroom after breakfast or lunch, or whenever. So, I would make it more flexible,” said Pattanaik.

Aside from the views of both upper and lower classmen, the administration is observing more pros than cons about this recent implementation. “With these digital passes, it’s a lot easier for us to get kids in the hallways when they need to use it, just by scanning the code as opposed to the paper pass - the teachers don’t have to write it,” said Scardigli.

In addition to just monitoring the activity of students on regular school days, another reason for enforc-

ing the new pass is to improve the flow of students during ReFlect. Initially, ReFlect was introduced to allow students to meet with teachers to ask them questions.

In regards to this Scardigli stated, “It’s a big change. I think that idea with Reflect is that we’re making sure that we meet both the academic and mental needs of our students. It’s hard for us to know that we’re meeting student needs, so it really helps us. We want students to have a positive relationship with each of their teachers.”

With the school administration bringing about this change in hall passes, most students and staff have varied outlooks. This new technology poses both advantages and disadvantages to stepping out of the classroom. This big change at the beginning of the school year has impacted many. Despite that, everyone is trying their best to adjust in the best way possible.

Parking predicament

by Tyler Quattrin managing copy editor This past summer, Mounds View began renovating the school’s north parking lot. The project to repave, remove gas pumps and add streetlights to the space once used as a bus lot, was delayed multiple times due to weather and supply chain delays. The completion timeline is currently projected to be around late October to early November. As the school year began, the ongoing construction created challenges for students and staff who drive to school.

To adjust to the limited parking spaces without the north lot, Associate Principals Benjamin Chiri and Gretchen Zahn created a plan to have staff double-park with another staff member, and allot space around the building, such as on the grass, as parking spots. This ended on Sept. 14 with the completion of phase one of the north lot’s construction, which allowed staff to park in the newly finished front half.

Although 432 students requested parking permits, only 248 were provided with one by the first day of school. The majority of students who received a pass got priority because they are seniors, commute to other campuses or carpool with other students. Some students who were not issued permits, but still wished to drive to school, have found they can park in nearby areas, such as neighborhood streets or St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and walk to Mounds View from there.

Junior Jacob O’Brien is one of the students who did not receive a pass. He lives outside of the school district for half of the week, meaning he usually does

not have the option to take the bus. “I was a little stressed out because I didn’t know where I was going to park,” O’Brien said about not receiving a pass, “but then I saw a parking spot, and I’m like, I’m going to take that.” The spot he found happens to be half a mile away from school which is equivalent to an eight- to ten-minute walk. Even though he hopes to eventually get a parking permit, he is finding some advantages to not having one. “I actually like the walk. It’s not that bad. It’s an enjoyable end to my day,” he added. He is prepared to adjust accordingly as the weather gets colder.

photo by Tyler Quattrin

Junior Jamie Nick finds the construction and lack of parking as a bothersome start to the school year.

“The parking project is a great inconvenience to those who have after school sports or morning lifting and didn’t get permits,” she said. “Students are having to

photo by Maya Betti

walk over half a mile to school if they are parking at St. John’s, which most students are.” She looks forward to the completion, saying, “I’m sure that the parking lot project will be a positive in the long run, but right now it is a source of aggravation for most students.” However, until the lot is completed, Nick must take the bus when she can’t drive herself or carpool.

The completion of the construction will come with fewer parking spaces than previous years due to the new layout of the lot, explains Dan Engebretson, parking lot supervisor. “Because the way it’s designed with the median and the one ways, it actually took away some spots, about 100 less spots,” he said. Due to this and the number of students who have requested permits, not every student who requested a parking pass will be given one this year. “Last year we gave out just under 500 [parking permits], about 492. Some were never claimed, and we oversold a bit as we did not know how many total spots we really had (you know how creative some students got when parking in the lot last year with no lines, etc. It was a bit of a free for all),” said Gary Swanson, administrative assistant, who helped facilitate parking permits last year.

As construction continues, most Mounds View students and staff eagerly await its completion. Principal Robert Reetz acknowledges the effect it has, “I don’t love that any student is inconvenienced by technical things like parking or access to permits. I wish we had a parking spot for every student that had a car, I do. I want kids to have that flexibility, but we don’t,” he said. “I appreciate students’ patience. I appreciate them giving us grace.”

