MV Viewer 2020-2021 Issue 4

VOLUME 68 ISSUE 4 | DECEMBER 22, 2020

THE VIEWER

A TIMELINE OF THE YEAR

2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2020 Timeline 06-07/ MV Commits 08/ Waverly Thao 09

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Winter activities change direction

by Joseph Hoffman staff reporter

The pandemic has limited in-person contact, which has adversely affected extracurricular activities at Mounds View. In November, Gov. Tim Walz released an executive order that restricted organized youth and high school sports until Friday, Dec. 18. On Wednesday, Dec. 16, Walz announced sports could resume practicing on Monday, Jan. 4, although he announced nothing regarding games and meets. With the lost season time, athletes have been left to make up for the loss of their activities on their own.

Some of the activities have moved to virtual meetings, which many students believe lack the spirit of their winter activities: to develop camaraderie with their peers. Club sports, which could have potentially replaced Mounds View activities, have been canceled for similar reasons, leaving some students to practice independently.

“Yeah, after ski club was canceled, me and the same couple of friends who did it with me just went [to the ski resort] ourselves. It was really great. We just took separate cars and stayed six feet apart,” said Spencer Fellman, 11.

Students cannot always find such direct replacements for an activity, so at-home workouts have become a popular way to make up for the lost exercise.

“I do have a feeling ski areas like Afton Alps are gonna close soon anyway,” Fellman said. “I already started working out anyway, just to get some exercise.”

For clubs that have been able to continue their

activities, the delay has caused inconveniences, such as shortened practice time for teams and limits on how many people can join due to social distancing requirements. “The delay has impacted our season in shortening our time to practice before our first meets,” said captain of the alpine ski team Ian Tsai, 11. “Usually, we have about a month of training with a few invitational meets before our first conference meets, but this year we will only have a few weeks before our first conference meet.”

Perhaps the most significant impact the pandemic had on winter sports was that some students could not participate due to Mounds View’s limits on roster numbers following the governor’s announcement.

“We were forced to only roster 12 [in total] skiers per boys and girls teams. This caused a bunch of the new skiers this year to be denied spots, which is unfortunate,” Tsai said.

However, this drastic change has positively affected some activities by creating new opportunities.

“One great opportunity this year is that we can participate in national invitational tournaments because so many tournaments are on an online format this year,” said Science Olympiad advisor Erik Hall. “This was a difficult thing to do in the past due to the time and cost needed to travel to far away tournaments.”

Some clubs have had to find new ways to carry on their original mission following the move online.

Without in-person meetings, Synergy Environmental Club has shifted its focus toward starting new programs and projects to continue in helping the environment. “[Synergy Environmental Club] had to move online and switch our focus from recycling,” said

Synergy president Mayumi Morgan, 12. “We are now attempting to implement a composting program in the cafeteria, promote environmental activism, educate through social media, and we began looking into starting a kitchen garden at the school.”

The pandemic has resulted in numerous alterations to winter activities, which has affected many students. Walz’s delay of the start of winter activities was to prioritize the safety of Minnesotans; meanwhile, students and athletes are still carrying on their club activities or practicing in whatever way they can under the restrictions.

illustration by Sienna Wood

Paras struggle during distance learning

by Maya Betti staff reporter

In a regular year at Mounds View, paraeducators would be in close contact with their students, always being available to assist them. This year, however, that same kind of help cannot be received by simply raising a hand. Paraeducators at Mounds View are trying different ways to connect with students, despite the social barrier of a computer screen.

Paraeducators are instrumental in the education of special education students, providing instructional support alongside other teachers. “We provide teacher assistance. Our job contains a variety of tasks.

We are expected to know how to do a little of everything,” said paraeducator Sonya Wrona.

A regular pre-pandemic schedule for paraeducators would often involve moving around from classroom to classroom and require flexibility to fit the many needs of their students. “We work one-on-one with students, in small or large groups, or we may have to run the classroom,” Wrona said.

In Minnesota and across the country, students with disabilities are given an Individualized Education Program plan. Plans such as these involve goals and services rendered to the needs of the individual student. The IEP sets a fixed plan for the student and the student’s paraeducator. With COVID-19, it is increasingly difficult to provide these same services.

Viewer Staff 2020-2021

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING COPY EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER NEWS EDITORS FEATURES EDITORS SPREAD EDITORS EDITORIALS EDITORS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR FRONT COVER ILLUSTRATOR PHOTOGRAPHER

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Social distancing had to be implemented to ensure the safety of students during the pandemic.

Both this, and later shifting to

Making a connection with the student that has made a difference for them academically, emotionally and personally.”

-Margaret Dove, Paraeducator

full-distance learning (even though some special education students still remained in the building) led to challenges for the paraeducators. This lack of close contact affected both special education students and those who taught them. “It’s almost impossible to develop a relationship solely online and so of the 25 to 30 students I am tasked with supporting, I only feel I have strong connections with eight to 10,” said para-

Janae Lee Natalie Nemes Janae Lee Ellis Maloney, Yatharth Sharma Molly Shwiff, Savannah Guiang Elisa Guo, Johnny Yue Darah Ostrom, Madeline Edgar Zige Wang Madeline Jepko Sienna Wood Sienna Wood Josie Mackenthun

educator Arthur Errickson.

However, paraeducators are taking advantage of online telecommunicating resources such as Zoom and Google Meet to keep in contact with students. “The students I have connected best with are the ones I met in person or early in my time here in Google Meets.

I use email extensively to communicate and … some people are more responsive than others,” Errickson said.

Paraeducators use other digital programs to ensure attendance and participation, such as ParentVue and Schoology. “[It’s] very helpful when parents review ParentVue and take an active part with ensuring students’ attendance,” said paraeducator Margaret Dove.

Many elements of a paraeducator’s job cannot be performed digitally in today’s circumstances, so they must modify their teaching methods. “The goal is to move students toward graduation while keeping them physically and mentally healthy. They didn’t ask for this, and it’s not their fault,” Dove said. Until the Mounds View School District opens its schools, paraeducators and their students will continue to connect through online resources. Although it is not ideal, paraeducators still do their best to teach and assist their students.

