Issue 4 2012-13

IN FEATURES 5

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Scenes Behind the Screens An inside look on an Election Day newsroom.

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Friday, November 16, 2012

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I’m interested in being a foreign service officer for the government.”

Volume 60, Issue 4

The primary reason I want to go the U of M is that there is one architecture school per state that offers this program.”

- Kami Choi

- Jake Torkelson

photo by Anders Nygaard

Where will I end up?

Seniors search near and far for the perfect college fit

by PETER OLSON and MONICA KEMP news editor and staff reporter Jake Torkelson, has always dreamed of being an architect. He has completed countless building projects as an Eagle Scout and as part of the Mounds View Theatre Crew.

In pursuit of his passion, Torkelson, 12, is applying to colleges with a strong architecture program. He also wants a college that will challenge him. Keeping these factors in mind, Torkelson begins to apply—but which colleges should he apply to?

Finding the “right” college is a taxing process.

Students must consider many factors, including: What is it they hope to gain, how far do they want to go, and how much are they willing to pay?

U.S. News, a popular resource for those applying to college, recommends that students look at four things: style of learning, academics, programs, and community atmosphere.

Learning style is an important consideration.

Some students prefer large auditorium settings typically seen in big colleges like the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities or the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Others prefer smaller class sizes, where it is easier to seek the help of their professors.

For those students, a small college, like Carleton, is a better fit.

The right level of academic rigor is another

important factor. A C-student in high school could not compete in colleges such as Harvard or Dartmouth.

Likewise, a National Merit semifinalist would feel unchallenged by most coursework in technical colleges.

Perhaps the most important factor in choosing a college are the programs it offers. For example, some students are searching for great research opportunities.

“A lot of them have really good research programs, especially opportunities for undergrad. research that a lot of public schools don’t have,” said Maddy Jackson, 12.

If a student knows what he or she might major in, it is crucial to find a college that specializes in that field of study.

Kami Choi, 12, is applying to Georgetown because of its emphasis on foreign relations.

“It’s one of the best schools for international relations,” she said. “I’m interested in working in foreign services for the government.”

However, the community’s atmosphere should not be ignored. Students need to feel comfortable in their environment; otherwise, learning is difficult.

To find out what a college feels like, students should go on college tours. U.S. News says tours are one of the best ways to find a college because you can get a feel for the campus, the dorms, and opinions of the students attending.

Another factor is location. For instance, Choi is also applying to Columbia because it is near the United Nations headquarters and potential internships.

Torkelson likes the University of Minnesota because it is close to home and has a great architecture program. “[The] primary reason I want to go the U of M is that there is one architecture school per state that offers this program. It’s familiar and has good academics and study abroad programs,” Torkelson said.

Job prospects can also sway a student’s decision about colleges. While the University of WisconsinStout is not a top-tier college, it offers a high job placement rate; this is what intrigues Tucker LeBow, 12.

“I applied to Stout because it has a 98% job placement after college,” LeBow said.

Often, the decision just comes down to the individual’s gut feeling, and making the decision for yourself is part of the process.

“It’s pretty empowering. It gives you a purpose,” said Jackson.

See what MV alumni think of college in Features 4

2editorials

November 16, 2012

TOP #MeatlessMondays

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Every week, take a day off from eating meat

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The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing

I love meat. There’s nothing I enjoy more than biting into a juicy pork chop, or munching on Applebee’s chicken fingers. I could never be a vegetarian. And yet, I set aside one day every week to completely abstain from consuming meat.

Why would a meat lover like myself go through with such a thing? I came to the realization that eating meat is harmful when debating my food choices with my friends in philosophy class. I hit upon the idea of Meatless Mondays for three simple reasons: eating meat is immoral, wasteful, and unhealthy.

The vast majority of

the meat we buy in the supermarket comes from factory farms, where animals are treated in a truly horrific fashion. Animals are confined in tiny spaces, fed drugs so they’ll grow unnaturally fat, and have their horns removed or wings clipped without anesthesia. But even if the animals that become our food weren’t abused in such a hideous fashion, eating meat is still wrong. The momentary pleasure we get from eating a delicious burger in no way balances the pain and suffering we cause an animal by ending its life just so we can eat it.

The harm caused by eating meat doesn’t just extend to the animals that get eaten.

Choosing to eat meat doesn’t only hurt animals, it hurts humans as well, perpetuating

the cycle of global hunger. The protein used to make enough meat to feed one person, including feed for the animals, etc., would be enough to feed 54 people. Eating meat also contributes to global warming and causes great environmental harm. Livestock contribute greatly to emissions of methane, a major greenhouse gas. In addition, the primary cause of the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest is the clearing of land for cattle grazing.

Lastly, if you choose to eat meat, you are hurting yourself.