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features 03

Friday, September 30, 2022

Mounds View greets Reetz

by Rachel Zou features and spread editor

Rob Reetz, Mounds View’s new principal, began his position keeping in mind three distinctive questions he wants all students to say yes to: “Do I belong here, can I do this and is this meaningful?” These core ideas influence the changes he has brought until now and also his future plans for the school.

Reetz has worked in the Mounds View district for nearly 15 years. His positions include teaching and coaching at Irondale, district level professional learning specialist and principal at both Chippewa Middle School and Edgewood Middle School. His experiences at the middle schools have made him value partnering with teachers, students and families to make school a better experience for everyone. Now, as the principal of Mounds View, Reetz plans to use his experience and skills to improve Mounds View.

Reetz shares his main motivation in wanting to be a principal at Mounds View. “The reason I wanted to be at Mounds View high school is because this is an elite school. I think there are things we can improve, and I’m definitely trying to pursue those improvements, but what drove me here is a tradition of excellence and I want to definitely maintain that,” said Reetz. To him, maintaining a tradition of excellence requires changes to be made.

Such changes consist of increasing the inclusion

of neurodivergent students in core classes. “One of my major initiatives is to increase inclusion for students here, but that also would include students who speak English as a second language. So right now, the two departments that I’m overseeing [is] our special education and English language learners,” he said.

As Reetz continues at Mounds View, he hopes to bring more changes while furthering Mounds View’s legacy. He strives to ensure that students can reach their full potential by making sure they feel respected in their classroom environment. Most importantly, he wants his students to enjoy their youth.

“One of my major initiatives is to increase inclusion for students here, but that also would include students who speak English as a second language”

Rob Reetz, principal

An additional change Reetz has implemented is the Morning Herd, Mounds View’s morning announcements. “We did that as part of our unified club with students that are neurotypical and neurodivergent coming together to produce something every day, and then to place their relationships at the center of what the school sees each morning,” said Reetz. These morning announcements cover a wide range of topics including sports, what’s for lunch, different upcoming and past events and other topics relevant to the student body.

image couresty of moundsviewschools org

Senior Stable stampedes into the season

by Ari Eschenbacher features editor Senior Stable is a small group of seniors who run the student section and create themes for Mounds View’s games. The members stand in front of the student section to lead the crowd and ensure they are energetic as well as respectful.

Students join Senior Stable for a number of reasons. “I joined the Senior Stable because I wanted a way to become even more involved in school spirit,” said senior Bergen Leafblad. Inspiring school spirit is a staple of the group’s cause and in Mounds View as a whole.

Additionally, members join Senior Stable to meet new people and make memories. “I knew that if I joined Senior Stable with a few friends, it would make senior year more memorable,” said Leafblad.

The importance of Senior Stable is often overlooked, but the student section would not function as well without their consistent guidance. Students won’t cheer as loudly and coordinate other students to have themes to follow which makes the games more fun.

Senior Stable brings the school together by giving students more reason to look forward to games and cheer together creating a bond, says senior Emily Aman.

Sometimes, Seniors Stable has responsibilities that are hard to keep up with. “Our responsibilities as senior stable are to be respectful and positive, while still getting everyone pumped for games,” said Aman.

Balancing these two elements requires time and thought in each cheer.

Along with keeping the student section positive at football games, the Senior Stable has to keep up a supportive mentality in the community at large. “Our responsibility is to make sure the students are giving a positive representation and reputation of Mounds View,” said senior Tia Saxton.

Notably, themes play a big factor in games, but sometimes students disagree with the decisions made by the Senior Stable, and because of that, the team has to take student input seriously. For example, the “Hippie” theme this year was shown to be unwanted and the students made that clear. “After getting feedback that the students wanted a change, we posted a voting poll on the senior stable Instagram account,” said Aman. Given the results, they decided to change the original theme to a more popular one amongst the student body.