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FEATURES 3

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Happy Holidays

by Meghan Stryker staff reporter

All around the world, different religions, communities, families and individuals celebrate diverse holidays. In the Mounds View community, many families celebrate a variety of holidays, such as Hanukkah and Diwali.

Sydney Dvorak Sydney Dvorak, 12, celebrates Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival celebrated annually on the 25th day of the Kislev in the Jewish calendar. This year, Hanukkah will begin the night of Thursday, Dec.10, and will go until Friday, Dec. 18. “We are celebrating the miracle of oil lasting for eight days, and also [the] rising up against the Greeks in Jerusalem,” Dvorak said.

About 2,200 years ago, Jewish rebels fought the Greeks for their freedom and finally reclaimed their holy temple in Jerusalem, but the problem was that they only had enough oil to keep the flames of their menorah burning for one night. The miracle is that the rebels’ small, one-night sample of oil lasted for eight days, and in that time they were able to make more of the oil and keep their eternal flame lit. “We light the menorah every night of Hanukkah and sing prayers,” Dvorak said.

Many Jewish families also partake in different Hanukkah traditions, such as exchanging gifts, playing the dreidel game and lighting a menorah. “The menorah has nine places for candles, and there is generally one in the center called the ‘shamash’ that is used to light all the other candles,” Dvorak said.

Another important tradition Jewish families enjoy is baking and cooking delicious meals and goods. Most traditional Hanukkah foods are baked and fried in oil. “We eat a lot of fried food, such as latkes (fried potato pancakes) and jelly donuts,” Dvorak said. “My favorite thing about this holiday is getting to spend time with my family because we usually have lots of laughs and get to spend a lot of time together.”

illustration by Sienna Wood

Aringha Arumugham Diwali is a winter festival of lights celebrated in different religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Diwali originates from India, but is celebrated all over the world. This year, Diwali took place on Saturday, Nov. 14. “[Diwali celebrates] new beginnings and triumph over evil,” said Aringha Arumugham, 12.

The celebration of Diwali is linked to multiple religious texts, all with the theme of the triumph of good over evil. “There are many versions of the history [of Diwali],” Arumugham said. “The one I am aware of is that there was a god who defeated an evil being that was giving the people issues.”

There are many Diwali traditions people keep alive each year. A large piece of the Diwali tradition is diyas. Diyas are oil lamps, typically made with clay. These diyas symbolize goodness, purity and good luck. The presence of light from the illuminated diya is believed to extinguish all evil forces. Many families and individuals celebrating Diwali also take part in various traditions such as lighting fireworks, exchanging gifts and performing ceremonies in praise of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth.

Feasts are also common during the Diwali festival. “There are a lot of foods that are eaten depending on which part of India you are from, but some are samosa, gulab jamun, Murukku and laddoo,” Arumugham said. “I love the evening time because that is when all the lights are lit up, people are dressed up, you start some sparklers, and it is just a lively time.”

illustration by Sienna Wood

Different holidays are essential to cultures all around the world, as well as bringing families and communities together. Even though not everyone at Mounds View may be aware of or celebrate the same holidays, there are holidays unique to each student that hold a special meaning to them and their culture.

MV ups its social media game

by Namitha Narayan staff reporter

The creation of social media made information instantly accessible and shareable for anyone with a connection to the internet. This appealing quality makes the use of social media vital for many school districts.

At Mounds View specifically, a stronger social media presence informs both students and parents of the opportunities Mounds View offers and increases community engagement.

Recently, Mounds View alumna Elin Enrooth filled the position of social media coordinator, a new role here at Mounds View. “I think being a Mounds View alum brings this job a lot closer to my heart and helps me do it better,” Enrooth said.

Her role as social media coordinator currently entails curating and generating content for the Mounds View Facebook page. (Mounds View also has an Instagram page, but that is run by a committee of seven students.) “I think it’s important for parents to know what their kids are doing at school, and it’s especially important that schools strengthen how accessible updates and information are,” Enrooth said. She also has a background in digital marketing and plans on using her creative experience with graphic work to enhance the work she is doing.

Enrooth mainly focuses on reaching parents with

tion about specific events; she uses Facebook because it tends to have an older user base.

Mounds View’s use of social media also allows engagement within the community. “Unlike one-way communication methods such as newsletters or emails, social media encourages interaction,” Enrooth said.

“Users can directly respond to content on the page, helping us to close the communication gap and build an online community.”

In addition to this role, Enrooth is also a digital marketing specialist. She works in advertising and with search engine optimization, which involves making the use of keywords yield optimal search results. Enrooth’s experience in advertising provides a skill set that allows her to reach her target audience as a social media coordinator, but the two roles are not entirely the same.

“The goals are really different,” Enrooth said. “When working with the distribution of information regarding Mounds View, there’s no need to reach any audience other than parents and even alumni; it’s different than advertising for any business.”

As she settles into her new role, Enrooth’s strong qualifications combined with her Mustang pride provide a great direction to strengthen Mounds View’s social media presence.

photo courtesy of Elin Emrooth

updates on what is happening with students or informa-

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Articles and letters to the editor appearing on the editorials pages represent solely the opinions of the writers and do not represent in any way the viewpoint of Viewer, our advertisers, Mounds View High School or its staff. The editors of the Viewer welcome and encourage the publication of all viewpoints.

4 EDITORIALS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Online school: Improved or improvised?

by Angie Larson online managing copy editor

COVID-19 has impacted almost every school across the country. This past March, the Mounds View School District, like many others, was quickly forced to create an emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, sending all of its students to online schooling.

As no one was prepared for a worldwide pandemic, the quickly-instituted distance learning plan that the school supplied for its students was not practical, both for students who preferred to slack off and for teachers unaccustomed to teaching exclusively through technology.

While many adaptations and changes have enhanced the staff’s efficiency with teaching this school year, there are still issues that negatively impact education and student experience online.