Meat is tied to many health problems like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. There are other, less harmful ways to get the necessary protein for your diet, like peanuts, beans, lentils, and mushrooms.

photo by Anders Nygaard

Although it is true that one can’t get the necessary vitamin B12 from a non-meat diet, it is a simple task to get the dietary vitamin supplements at a drugstore.

Even knowing all of this, it is almost impossible to just stop eating meat completely.

It’s just so ingrained in us as human beings; we are omnivores, we eat veggies and meat. But if everyone does as little as taking one day off from eating meat each week, imagine how much can be changed. Start doing Meatless Mondays, and together we can change the world.

1

Youngjun Park Photographers/Artists Joy Xie, Ben Kaiser, Anders Nygaard, Tim Appolloni, Sophie Gorham, Kevin Lee Adviser

by DAVID GONZALEZ-DYSINGER

Standardized tests need new standards Minnesota students face a ridiculous number of “standardized” tests: the MCA-II, the EXPLORE, the PLAN, the SAT, the ACT, the NWEA, and more. The MCA-II alone contains various branches including the GRAD writing, reading, and math tests.

Also, the MCA is only taken by Minnesotans, so it does not allow for national comparisons and really can only determine whether or not a student passes or fails a given grade.

Two standardized tests are all that is necessary to assess students.

Students devote a large amount of time to studying for standardized tests when they could be learning. Many tests shift the focus of school away from the pursuit of

knowledge to the pursuit of a good test score. America is slowly becoming a nation of people that are only capable of passing tests as long as they are formatted in a specific matter.

If we cut back to two tests, one should be the NWEA, currently administered from third through eighth grade in mathematics and English but not given in high school.

Because the NWEA measures improvement, or a lack of it, it should be carried over from middle school into high school and begin in elementary school before third grade, thus allowing teachers to track a student’s growth over his or her educational career.

The NWEA can adjust to a wide range of skills levels, so the test would remain the same. Only the difficulty of the starting question would need to

be changed and more difficult questions would have to be developed (so a new version of the NWEA would have to be written for every grade). If every American student took an NWEA, data could be collected nationally and help educators with one equivalent scoring system to analyze results.

Also, the NWEA is not timed. This is a good thing, because timed tests often increase students’ stress levels and require the ability to process information quickly, so they are not always a good representation of a student’s ability. Overall, the only downside of the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) test going national is that the acronym would have to change.

The other standardized test that should be adopted

starting in eighth grade is either the SAT or the ACT. The SAT is slightly better because it requires the writing test, though an ACT-style science section would have to be added. If the test is taken every year until graduation, students would have early exposure to the tests that play a very important role in college admissions.

Coupled, the NWEA and SAT could accomplish everything that the MCA (in its many forms) and the plethora of other tests currently accomplish. State mean scores on the NWEA and SAT could be used to determine graduation standards and the MCA and other standardized tests would no longer be necessary.

15 Editors Agree, 0 disagree Viewer Mission Statement 1. To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about student, faculty and administration activities, interests and policies.

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

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

4. To strive for a high level of competency in the technical aspect of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity, and precision.

5. To welcome diversity and increase the scope and depth of our coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness throughout our entire school community.

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.

editorials

November 16, 2012

Choose your news

by JOSIE BERGMANN staff reporter

TV and the Internet. Wonderful tools to absorb information, right?

Well, that all depends on how you use your media access. During the recent election, media sources had widely differing views on the same issues.

Now, I confess, I’m a blue-hearted liberal, so I tended to focus a lot more on the liberal perspective during this election season; I read about all the good things Obama had done and laughed at all the blunders Romney made.

While that certainly made me happy, I realized I was reading my own bias. I didn’t get the whole story, and it meant I wasn’t ready to make an informed decision who I would vote for—if I could have voted, that is.

With the abundance of news sources available today, many people, including me, aren’t getting the full story. News channels like Fox News, MSNBC, or political websites cater to listeners that want to hear what they

believe and don’t always provide both sides of an argument.

This is an issue. In the past, there were few news sources to choose from, providing people with a smaller spectrum of political bias between the

biased news coverage.

“I don’t normally read news stories I don’t agree with,” said Jackie Zamow, 10. “I only go on sites I don’t agree with to find faulty arguments.”

The same goes for news websites.

fair use from nbc.com

fair use from foxnews.com

news stories they consumed.

Now, people can tune into one of nine available news networks and watch what they agree with. If they don’t like what one news network says, they can always change the channel to one that is more conducive to their beliefs. This trend can be seen at a national level and even a more local one; many students also watch

Someone with a certain set of beliefs will not go on a site harboring stories given from an opposing perspective.