Another example of the Senior Stable taking feedback is seen in the changes to the cheers. Cheering is valued because it not only supports the athletes on the field but also boosts morale in the student section as well. So when the stable heard of the new changes proposed by students, they knew they had to listen.

This year, they began to incorporate new cheers for the

last two quarters of the football games and informed the student body through their social media, explained Saxton. Using social media platforms such as Instagram is how the senior stable announces all the game times, locations and themes. Through social media, they gain more student interaction and input on the decisions for themes.

Senior Stable knows how vital school pride is to parts of the Mounds View community. Making new and exciting ways to include every student in the stands is a passion they all share. And while keeping the student section can sometimes be proven to be a difficult task, they strive to maintain as optimistic and assured in their actions.

images couresty of Lauren Isabel

Viewer Staff 2022-2023 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING COPY EDITOR MANAGING DESIGN EDITORS BUSINESS MANAGER NEWS EDITOR FEATURES EDITORS SPREAD EDITORS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR ILLUSTRATOR

Maya Betti Tyler Quattrin Maya Betti, Tyler Quattrin Sarafina Dillon Michael Wang Ariana Eschenbacher, Rachel Zou Maya Gjelhaug, Rachel Zou Morghan Larson Sarafina Dillon Iris Ren

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ONLINE MANAGING COPY EDITOR ONLINE EDITORS

Shivam Vashishtha Michael Wang Sarafina Dillon, Ariana Eschenbacher, Morghan Larson

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The issue

by Maya Gjelhaug spread editor

Take two students: One is determined and driven to succeed, ahead of graduation requirements and dreams of pursuing biomedical engineering in college. This student comes from a loving, twoparent home, drives to school and chooses to focus on their studies instead of getting a job. The other student is just as determined and just as driven to succeed and hopes to attend trade school, but is slightly behind graduation requirements. They come from a single-parent home, don’t have a reliable source of transportation and work 30 hours per week. Currently, at least in most school districts, these students are treated equally: placed in the same classes, receive the same instruction from their teachers and are graded the same, even though they do not share the same circumstances.

Past

Some say that this one-size-fits-all system is the only realistic method to ensure consistency and fairness throughout the education system. After all, it is difficult to quantify privilege and subsequently develop a curriculum that can meet the needs of individual students. Yet, others argue that this current system only perpetuates the differences between students and ignores the struggles that make it difficult for many students to achieve the same level as their peers. The history of the “achievement gap” in the U.S. education system is long and complex, and

depends upon a number of factors, such as socioeconomic status, race and gender.

While funding for public education has remained an important value in American society since the American Revolution, access to this education has not always been equal. The availability of well-funded public education has varied by region, being more apparent in cities than in rural areas.

These disparities still continue to this day. According to the Harvard Institute of Politics, rural school districts in some states receive 50% less funding per poor student than urban districts. Furthermore, rural school students face many other educational challenges, such as limited access to transportation and technology.

It is no secret that students of color have, and continue to be, discriminated against in access to education. Even after non-white students stopped being entirely excluded from public education, they were often placed in segregated and underfunded schools. Girls were excluded from the full benefits of public education as well, and were often taught a different curriculum in addition to their already limited secondary and post-secondary opportunities.

As Civil Rights activists began to point out inequalities in public education, discussions about academic equity were brought to the forefront of the political sphere. In the 1950s, schools began providing other programs for impoverished children, such as free breakfast and lunch, on-staff nurses, before and after-school care and counseling. Beginning in 1954, with the Brown v. Board of

Education decision that outlawed racial segregation, academic equity was continually prioritized by U.S. lawmakers. Following Brown v. Board, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 allocated over $1 billion in federal funding for professional development, curriculum materials, resources for other educational programs and promoting parental involvement. The act was designed to help close the achievement gap by uplifting disadvantaged students.

The No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law in 2001 by President George W. Bush, expanded the role of the federal government in ensuring

“If the schools didn’t meet a certain standard, then they would lose a lot of their funding. And it made no sense.”

Kristin Heinz, social studies teacher that every child had access to a high-quality education. The priority of this policy was to incentivize districts to promote quality in schools, but many, including social studies teacher Kristin Heinz, assert that this policy had a near opposite effect. “It was an awful educational policy,” she said. According to Heinz, the policy rewarded districts with high standardized test scores with more funding.