Throughout the summer, there was time for school districts to brainstorm ideas to change the curriculum and learning formats to accommodate students during the 2020-2021 school year. Although teachers have some flexibility when it comes to how they control the classroom, mandatory Zoom meetings are pretty standard, yet not

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While many adaptations and changes have enhanced the staff’s efficiency with teaching this school year, there are still issues that negatively impact education and student experience online.”

always effective. Many students have expressed their discomfort with Zoom meetings, with the awkwardness of online class, a new class schedule and technological failures being a few of the hindrances on synchronous

class effectiveness. Additionally, making accommodations for students with either physical or mental barriers that keep them from fully engaging in class, both phenomena which are more common than ever, is important but often overlooked during these times.

Many teachers try to solve these problems by placing students into “breakout rooms” where they can discuss their opinions with a smaller group of peers.

However, breakout rooms are usually silent, leaving one brave soul responsible to try and speak up to get

A typical online school setup photo courtesy of Josie Mackenthun

the conversation going, often to no avail. These issues are especially negatively impactful on students who struggle to understand their schoolwork, as collaboration and communication have decreased. Although there are not many alternate or better learning formats, assigning regular breakout rooms with consistent group members to create familiarity will encourage students to engage more with their classmates, which would be more effective than the random grouping of students in breakout rooms most teachers currently utilize.

In a significant change, days are split into block schedules with periods 1-3-5 on Mondays and Tues-

days and periods 2-4-6 on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

This model is somewhat beneficial because of the consecutive days, which make it easier to remain in contact with teachers regarding assignments because students can generally ask them the following day in class.

However, especially over breaks and long weekends, trying to retain knowledge from classes that are strictly on Mondays and Tuesdays is challenging.

One of the school’s primary responses to the pandemic was to issue Chromebooks to the students. Back in March, students were asked to fill out a form on whether they needed a Chromebook from the school or if they had their own. The students who did not have their own laptops were assigned a Chromebook from the school, but many devices are plagued with technological failures and inconveniences, such as short battery life and the inability to sign into a non-school email.

Another issue that persists from last spring regarding Chromebooks is the mixed messaging on their necessity, with administration and staff alternating between the conviction that school-issued devices were available to those who did not have home technology and that they were necessary for certain aspects of school, leaving some students confused on whether they needed one or not. For those who do not have a Chromebook as a result of this miscommunication, common online education tools such as the LockDown Browser, often used for secure test taking, are less accessible. The school should remedy these issues by establishing a technology helpline for students and by asking teachers to refrain from using Chromebook-specific tools.

Overall, despite the abrupt shift from in-person instruction to full-distance instruction, Mounds View’s distance learning plan has improved since spring given the current conditions regarding technology. However, some familiar pitfalls persist. While it is not easy to continue to engage and direct students through a screen, and it is clear that many staff and administrators are trying their best, there are several easy fixes that have still gone unaddressed that could vastly improve education and students’ experiences this year.

Walz places safety over sickness

by Oliver Smith staff reporter

On Wednesday, Nov. 18, Gov. Tim Walz announced a report predicting future COVID-19 rates as well as new restrictions for many activities, in-person gatherings and restaurants which remained in effect until Friday, Dec. 18. Some responded to this with criticism, making complaints about the pause on sports as well as the closure of gyms and other businesses.

However, with the rise in cases, taking action looks more crucial than ever.

Over the past few months, COVID-19 rates have skyrocketed. “Over the last about 10 days we have seen that exponential growth in Minnesota,” Walz said at his live conference that announced the new restrictions, according to the Washington Post. “We’ve seen it hit record cases of identifying, and that’s not just ‘cause we’re testing more.” Minnesota has had an exponential increase in case numbers since the beginning of the pandemic, and according to a quote from a CBS article about Walz’s announcement, “It took us 29 weeks to get the first 100,000 cases,” Walz said. “It took only the next six weeks to get to 200,000 and it’s gonna take less than three weeks to get to 300,000.”

This is an unprecedented number of cases and could have damaging and long-lasting effects. The

image courtesy of pixabay

longer cases continue to rise at these rates, the more we run the risk of overwhelming hospitals and healthcare workers. And even if young people are not affected as harshly by the virus, they can still be asymptomatic carriers, which harms both those at risk with underlying conditions and older populations. ”What’s happening is they are spreading it into the older, the more vulnerable populations, and that’s where the uncontrolled spread happens,” Walz said during his announcement of the new restrictions.

Many hospitals are struggling with a lack of staff with more than 14,000 healthcare workers currently unable to work after testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

And it is not just because of hazardous work either, with Walz stating in his conference that hospital employees are being infected outside of the workplace.

The simple fact is, without adequate hospital staff, we cannot effectively treat even moderately severe cases of COVID-19. This could lead to disastrous effects and is simply not worth the risk.

One argument dissenters make against lockdown is the lasting economic effects. With all restaurants being take-out only, many of them struggle to keep their doors open. Small businesses have faced economic troubles and have furloughed employees from their jobs; however, when considering the situation, we have to weigh our options. Keeping restaurants’ doors open could mean a continued rise in COVID-19 cases along with the risk of overwhelming hospitals. The risk of this is too great, and opening businesses could result in even more pressure on the health system.

Even though many businesses are struggling and facing an economic downturn, it is more important that they remain closed or without dine-in options until they can safely reopen without risk of spreading the virus.

Walz also announced the pause of all high school winter athletics as well as youth club sports, and

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this is not to be overlooked. Many students rely on sports for the social connections or for major college scholarships. However, most sports tend to be high-contact and will undoubtedly create heavy

It is the simple truth that the health care system will be overwhelmed by COVID-19 rates, and the consequences of this will be much more disastrous than economic damage done by the virus.”

breathing, both of which could potentially increase exposure to the virus and the likelihood of it spreading. With the dire situation of health systems, it is not worth risking increased spread of the virus to keep these events going; the pause of high school winter athletics was the correct choice as it is necessary that athletes remain at home during this time. However, as of Wednesday, Dec. 16, Walz made the decision allowing youth sports to restart on Monday, Jan. 4, but without games or competitions, which still limits athletes’ exposure.

It is the simple truth that the health care system will be overwhelmed by COVID-19 rates, and the consequences of this will be much more disastrous than economic damage done by the virus. This is why restaurants and businesses should stay closed and winter sports should be put on hold. Even though it is unfortunate that these new restrictions must happen, ultimately, it is a necessary action for the health and safety of our communities.