Rather, they will go on a website pointing out the topic’s flaws. In honor of the recent presidential election, the search engine Bing added a slider to the top of their election page, so readers could choose what degree of conservative or liberal bias they

3

wanted in their news. People love reading positive things about their candidate of choice, so they won’t read any stories talking about a slip up or the negative side of their candidates policies.

Because of this selectivity in the media they consume, news watchers all receive different information and viewpoints from every other news watcher. Back when there was one comprehensive news channel, everyone had the same information on which to form opinions. Now that people can choose to absorb themselves in separate bubbles of information, they form opinions with different types of knowledge on the subject, still thinking they know the full story.

You can’t trust everything you read or hear in the media because it is very rarely the absolute truth. If people aren’t careful about what sources they choose to use, they’ll only get one side of the story and make uninformed decisions.

Student loans on a limb Why the government’s student loan program is an alarming reflection of the US housing market

by KOBI ENDRIZZI staff reporter

It’s that time of year. Text messages, Twitter posts, and Facebook feeds are littered with the woes of students applying to college. Soon, letters of acceptance will be sent out to these students, raising the next issue: finances. Some may seek scholarships from colleges, some may have parents willing to invest in their education, and others may seek out student loans.

Fortunately for students, the government has made it easier to be accepted for a student loan in recent years. This concept initially sounds like an excellent way to help those who cannot afford secondary schooling. Unfortunately, this system has the potential to ruin the very people that it’s trying to help.

To explain how the government’s actions can have adverse effects, we must go back a few years. It is the late 1990s, early 2000s, the economy is doing all right, but political leaders hear word of an apparent drop in American home purchasing. Suddenly, an idea forms.

Their idea was to facilitate an already existent system involving “loan brokers” who would help people acquire loans that would normally

Editor opinions What your Viewer editors think of various issues.

have difficulty doing so. These mortgages had low initial interest rates, but would skyrocket after a short period of time. These brokers assured their clients that they could simply pay the interest, and since the housing market was growing, their clients could sell their house for more than what it cost or refinance once the value increased.

This plan in itself was risky, but the government then chose to expedite the increase of these shortterm investment loans. Borrowers began to default on their home loans, and as more people realized what was occurring, an excessive amount of people started selling their homes.

Consequently, the housing market crashed, eventually leading to our most recent recession.

How does this scenario relate to the original issue of government giving financial aid to students?

Because the student loan system is a terrifying reflection of what happened in the housing market.

Instead of giving responsibility for these student loans to banks, as they should have, the government acts as the lender in the exchange. This is an issue, because the government does not discriminate in who they give these loans to.

“If cats could talk, they could get away with murder.

Murder...”

- Sasha Safonov spread editor

Recent studies have shown terrifying developments in the government’s student loan program.

Institutions teaching students with these loans are allowed to have a fail rate of about 25 percent before the government investigates the cause of the defaults. Instead of allowing students to default, the government intervenes, and pays what the students could not. Paying for these defaults comes at a cost to the taxpayer.

That’s not all, however. Because higher education is now easier to access, there is now an increase in “demand” for college. The government makes these loans even more attractive to students by offering low to no interest while they are in school, creating even more of a demand for education. Does this sound familiar?

The cost of college has increased more than necessary because of this.

Since 2001, the cost of education has increased five percent more than inflation. It’s no longer ridiculous for colleges to ask for small fortunes from student who want to attend their institutions.

A short-term fix isn’t all that far-fetched. If the government could interview applicants for such loans more thoroughly, this would both decrease the number of defaulting

“Mounds View should have technology support to deal with all the problems it has with its Wi-Fi.”

- Akshay Patke managing editor

loans and decrease the number of students applying for government aid. This, in turn, would hopefully decrease the cost of secondary education.

On a larger scale, the government could initiate programs that offer specialized institutions to give financially stressed students a place to receive pre-field training. This training would then give people the opportunity to work, and if they so choose, reinvest in their careers.

“

It’s no longer ridiculous for colleges to ask for small fortunes to attend their institutions.”

The government consistently makes an effort to help its citizens.

Unfortunately, its shortsightedness sometimes leads to unexpected problems that have proven to cripple branches of the economy. If politicians can band together and seek solutions to these potential disasters, perhaps future generations can live and learn from a cheaper, better education system.

“This profile silhouette does not accurately portray my current hairstyle.”

- Maximillian Wang editor-in-chief

“Students who got a 36 on the ACT should be just as honored as the National Merit Scholar Semifinalists.

Where’s their banner?”

- Amanda Chen guest editor

4features When I was a senior in 12, I applied to St. Ben’s, 1-20 201 as well as The University of Minnesota and The University of Wisconsin-Madison as larger Big 10 options. I always knew I loved sporting events at big schools and that I wanted to be in a big city.

You’d think that Minnesota would automatically be at the top of my list, but I was hesitant to be so close to home.