However, this policy ignored the fact that chil-

Bridging

The solution

by Rachel Zhou features and spread editor

With many barriers to equitable access to education, many are left to wonder: Is it even possible to bridge the achievement gap? While it may seem like a daunting task, with school districts across the country beginning to experiment with various equity plans, some feel that a solution to this long-standing issue may be on the horizon.

At Mounds view

Mounds View has already made progress in promoting equity throughout the district. For example, every student at Mounds View is given a chromebook for high school. This benefits students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to technology to complete assignments. During distance learning, parents were able to pick up prepackaged food from

“There’s generally something for everyone, and if there isn’t you can just start it yourself with some friends.”

Kati Belina, ‘23

An investigation of past and on-going disparities

school to bring home to students. This helped to combat food insecurity during the pandemic.

With the dozens of clubs available at Mounds View, students have a wide variety to choose from, allowing students to pursue what they want to learn outside of school. “There’s generally something for everyone, and if there isn’t you can just start it yourself with some friends,” said senior Kati Belina.

Another prominent example is the free lunch and breakfast that was implemented last year. While this wasn’t offered this year, the school still offers reduced lunch prices for low-income students.

Finally, the National Honors Society offers a tutoring program that is available to struggling students.

Mounds View has also made strides towards academic equity by hiring two full-time equity staff.

“What we’re here to do is to increase capacity for racially, culturally and socially-just learning and making sure that our environment nurtures that and validates the spirit of each individual learner, their families [and] community staff,” said Heather Ward, Equity Specialist. The end goal ultimately is to make sure that everyone has the same opportunities while feeling validated and represented.

Soror and STRIPES, two diversity clubs offered at Mounds View, are another advancement in bridging the gap. Ward attests to the welcoming environment of Soror. “We meet twice a month. It’s for all girls, any age, and it’s to help them feel prepared

whether it’s career, college or to know what’s going on in the building,” she said. “And with that, there’s always going to be an achievement because when you feel like you belong and you fit in somewhere, you’re going to want to succeed.”

With the recent alteration of certain advanced classes, such as the Honors English classes, some believe that this will only hold students back. “I personally think it’s a really bad idea because the point of those classes is to be able to excel so you can do the most that you can and they’re always optional,”

“...when you feel like you belong and you fit in somewhere, you’re going to want to succeed..”

Heather Ward, Equity Specialist said Belina. “So it’s not like you have to do this and there’s no pressure. It’s just you can do something more if you want to.” Other students also agree with this statement as changes in some classes may mean that students receive less preparation for more difficult classes.

However, Rob Reetz, principal, has a different interpretation of the alteration of these advanced

dren from already wealthy families tend to receive higher standardized test scores. “If the schools didn’t meet a certain standard, then they would lose a lot of their funding. And it made no sense,” Heinz said. Because of this policy, schools that were already thriving were able to further advance their educational programs, while schools that were already struggling continued to struggle.

While some would say that past legislation has been effective in promoting academic equity, large disparities between students continue to exist.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 16% of all children nationwide were living in poverty in 2020.

This was a nearly two percentage point increase from 2019, and an even greater increase for children of color.

Present

Research has shown that family economic status plays a huge role in educational outcomes from children, as greater familial wealth gives children more access to academic resources and opportunities. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, children from lower income homes score significantly lower in many school readiness categories, including measures of vocabulary and communication skills, knowledge of numbers, measures of concentration and cooperation with peers, showing that students who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds arrive at

school at a disadvantage. In addition, students who come from poorer families have other commitments that can keep them from completing schoolwork.

“If they need money to support their family, the kids have to work,” said junior Selina Wang. She, along with many others, acknowledges that this prevents certain students from achieving at a higher level.

The division of funds between school districts has been a highly debated topic since the beginning

“If they need money to support their family, the kids have to work.”