MOUNDS VIEW THEN VS NOW 5

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Then vs. Now: MV funding 1974

MV gets ironed out

Irondale has head start

the 1974 Viewer staff MV with a student body of 1926 is allotted $118,889 for its various clubs and activities while Irondale, with an enrollment of 1351 students, receives only $98,405 for various clubs and activities.

Although these figures plainly indicate that MV receives more money altogether, it hides the fact MV receives less money per student than its counterpart Irondale.

MV has approximately 600 more students than Irondale.

Although Irondale’s enrollment is approximately 70 percent that of MV’s, it is receiving funds from a school with a student population of 83 percent of MV’s.

If the enrollments of the two schools are set in proportion (see table), to one another, using Irondale’s $98,000 figure, calculations show that in reality MV should be receiving $140,579 instead of the current $118,889. This $22,000 difference could be used to finance many urgent projects that MV desperately needs.

This year, there has been a 13.7 percent across the board cut in district funding to all schools.

Salaries Extra Assignments Athletics - Boys Athletics - Girls Other Salaries Other Aux. Expenses Field Trips Laundry/Dry Cleaning Dues and Memberships Contracted Services Officiating Mileage Conference/Conventions Repairs - Equipment Total Adjusted Total

MV $10, 844 $41,749 $7,020 $275 $14,350 $28,632 $3,000 $110 $8,359 $4,000 $150 $400 $118,889 $140,579

by Hanzu Vu-Tran online editor The process of how public school budgets are decided is not something many students can claim familiarity with. Rumors and assumptions fly around regarding the budget of a school and why certain parts of the school get more funding than others. The reality is that the development of a school’s budget has many complexities, starting from the federal level down to a local level. Public schools receive funding from the federal government, the state government, the school district and levies paid for by families living in the district. It is a process that requires a lot of discussion before any-

illustration by Sienna Wood

thing is decided on.

When Mounds View receives money from the district, much of the budget is already divided up. “I give the allocation in certain ‘bucket forms’ if you will,” said Bridget Peterson, Mounds View School District finance director. For example, the district is responsible for determining how much money which school receives for co-curriculars, but the school is in charge of what

Irondale $9,656 $36, 599 $7,473 $8,627 $21,000 $1,800 $8,000 $4,000 $250 $500 $500 $98,405 $98,405

by Kirk Thompson 1974 Viewer staff member The following table lists three important factors in the sports budget. The number of participants simply denotes the number of students out for a sport. Total cost refers to the sum of transportation costs, equipment costs, and coaches’ salaries, for a given sport.

The cost per student reveals the money allotted to individual participants. The C.P.S is a particularly good barometer for measuring the equality of sports expenditures.

The sports chosen from this table are on the basis of exposure to the public and popularity.

The statistics are from budget charts supplied by the District Service Center.

This table accurately depicts the disparity of the sports expenditures received

by MV as opposed to Irondale.

It is as clear as the pain on MV’s sculpture was, that justice should emerge victorious and create an equitable sports budget system, replacing the one now thriving on exploitation of the MV athlete.

Sports

Total Cost ($)

MV Basketball 10,495 Girls Bas- 2,389 ketball Football 13,679 Hockey 11,915 Soccer 4,756 Swimming 5,767 Track 6,920 Girls Vol- 1,161 leyball

2020

percentage of that money is allocated toward different co-curricular activities. At the school level, the budget gets more specific, with the admin team involved in the decision making.

The process of developing a working budget is complicated, and in terms of the Mounds View and Irondale budgets, they both start at the district level; meetings for the upcoming school year take place in December and January. “The budget for the coming school year has to be adopted in June,” Peterson said.

At the district level, the district finance department plays a crucial role in deciding the ins and outs of the budget.

Funding revolves around student needs. There are many factors to consider, such as student body size. “[The budget is] based on the number of projected kids,” Peterson said. Mounds View and Irondale have relatively similar student body sizes, and that is why the total amounts of money that the schools receive from the district are similar. Even though the student body sizes might be similar, however, student needs are not. “The two are very close in enrollment, [which] means they get the same amount of licensed classroom teachers, but then when you start specializing all the teachers, it might look different because the kids’ needs might be different at the sites,” Peterson said. Different specializations of teachers at Irondale and Mounds View create a difference in budgets based on the salaries that teachers in different roles receive.

This school year looks different than past school years, as COVID-19 is a new situation for everybody.

Since most of the learning this year has been digital,

Participants

Cost per-student ($)

Irondale 7,102 1,400

MV 67 43

Irondale 35 36

MV 104 56

Irondale 150 39

11,068 11,155 3,011 4,664 4,052 2,611

102 43 80 35 100 30

63 46 40 22 43 23

127 264 59 158 69 39

150 264 75 170 137 114

technology has become essential and another expense at the same time. “We’re gonna need more devices for kids because some people were using their own devices, some people were borrowing or whatever, but we needed to be able to get kids the devices on a more 1:1 model,” Peterson said.

Cleaning also became important, with school buildings needing to be sanitized to make the building as safe as possible during this time. “We incurred a lot of costs relating to cleaning chemicals and cleaning detergent, even just human labor,” Peterson said.

Schools needed supplies, such as masks, to make sure that spending extended periods of time in a school building is safe. “The district paid for all of the supplies we needed to prepare the building (masks, cleaning supplies and other PPE),” said Mounds View Principal Stephanie Bruggers.

The long and complex process of deciding a school budget is not easy. With distance learning still taking place, Mounds View may continue to see changes in different aspects of the school’s funding.

Mounds View

Irondale

Co-curricular (total) ($)

1,980,662

1,980,662

Salaries (total) ($)

6 million

6.2 million

Total ($)

11.5 million

11.9 million

information courtesy of Bridget Peterson

Looking backward to move forward: A year in review

by Olivia Hutchinson and Shivam Vashishtha staff reporters

From a deadly pandemic to a global movement for racial justice, 2020 has experienced its fair share of world-shifting events. However, to progress and move forward in 2021, it is important to reflect back on the events that occurred this year.