Selina Wang, ‘24

of the Civil Rights movement, yet funding disparities persist. Because most schools rely on property taxes for a significant portion of their funding, this leads to disproportionate funding between schools in wealthier districts and schools in poorer districts. Because the property tax provides stability for public education funding, especially in times of economic distress, it has been widely implemented in districts for decades. More recently, however, it has come under scrutiny for perpetuating divisions between rich and poor students. “Not all schools have access to the kinds of resources that we have because we live in a wealthier school district,” said Heinz. Heinz argues that all schools should have

access to the same resources, and, therefore, all schools should receive equal funding.

Moreover, “school zoning,” or the process of admitting students to a certain school depending on where they live in a district, inhibits kids who live in poorer neighborhoods from attending schools in wealthier neighborhoods. To combat the inequities that come from this, Mounds View offers limited open enrollment, allowing some students to attend Mounds View schools even if they do not reside in the district. Yet, some remain concerned about the zoning system. “The way that the district drew the borders between who goes to Mounds View and who goes to Irondale needs to be looked at,” said Heinz. “It seems like it was intentional, the way those boundaries were drawn to include certain neighborhoods and to go to certain schools.”

As the recent pandemic highlighted the growing disparities throughout the public education system, many have started to realize that historically, the current system seems to favor certain students over others. As academic equity receives more attention nationwide, administrations are beginning to look for solutions to the issue of inequitable access to education.

The Gap

throughout the public education system.

classes. “People are viewing this as we took away courses but what I view it as [is] we took away the lower level course, that we’re trying to get more rigorous, not less,” he said. “And so what you view as maybe going down from three levels, I view as leveling up to two different levels.” By blending the Advanced and Honors English courses, administration hopes that this move will encourage students to challenge themselves in more rigorous courses.

Other ideas

The Mounds View Equity Council, introduced to the district as a part of the 2012 Equity Promise, serves as a forum for discussions about academic equity among community members. “Our job as an institution is to focus on unlocking the potential of each student,” said head of the Equity Council, Jason Knighton-Johnson. “The goal is to create sustainable change, to where our equity promise is valid for each student.” He expresses the importance of creating a setting where every student is given the opportunity to succeed, and acknowledges the need for support systems that continue to encourage and uplift students. He believes that the Equity Council has been a success, and cites the PSEO program as one example of how Mounds View has fulfilled the Equity Promise.

As Mounds View continues to expand the equity-ensuring policy, ideas from other organizations showcase the future of academic equity.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the key to promoting equity in schools is to ensure that students are given the provisions to succeed. Instead of making students repeat a grade, which is costly and ineffective, schools can individualize their sup-

“The goal is to create sustainable change, to where our equity promise is valid for each student.”

Jason Knighton-Johnson, Equity Council port systems through formative assessment—where struggling students can be provided with an adapted learning experience based on their performance. This would require teachers to recognize when students are struggling and help these students develop study strategies or connect them with a tutor.

According to the OECD, to address the difficulties that students face in their homelife, districts should encourage parental involvement by providing parents with continuous feedback of their child’s

performance and support. Schools can also achieve this by creating an environment that is conducive to learning both in the home and at school. Having affordable, early childhood education is another method of “leveling the playing field” as this provides children with early enrichment and parents with more time to focus on their careers.

Some even have ideas for solutions to academic inequity at Mounds View. Heinz acknowledges the lack of teachers of color at Mounds View, asserting that this could be damaging to students of color. “I think that there needs to be more teachers of color, so that students can see themselves in their teachers […] and they can relate to their teachers,” said Heinz.

As Mounds View continues to prioritize equitable access to high-quality education, the district has seen progress in promoting student engagement and achievement, while also bringing in community opinions. Mounds View community members are hopeful that the district will continue to work with the community in ensuring that every student has the chance to succeed.

photo courtesy of unsplash.com

06 Arts & Entertainment

Friday, September 30, 2022

eM que viet: fair to table

by Maya Betti print editor-in chief eM Que Viet Restaurant and Bar is a new establishment that popped up in Saint Paul this summer.

However, this isn’t the first time most have come into contact with their recipes. The sister restaurant, Que Viet, is located in Northeast Minneapolis and gained quite the reputation for its astonishing flavor during the Minnesota State Fair for its massive egg roll on a stick.