April1, 2020

Sept. 2019 - Mar. 2020 Wildfires are a widespread and regular occurrence in Australia. According to ABC News, this year they destroyed around 2,000 homes and 12.35 million acres of land. In addition, BBC News states that the wildfires have claimed the lives of or displaced more than 3 billion animals, with 133 animal species needing assistance due to the dramatic loss of habitat. “Well, wildfires are a usual thing in Australia,” said Shaurya Sehgal, 10. “But, since it is a common problem every year, Australia should come up with a solution to prevent these. I think that most people don’t care about them because they don’t know the severity. People need to be more aware and careful while using flammable substances.” Sehgal also said that for fire prevention, people should be more cautious when using flammable substances.

This year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle resigned from the royal family and stopped using their styles of “His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex” and “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.” According to WWD, since their resignation, the couple has been busy with a deal with Netflix to produce content, launching their nonprofit organization, Archewell, and collaborating with Spotify to produce and host podcasts through their new production company Archewell Audio. “To me, [their resignation] was not expected at all,” said Sandesh Jha, 10. “I thought that Harry would continue in the royal family just like Prince William did, but I guess that didn’t turn out to be true. I think that the Queen must’ve felt bad.” illustration by Sienna Wood

March13 - May 25, 2020

Oct. 5, 2019 Barunson E&A released the Korean thriller-comedy movie “Parasite,” a film that illustrates how materialism and class discrimination threatened a close relationship between the Park family and the feared Kim clan. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. Notably, it was the first Asian and South Korean film to win Best Screenplay and was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture. “‘Parasite’ is one of the greatest movies that I have ever watched,” said Junha Yoo, 11. “Its powerful theme of the corruption of social hierarchy in Korea is demonstrated over and over with each action, word and camera angle. Because of this, I believe that Parasite is definitely worthy of earning [an] Oscar.”

illustration by Sienna Wood

Breonna Taylor, an African American woman, was fatally shot in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, March 13 by white police officers. A “no-knock” search warrant of Taylor’s home, which eventually led to her death, was issued after investigating drug trafficking activities of her ex-boyfriend. In another incidence of police brutality, George Floyd was an African American man who was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis after a store clerk alleged he had used a counterfeit bill on Monday, May 25. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for around nine minutes. “I was terrified to hear about Floyd,” said Matthew Shen, 11. “Though the deaths of Floyd and Taylor are undoubtedly tragic, they also served as a catalyst for change. Despite these events, I don’t think that both their deaths were the main reason why people started noticing. I just think that there were a lot of accumulations of different murders and that their deaths illuminated the bad side of our country.”

Jan. 26, 2020 On Sunday, Jan. 26, the world learned of the tragic death of famous basketball player Kobe Bryant. For many students at Mounds View, sadness marked the day of Bryant’s death. “Getting to know about Kobe Bryant’s death was a big shock as it [happened] really early on in the year,” said Sandesh Jha, 10. “Many shocking and devastating things have happened early on, and losing someone who was popular and looked up to was an unpleasant addition. I think that he was an excellent basketball player. Since his death was unpredicted, I fear that something like that could happen to me or a young person.” Such a tragic death was shocking for many people.

Jan. 3, 2020

Jan.16, 2020

The United States initiated a drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The assassination outraged the Iranian people as they greatly respected Soleimani. As a result, President Donald Trump and the nation as a whole received threats from the Iranian government. Many Americans became fearful as rumors circulated about a potential Third World War. However, some students did not believe the threat was imminent. “I wasn’t really worried about there being a World War III,” said Nadia Anderson, 11. “However, I do think the event could have lasting implications on our country’s relationships with the Middle East.” illustration by Sienna Wood

After a House inquiry alleged that President Donald Trump withheld aid to Ukraine to influence the 2020 presidential election and proceeded to order officials to ignore subpoenas for testimony, Trump’s impeachment Senate trial began on the basis of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Senate acquitted him of these charges.

“From both sides, it’s political, but I think he’s corrupt,” said Matteo Meyer, 10. “Even if we see what he’s doing right now, he’s [looking for] ways to pardon himself.”

April 28, 2020

The Pentagon officially released videos from the past decade of UFO sightings to clear up any misconceptions and speculation about previous UFO sightings. Surprisingly, not many people were interested in the videos, as most were worried about other ongoing issues in the world. However, there is no doubt that these videos cemented people’s belief in aliens. “Personally, I do believe that aliens exist just because the universe is just so incredibly massive,” said Junha Yoo, 11. “The video released by the Pentagon is credible, but I do believe we should take it with a grain of salt. After all, human technology has developed a lot over the course of history.”

Some believe the sightings may have been unidentified manmade aircrafts.

Harvey Weinstein

illustration by Sienna Wood

Aug. 28, 2020 Famous actor Chadwick Boseman passed away from complications with colon cancer in his Los Angeles home. He was most known for his role as Black Panther, or T’Challa, in the hit Marvel movie “Black Panther.” He also starred in the bibliographical movie “42” as Jackie Robinson. This was his breakthrough performance and an inspiration to many people, especially children of color. Students all around the country and at Mounds View were impacted greatly, as Boseman was someone they looked up to. “I think that Chadwick Boseman was an inspiration to a lot of people, and his work had a huge impact on everyone,” said Madison Osgood, 11. “He was able to redefine what a superhero was and did not fit the stereotypical hero mold, which allowed for many people to look up to him.” Even with his illness, Boseman remained strong for his fans in delivering the content they loved. “His fight with cancer is also an inspiration as he was able to produce [entertainment] for people to enjoy even as he was struggling himself, and that is something to admire,” said Osgood.

Oct. 7, 2020 Scientists Jennifer Doudna, an American biochemist, and Emmanuelle Charpentier, a French researcher and professor in microbiology, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of a method for genome editing. They are the first all-female joint winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. “I think that winning for the two women is a huge deal,” said Elizabeth Gregory, 11. Dubbed CRISPR, researchers can use Charpentier and Doudna’s method to alter the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. “I think that it is an enormous power that has to be regulated,” Gregory said. “While we could possibly use it to cure Down syndrome, at the same time, these abnormalities make us human, and help diversify our population. I think that genome editing should not be used for creating designer babies, but it has real potential to help when it comes to genetic abnormalities.”