As I walked down Grand Avenue, I could easily tell when I neared the restaurant by the scent alone.

The air was filled with that warm, fried-dough scent that quickly made my stomach grumble and my pace quicken. Even the facade of the building itself was enticing, with long hanging flowers beckoning customers through the doors as the wind blew. Yet, however cinematic this was, the aura was interrupted by a 15-person line stretching out the door and onto the street. According to one waiting customer, this was typical for a Friday afternoon.

After a difficult 35-minute wait for a seat for two, the text came that notified us our spot awaited us.

Entering through the tight entrance way into the full span of the restaurant, the whimsical ambiance was hard to miss. Delicate pink flowers and succulents garnished the walls of the restaurant and from the ceilings hung chandeliers decorated with carefully curated garlands. Needless to say, the decor made it easy to brush off the rather cramped seating.

After drinks were served, I admittedly had my eyes set on one sole appetizer: the egg roll. Promptly, not even ten minutes after the initial order, they arrived in all their golden glory. Biting into them, I was greeted with what I have deemed the perfect crunch-to-meat ratio. The first layer was flaky, yet flavorful, and was utterly satisfying to bite into. Next, before I could begin to process what was about to happen, the juicy inside hit my taste buds. Sweetly yet savory and packed generously for only $10, the meat and vegetables within the roll were simply divine.

And even though the egg rolls were quite large, the wait to get into the restaurant prepared me to consume more. The main course, a simple pork and fried tofu combo for $15, was served. With my expectations miles high, I stuck my fork in… and was slightly underwhelmed. While the pork was that iconic juicy savoriness I had become accustomed to, the fried tofu left me wanting more. Biting into that brown square felt burdensome, as the tofu had become tough and rubbery in its fried status. As someone who has tried many forms of tofu before and enjoyed it thoroughly, I felt this tofu was lacking.

However, my palate was saved by a certain $9 dessert. Bánh Bông Lan, also named Chiffon Cake on their menu, piqued my interest as it described a vanilla cake covered in sweetened condensed milk, which was a combination I had never tried before. And sure enough, it did not disappoint. The sponge-like texture of the cake naturally soaked up the sweetness of the milk perfectly, making it an almost amplified version of a Très Leches cake. Mixed with the sour of an unnamed berry sauce, my palate was immensely satisfied.

photos by Maya Betti The combination of the distinctly Vietnamese aesthetic and the wonderful flower motif made sitting down in this busy restaurant all the better. Paired with a rich flavor variety and authentic cuisine and the inexpensive menu items, Em Que Viet restaurant is a place I can easily see myself returning to.

Final Verdict 4/5

‘Don’t Worry Darling’: ambitious, but flawed

by Will Overbo guest writer

photo courtesy of mountvicflicks.com “Don’t Worry Darling’’ is a psychological thriller directed by Olivia Wilde, with a screenplay written by Katie Silberman. It takes place in the 1950s and entails Alice Chambers uncovering a sinister plot within the

fictional town of Victory, California. The film made its debut at the Venice International Film Festival on Sept.

5 and opened in theaters nationwide on Sept. 23.

This feature is a follow up to Wilde’s critically acclaimed debut feature “Booksmart.” “Don’t Worry Darling” stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde, with an ensemble cast that includes Nick Kroll, Gemma Chan and Chris Pine. “Don’t Worry Darling” provides an occasionally shocking narrative of control with a touch of psychosis. Alice Chambers, played by Florence Pugh, is the protagonist of a story that is told in the first person but still leaves me feeling disconnected, with few unique qualities I can attribute to her character. She’s resourceful and perceptive, but that does not make her different from any other lead in your typical thriller. It’s not enough to stop Pugh from giving a performance that successfully produces a sympathetic, if slightly underwritten, character that feels very lived in, seemingly out of thin air. U Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Pugh’s counterpart Harry Styles, who vocalizes his lines in a very sporadic and unconvincing way. Styles and Pugh succeed at selling their relationship as an authentic connection. Mercifully, the primary focus is on Pugh and her character for the better part of the movie.

Chris Pine delivers on his role and gives a performance that is at times greater than the writing of his character, Frank. Pine’s sinister delivery makes Frank’s dialogue come to life with exceptional style. Frank is an enigma, but he remains an unsolved puzzle by the end of the film. In fact, it is the conclusion of Pine’s character arc that contributes to an absurdly unsatisfying ending. Multiple elements of the story are kept ambiguous for no discernable reason, which is a very irritating way to conclude a film that was already hanging on by a thread for me thanks to its repetitive story beats and

derivative narrative structure.

The film wears its influences on its sleeve, from the utopianism of “The Truman Show” to the nightmarish intensity of “Get Out” and including similar social commentary to “The Stepford Wives.” The film even borrows the red jumpsuits from the main antagonists of Jordan Peele’s “Us,” which has its own references to life under the surface. One of the many things that sets these films apart from “Don’t Worry Darling” are the endings that will be remembered for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.

The monotonous backing score accompanying each “intense” or “thrilling” scene got exasperating after only the second time Wilde included it. Imagine my annoyance when the mind-numbing arrangement composed by John Powell continued to find its way on the screen nearly two hours in.

“Don’t Worry Darling” is a psychological thriller that isn’t particularly thrilling aside from a couple of unsettling visuals. These images are reused multiple times, and by the end of the film, they had completely lost their effect on me. Despite all of the inconsistencies, it’s not completely the creative black hole the negative reviews have led you to believe, and I can see a lot of people enjoying themselves with this film. Unfortunately, for me, it didn’t click.

Final Verdict 2/5

Friday, september 30, 2022

Athlete of the Issue

Ping-Pong How and when did your passion start?

My passion started when I was little. My parents got me a table tennis table for Christmas. Since then, I really enjoy playing with my family and friends because I could have fun. But also, I could learn more about the person I am playing with and just talk.

What is your favorite thing about Ping-Pong?

My favorite thing about PingPong is [that] it’s a competitive game. I love games that are close with a little bit of trash talk. It causes a lot of build up and suspense, which makes the game even more enjoyable.

What is the most difficult part of this sport?

The most difficult part of this sport for me is understanding the spin of the ball on serves.

The trail to success

by Sarafina Dillon sports editor

Mounds View high school’s boys cross country team has won sections the past five years in a row, in addition to winning the state meet in 2019 and being on the podium (winning either second or third) in 2018, 2019 and 2021. With this being said, the team has high expectations for their teammates and their performance this season.

The practices for the boys team start in the summer, where they prepare for their rigorous fall season. “We start with captains practices, which are the captains of the team leading workouts,” said senior Victor Lelinga.

Lelinga adds his thoughts on being a captain. “It’s such an amazing experience that I love being a part of. I, as well as the other captains, work a lot together to make captains practices and workouts for the team.” For Legina, becoming a role model for the younger teammates, while difficult, is fulfilling.

In addition to captains practice, the most dedicated athletes get to go on a trip to Whitewater State Park at the end of the summer. In order to travel there, each person is required to have run at least 350 miles by the end of the summer. “Whitewater prepares the teammates for an amazing season,” said junior Levi Hammerbeck. Team-bonding experiences such as this is what makes the team closer for their upcoming season.

Whitewater is more than just exer-

cises to build team chemistry. The trip is physically and mentally challenging for everyone who attends. “We do long, challenging runs that challenge you to push your limits,” said Hammerback. The intensity of the practices betters the abilities of each athlete.

The athletes have high expectations for themselves and their teammates this season “The goal of the team this year is to get into the top three for the state meet,” said Lelinga. This will take a great deal of determination and hard work but Hammerback says they have what it takes.

The boys team also has high expectations for the Nike Cross Regionals (NXR).

The NXR is a regional meet held by Nike that takes place in South Dakota after the state meet. Athletes can compete against teams from states like Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The team is excited to make it to state this November by continuing to push each other and run to the best of their abilities.

Sports 07

photos by Bill Prat

Girls soccer shoots for a great season

by Sarafina Dillon sports editor Do you have any pre-game Through injuries and defeats, the “rituals?”

Mounds View girls soccer team shoots I sleep with my paddle. for success this season. As the state meet approaches, the girls are prepared for any challenge they may face.