Harvey Weinstein is a former film producer and current convicted sex offender, who was initially accused in 2017 and sentenced to prison in early 2020. Since the initial accusation, over 80 women have come forward about the sexual harassment, assault or rape they endured from him. Speaking about their experiences was difficult for the women, but it proved that sexual harassment is a prominent issue in society. “I think it’s a very courageous thing for [the victims] to do,” said Allison Blank, 11. “What he did to them was disgusting and inexcusable, and he deserves to be called out for it.”

illustration by Sienna Wood

COVID-19

illustration by Sienna Wood

Since COVID-19 cases have been increasing in the Mounds View School District, the school board has decided to transition to full distance learning for all schools. Ramsey County has confirmed cumulative cases reaching 704 out of 10,000 residents from Saturday, Dec. 5 through Thursday, Dec. 17, according to the Ramsey County COVID-19 Situation Update. “I don’t have anything in mind about how Mounds View will recover, but for now, I would just tell everybody to follow precautions,” said Sandesh Jha, 10. “I don’t know what school will look like in the future.” In the past few months, the nation has struggled through the first and second waves of COVID-19. Now, the third wave of this virus has arrived, continuously breaking the record number of cases per day.

Nov. 13, 2020 Harry Styles, a former member of the hit boy band One Direction and current solo singer and songwriter, wore a dress on the cover of Vogue magazine, making history in becoming the first solo male to be featured on the cover of Vogue. There were many mixed opinions about the cover, with some saying it was unmanly for him to be wearing a dress, while others were positive about him wearing a dress and stepping out of different social boundaries. Many believe that fashion should be based on personal preferences. “I think it was great to see a man wearing a dress in a magazine as mainstream as Vogue,” said Nadia Anderson, 11. “Of course, Harry Styles isn’t the only man who is changing the norms of fashion. I think the effects on the social norms for people our illustration by Sienna Wood age will be positive. People’s fashion choices should reflect their style rather than a reflection of how society tells people to dress.”

Throughout this past year, there was a mix of remarkable and terrifying events. However, these memorable, tragic and once-in-a-lifetime occurrences will hopefully allow society and the Mounds View community to become stronger and more resilient.

8 SPORTS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Athletes make a commitment

by Alissa Zhao online editor-in-chief

Remarkable determination and commitment are required to excel at a sport, and Mounds View is lucky to have multiple of these dedicated seniors committed to playing collegiate sports. Athletes Katelyn Welle, 12, and Ben Rosin, 12, signed their National Letter of Intent on Wednesday, Nov. 11 along with Isabella Sissi, 12. All possessing incredible talent, these students are destined for a promising future.

Welle committed to continue her swimming career at the University of Sioux Falls. “I hope to become the best I can be in the pool over the next four years and reach goals I have had since I was little,” Welle said. This next step in her athletic career was a long time coming, as Welle has been swimming since she was just 6 months old. She fell in love with swimming and started competing at 8 years old. She attributes her motivation to continue swimming to the people and coaches she has met throughout her time on both club and

high school swim teams.

Over the years, she created many great memories, but her favorite is her freshman year as a whole. She was voted “most improved” by both the Mounds View girls swim team and her club team. “I dropped a lot of time that year,” Welle said.

Academically, Welle hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, and she is considering majoring in biology and chemistry. USF’s location directly across the street from a children’s hospital, where Welle hopes to volunteer, was a factor in her ultimate decision to attend USF. For her, the two most important factors in her college decision were the quality of its swim team and her ability to pursue pre-med. “The first time I stepped on the USF campus, I immediately felt a sense of being at the perfect school,” Welle said.

As an athlete who is moving on from her high school career and pursuing a higher level of athletics, Welle’s advice for younger swimmers is to remember to have fun while they are swimming. “Swimming can be a very

Katelyn Welle competes at a meet. photo courtesy of Katelyn Welle

stressful sport because it is so easy to get into a rut of bad times, but as long as you remember to have fun, just keep swimming!” Welle said. “It will change your life for the better.”

Rosin is committed to play baseball at North Iowa Area Community College for the next two years. He hopes to study something in the medical field during his time at NIACC but intends to focus on finishing his general education credits first. He chose to continue his education and baseball career at NIACC due to the scholarship he received along with the chance they offered him to play baseball. “My passion for the sport is still fiery,” Rosin said. NIACC also gives him the opportunity to someday continue his baseball career even after college. Rosin hopes to get drafted after college and keep working hard at baseball professionally.

Baseball has been in his blood since a young age, with Rosin starting the sport at 4 years old. He credits his initial interest in the game to his brother, who played professional baseball. “I saw how cool it was to do that as a job, so

Ben Rosin (left), Isabella Sissi (middle), and Katelyn Welle (right) on signing day.

photo courtesy of Jim Galvin

I decided to give it a shot,” Rosin said.

He decided to stay in the sport for the relationships he built with friends and coaches and the overall enjoyment of the sport.

During his extensive baseball career, Rosin made many memories, but his favorite is “winning the state championship when we were 11 and dogpiling on Mason Dean,” Rosin said. His advice to new players is to persevere even when faced with challenges. “Baseball is a game of failing. Seven times out of 10 you will get out, you can’t throw perfect games every game, just keep moving forward and bettering yourself,” Rosin said.

Isabella Sissi will be attending Northern Iowa University on a gymnastics scholarship, but was unavailable for comment.

Welle, Rosin and Sissi, along with other commits in Mounds View’s senior class, have shown immense passion and talent in the sports they dedicated their college experience to. These select athletes are ready to take their respective sports to the next level and challenge

Ben Rosin gears up for a pitch. photo courtesy of Ben Rosin

Teams persist through lockdown

by Olivia Sperbeck staff reporter

Due to the spike in COVID-19 cases, winter athletes are practicing virtually instead of in person. Gov. Tim Walz’s address on Wednesday, Dec. 16. gave winter sports teams permission to resume in person practice on Monday, Jan. 4, although there has been no word on games or meets. So instead of walking into a gymnasium or ski chalet, Mounds View students are currently logging in to Zoom for practices and meetings.