Do you do anything after Many players have soccer experience the game, win or lose? going back as far as kindergarten. “I’ve After the game, if I lost, I been playing since I was three to four,” said would be very disappointed senior Celine Klum. Initially, she got into because I know I could be the sport because her sister motivated her, better. When I win, I don’t cel- but as soon as she started playing, she fell ebrate too much. I try to keep in love. “I stayed with the sport because I it nice and sportsmanlike and love playing with my friends and doing fun trips as a team,” Klum said. shake my opponent’s hand.

Senior Emily Johnson shares her teammate’s enthusiasm. “I also love the sport and it’s so fun for me,” said Johnson. She, What does your season look like Klum, started playing when she was like? three years old. The passion they share with I usually play recreationally for their teammates motivates them to continue the most part. School table playing. tennis starts in October and Their commitment to the game and the sometime in January there is team helps them overcome any obstacles a state tournament where we they may face. “One of the biggest setbacks is all of the injuries we are having this year, spend a day playing against including myself,” Klum said. other schools in Minnesota.

Another setback they have experienced involves the previously graduated players and their missed contribution to the team. “We had a lot of seniors graduate last year, so we have a pretty new team,” said

“I love playing with my friends and doing fun trips as a team.”

Celine Klum, ‘24 Johnson. The girls plan to use the things they have learned from previous seasons to help them improve. “I was a sophomore on varsity and remembering how nervewracking that was for me helps the other new girls with their transition to varsity as underclassmen,” said Klum. Klum also expressed how this also makes her a better leader as she has a deeper understanding of how new team members might feel.

The team as a whole has put in many hours to achieve their goals. “We put in a lot of work when it comes to practicing,” said Klum. Many soccer players also participate in club soccer over the summer, which helps them improve during the offseason.

However, they certainly don’t slack during the season. “We train with high intensity as we would play in games and we also have started going to Laurus, which is

a strength-building program,” said Johnson.

“These intense practices and training have created some big expectations. The state meet is our biggest goal this year and we are all eager to make it,” said Johnson.

“This is my last season of high school soccer and I want to make it the best one yet.”

Many of the teammates agree with Johnson. “We put a lot of effort and preparation throughout the year to achieve this goal,” stated Klum. One of the things that the team does to achieve its goals is team bonding. “We’ve done a team sleepover this year and I think it helped us all bond as a team and get to know each other better,” said Klum.

“I love playing with my friends and doing fun trips as a team.”

Emily Johnson, ‘24 The team is excited to see what they can do this year together by constantly pushing each other to do the best they can.

08 Puzzles

Friday, September 30, 2022

puzzle courtesy of thewordsearch.

PARKING CONSTRUCTION HALL PASS PRINCIPAL REETZ SENIOR STABLE

EDUCATION EQUITY VIETNAMESE SOCCER PING PONG

puzzle courtesy of www.opensky.ca/sudoku

First five students to finish both puzzles and DM @mvviewer on Instagram with a picture of completion, win free coffee from Mustang Mocha.

Student Submission “The Fairest of Times” Shaun Canas runs Mounds View’s Longfellow Poetry Club.

by Shaun Canas guest writer

Goodbye State Fair, hello high school which fills my head with knowledge Goodbye totally grease laden food as I zealously prepare for college No more frying in the sun as I take a rough felt pad and climb up Too many miniature steps to reach the highest level of the Giant Slide, hup hup It’s my turn calls the worker as I dutifully sit on my all too scratchy rug Waiting, peering down the yellow and green undulating waves, hoping for a tug To initially start me flying like a human rocket back to earth and falling into turf Which ends my not altogether acrimonious very brief pulley to earth Really back to the dirt, sweat and crowds that all teeter on your frequent senses Of weirdly fun while at the same time deleterious and create a quite pensive Assault of borderline titillating versus noxious input of smell, sight and sound That ends the summer days of more carefree time also too dull at times that abound Their phase as all time must do as we adopt patiently our more studious habits of old Thereby holding all fair and not so fair times close to our heart awaiting the cold

image courtesy of Pixaby