The alpine ski team is one of the teams that practices in front of a computer; virtual captains’ practices replaced regular trips to the slopes. Maila Akiba, 12, one of the team captains, understands the winter sports delay. “People’s lives are more important than my sport,” Akiba said.

The alpine team captains led virtual practices for the last few weeks, but the practices were more like team bonding events, where the team members played “Among Us” together or watched movies as a team. Independently, however, the team is training hard. Akiba has joined a club team in preparation for the upcoming season, and some members of

The Viewettes hold a virtual practice.

photo courtesy of Quinn Gourneau

the team are going to Wild Mountain, a local ski slope, to practice. Jack Simone, 11, another ski team captain, skis independently to get ready for the season, while also doing small workouts.

According to the captains, the alpine team is still looking forward to the 2020-

2021 season. “Honestly, I think we’ll have a really fun year,” Simone said.

Both Simone and Akiba are optimistic about the 2020 season, despite the delay.

The Viewettes dance team also experienced delays in its season. Instead of practicing together as a team, the

dancers are practicing over Zoom. The dance team also created a YouTube channel to post instructional dance videos and assist the dancers with learning choreography. However, even with these tools, the inability to dance together is difficult for the team. “It’s much harder to learn a dance through a video,” said dance team member Caroline Galas, 11. “I understand why we have the delay, because of the rising cases, but it also makes me sad.”

Like the alpine team, the dance team is eagerly anticipating the 20202021 season. “We have really fun people on this team,” Galas said. Galas is also looking forward to competing in person.

However, she has some concerns about the effects of COVID-19 on her team’s competitive abilities. “I feel like if we have a dance team we won’t be as connected,” she said. She worries that the team’s inability to practice in person will affect their results in competition.

The winter season delays prove difficult for both teams, but both are making it work in different ways. The alpine team and dance team are both looking forward to in-person practices and competitions and are excited to discover what this year holds.

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE 9

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Thao takes the lead

by Ellis Maloney news editor In volleyball, teamwork is equally as important as athletic capability. The team must be completely in sync to execute plays and score points; Waverly Thao, 12, certainly exemplifies these characteristics. Even early on, Thao’s family was her greatest influence. “We were playing volleyball and I instantly loved it, even though I was terrible, and my dad signed me up for an open gym the next day,” Thao said. She has been an avid volleyball player for six years and has contributed her talent to Mounds View’s varsity team for the last three years.

Thao is the setter for Mounds View’s varsity lineup, a position that is central to the team and takes a lot of practice. In addition, it is important for a setter to be able to effectively communicate with the rest of the team, and Thao mentions she has learned a lot about her teammates in doing so. “Being a setter, I have learned how to read personalities and know how each person responds to criticism, compliments,” Thao said. “I am able to use that and motivate each girl based on what they respond to positively.”

image courtesy of pixabay

photos courtesy of Waverly Thao

During the season, Thao and the team did remarkably well with a record of 11-3, placing second in the Suburban East Conference. “My favorite game this season was against Woodbury because everyone was making really good plays that night, and we were the underdogs of the match,” Thao said. Teamwork and individual strength defined their season, both of which Thao advocates for in a successful volleyball team.

While Thao’s volleyball career at Mounds View came to a close in the fall, she will continue to play in college for St. Olaf in 2021. During her high school career, Thao contributed her talents to Mounds View girls volleyball while also being a leader and example for other girls on the team. With her experience, Thao offers some helpful advice to young volleyball players. “Take it day by day,” Thao said. “Just stay patient with yourself. You will not see results every day. Use your coaches as much as you can; they’re there because they want to help you improve.” Moving forward, she hopes that the team will continue to be successful as she continues her career at a collegiate level.

10 PHOTOGRAPHY

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

A white winter?

by Josie Mackenthun photographer

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 11

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

2020’s album of the year reviews

The music community excitedly awaits the 2021 Grammy Awards as many popular and newly emerging artists released pieces this year, like Harry Styles and Doja Cat. The Recording Academy nominated these eight albums for Best Album of the Year.

by Josie Fenske staff reporter

“Chilombo” by Jhené Aiko “Chilombo,” R&B artist Jhené Aiko’s newest album, features slow songs, soft vocals and creative raps.

She collabs with other well-known artists on some songs, like Nas, Big Sean and John Legend. The album’s music creates a relaxing mood with a nice juxtaposition between the electronic music and moderate use of classical instruments, like the piano and trumpet. Aiko’s beautiful voice pairs well with the graceful music of the album; however, the sound can be repetitive, as almost every song features the same tempo. The album focuses on complicated and somewhat contradictory personal issues. Aiko sings of independence and sexual empowerment but also of vulnerability and loss. Overall, the album artistically describes Aiko’s high and low moments, leaving me feeling as if I know her well and can relate to her issues.

The Verdict: 8/10

“Black Pumas” by the Black Pumas Black Pumas, a duo composed of Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada, created an excellent album with “Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition).” Burton, the singer, has a rich and soulful voice and range that plays well with the funky music. The songs’ relatable themes consist of desire for love and healthy relationships. Quesada plays guitar solos that provide an uplifting change of pace from the depth of the vocals. The songs feel relaxing because of the melody but also thought-provoking because of the lyrics and delivery. Female backup vocals emphasize the important parts of the songs, adding intrigue. After listening to “Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition),” the serene tone left me satisfied and calm.

The Verdict: 9/10

Kiana Ledé. Listening to the album feels like a wild ride as the singing and themes vary greatly; some songs capture the atmosphere of a crazy party with changing vocals and electronic sounds, like “Count the People,” while some are slow, modern love songs, like “Time Alone With You.” Even though Collier incorporates electronic music and human-made sounds, like whistles and clicks, within each song, they do not feel clunky or forced. However, the end of the album feels too chaotic, and the last three songs lose their impact with all the seemingly unarranged sounds. Despite my enthusiasm waning at the end, Collier’s use of electronic music and uniquely pitched vocals achieves an unconventional and engaging album.

by Rachel Zou staff reporter

The Verdict: 7/10

The Verdict: 9/10

“Women in Music Pt. III” by HAIM

“Hollywood’s Bleeding” by Post Malone Malone

“Women In Music Pt. III” by HAIM is a mellow and soothing album containing mainly country and pop production styles while exuding the feel of R&B music.

HAIM consists of three sisters who all play different instruments and sing the vocals. Even as HAIM’s music style grabs inspiration from different genres, their voices pair nicely with the mellow tone of the backing track and would not sound out of place in a coffee shop.

While various songs contain a vintage feeling, some songs sound like they would fit right into modern-day music. The songs vary in tempo and energy, with some songs having somber tones and others having carefree tones, creating a nice variety. What I like about this album is that it covers more topics than just romance.

While some songs are about love, other songs address the darker parts of life, such as the theme of an abusive relationship in the song “FUBT.” Even the “love” songs in this album depict a much more realistic version of love as shown in “Summer Girl” — a jazzy and light tune that lyrically embodies the darker part of love. All in all, this album is a great match for people who like a calm, R&B style album.

Post Malone’s album, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” conveys a hype energy, while some songs convey a more peaceful tone. The production is mainly composed of what is commonly heard in rap songs while also maintaining a sense of modern-day pop songs. The majority of the tracks express Malone’s frustration with his fake friends, paranoia and his rise to fame. However, some songs discuss Malone’s past relationships that had been corrupted. His albums feature collaborations with other artists, like Ozzy Osbourne, and similar to the rest of the album, they sing about topics such as failed relationships with girlfriends. Although I was not a big fan of the rap songs, this album strikes a balance between the hip hop and pop tracks. Unlike many of the other albums nominated this year, “Hollywood’s Bleeding” does not speak of any important messages through the lyrics, with the exception of the song “Internet.” All in all, this album is a great fit for people who enjoy a more energetic album.

The Verdict: 8/10

“Everyday Life” by Coldplay “Everyday Life,” Coldplay’s eighth studio album, consists of its typical soft rock components, but with a fresh twist. As in previous albums, the band sings about religion; however, as a new move, it touches on current social injustices. Though I do not relate to their religious beliefs, I still appreciate the different religious and cultural sounds they include in their album, like Zulu and Arabic hymns and beats. I found their songs on social injustice--with a focus on systemic racism, especially in law enforcement and gun control-- very refreshing. The music often flows slowly and softly, featuring lots of acoustic guitar and piano. I did not like their use of echoey vocals, though I did enjoy the song “BrokEn,” as it features a classic African American choir. The album’s theme of keeping faith in the world through tough times relays a relevant message in 2020.

The Verdict: 7/10

and more soothing energies. Lipa’s voice matches well with both types of music as her voice carries the emotion necessary depending on the mood. “Future Nostalgia’’ is able to create an overall uplifting and positive energy, even as some songs focus on gloomy sides to romance. The lyrics “It’s you in my reflection, I’m afraid of all the things it could do to me,” from the song “Break My Heart,” represent how Lipa can dig into the emotional, physical and happy parts of love. Lipa also sings about serious things that are happening right now in our society through her song “Boys Will Be Boys.”

Unlike most of the tracks, this song centers around what women of society go through, like having to walk home with keys between their fingers late at night. Through party songs and songs with deeper meanings, this album was quite enjoyable while also being able to convey meaningful messages.

illustration by Sienna Wood

“Djesse Vol. 3” by Jacob Collier

“Future Nostalgia”

by Dua Lipa

“Djesse Vol. 3” by Jacob Collier, a young British musician, marks his third record in a four-part series.

The album features many collaborations with other young and rising artists like Daniel Caesar, Mahalia and

“Future Nostalgia’’ by Dua Lipa is a modern-style album with some surprising songs. While it is mostly comprised of party songs, the calmer tracks allow the album to maintain a delicate balance between higher

The Verdict: 7/10

“Folklore” by Taylor Swift “Folklore” by Taylor Swift is a folk-pop album with a few pop songs sprinkled in. The instrumentals are mostly made up of guitar, drum beats and piano.

Swift’s country-pop style is shown in multiple songs on her album, while other songs tend to lean more toward modern-day pop. While a portion of her songs discuss Swift’s previous relationships, other songs reflect on Swift’s hardships during her time in selfhiatus, as shown in “this is me trying.” Unlike her previous albums, many songs throughout the album focus on stories stemming from Swift’s own imagination or focus on universal themes about life or love, such as in “invisible string.” The first tracks on “Folklore” feel generic, but near the end of the album, I can feel the emotion in Swift’s lyrics. She expresses the hardships of what it means to be a person always in the spotlight and the hardships that women have to go through in our society. In “epiphany,” she sings about soldiers on a battlefield and compares that experience to the lives of healthcare workers during COVID-19. While many songs in this album may seem like her stereotypical love songs, they are quite the opposite. Through these tracks, she ties in and references lyrics in other songs while expressing her hardships in life. This album shows a reflection on Swift’s progress in life, and she is now sharing that with her listeners through this album.

The Verdict: 10/10

12 ARTIST OF THE ISSUE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Peace and Energy information compiled by Madeline Edgar photos courtesy of Cynthia Dong

Cynthia Dong

Dong, 11, captures an array of emotions and personalities in her attentive portraits.

An artist since preschool, Cynthia Dong, 11, has seen many natural iterations of style and inspiration in her work since she began. Having taken extracurricular art classes throughout her life, Dong was able to refine her technique and settle comfortably into a style that manages to simultaneously capture stillness and motion, simplicity and detail and color and monochromaticity. Dong skillfully manipulates the challenging mediums of watercolor and charcoal to portray brief moments of peace as easily as she captures the intensity of a dancer. Her focus on portraits allows for the exploration of both sides of that duality, and yet this variety never detracts from her ability to synthesize a personality into an angle or pose. “I think that lack of things ‘going on’ in the art actually pushes people to look at and admire the simplicity of a common activity,” Dong said.

For beginners, Dong recommends they “focus on the overall shape and structure of the drawing before getting into the details,” a philosophy that is clear in the breezily natural stature of her subjects and the detail that surrounds rather than overpowers them. Entrapping light and life in her pieces, Dong’s talent and dedication shine through, her own personality evident in the people she chooses to recreate.

All art featured is by Cynthia Dong.

If you would like your art to be featured in the Viewer, please contact madeline.edgar@mvviewer.org