I had to rework my essays a for couple of weeks before submitting anything. I found that spreading it out over a longer period of time helped my writing to be clear and concise.

After debating red and maroon for four long months, something finally clicked. I went back to the things I wanted in a school: big city, lots of people, immediate admission to the program of my choice, and l not

November 16, 2012

Letters to home the Big 10 experience. Something about the U of M felt right.

Minnesota offered everything I wanted and I was admitted to the Carlson School of Business right away. And just to clarify, it really doesn’t feel like I am living in my backyard.

No matter how much you think you know about college it CATIE MATTSON never hurts to learn more. Starting early will save you stress, trust me. Preparing for ACTs and UNVERSITY OF writing essays is much easier when you are not doing it on top of homework. It is hard not MINNESOTA to envy your peers who have already been accepted to their dream schools, while you are still spending Sunday nights filling in your name, birthday, and Mounds View’s address on repeat. But no matter what position you currently find yourselves in, seniors, something will work out.

Alx Wald, St. John’s University

Catie Matt

son, Unive

rsity of M

When I w two years a as a junior, home and st go a three colleg , I visited from scratc rting friendships es: UW-Sto h. But in th ut, Minnesota e end, everyo Sta ne and Univers te Mankato willing to m here has been ity of Minn a esotaDuluth. I ap As much as ke new friends. p I liked Mou and Duluth lied to Mankato n View, after be just 3 month ds didn’t really cause Stout s, I c a h n call Dulu I was lookin ave the campus th a second home. g for.

I chose Dulu I asked tw th for a couple of re questions to o simple asons. First help narrow it was do far enough aw wn my coll where my p ay from home public or pri ege search: are v constantly b nts couldn’t or out of sta ate, and instate u te. In the en the academ g me. Also, d just went w ic ith my gut fe , I here are very s and athletics F eling. o r seniors, d the studies good and had much about on’t stress too I was lookin c g for.

The night b think you a ollege. You may efo re losing a lo school, I co re I left for family and tuld friends, but was so nerv n’t sleep. I you have so mu ous about le ch aving Be excited, fun at college. not scared.

Dear Mustangs, I know you all spent four years counting down the days until I was gone, but rest assured, I’ll always be here to bother you.

When I was a senior in high school looking at colleges, I applied to Fordham University, University of California at San Diego, the University of Minnesota, Saint John’s University, and Carleton College. After taking into account what was important to me, my decision came down to Minnesota and Saint John’s. The major reason I chose Saint John’s over Minnesota was the minor meltdown I was having in deciding what I wanted to study. Taking a wide variety of classes at a smaller liberal arts college was a better way for me to get involved and find out what I am most passionate about than being at a bigger school would have been.

My advice right now for underclassmen is focus most of your efforts on taking advantage of the diverse opportunities Mounds View has to offer.

Believe the master of mediocrity when I say you don’t have to be an exceptional actor, athlete, or be the most outgoing person in the world to have a great time learning new skills and meeting new people.

Aside from that, my other advice is to soak up as much advice as possible from people who have already gone through the college selection process, especially alumni and current students of your prospective schools. However, keep in mind that only you know your entire situation. Only you

have the ability to see the whole picture of how that decision will affect you. For, the next four years your life will completely revolve around the school you choose to attend. Where can you see yourself really developing your character and growing all-around as a person? What schools offer the most opportunities in areas you’re interested in and where will you be able to most fully immerse yourself into the college experience? Don’t forget that the experiences you make happen for yourself in college will be a much larger factor in determining the course of your life than will be the name of the school on your degree.

As far as college essays go, keep in mind they are the best way for a college admissions director to get to know you beyond a name and some numbers. Make sure to let your creative juices flow and take the time to write a thoughtful essay. If you’re anything like me, you think your writing is perfect already, but it’s wellworth your time to consult the plethora of resources that surround you.

Some might say it’s over-simplified, but this was the best piece of advice I received during my college selection process: Think about who you are, not what you are. All things considered, you owe it to yourself to go to the school that provides you the best avenue to become whoever it is you want to be.

ALX WALD

ST. JOHN’S

UNIVERSITY

innesota

Brian Bu

rke

UMD

features

November 16, 2012

5

Two girls and their

orses

by NICOLE WAHLIN and JOE JANEY staff reporters

When junior McKenna Taylor was nine, she happened to go to a horse-riding lesson with her sister at Woodloch Stable, in Hugo. Immediately, Taylor felt at peace with the horses, leading them around, brushing their hair, and riding them. Her love for horses has been growing ever since.

Like Taylor, Kelly Carlson, 10, started horse riding at age nine, when her dad took her to a dude ranch in Wyoming. A dude ranch can give the typical 21st-century person a glimpse into what the “cowboy life” was like; it has everything that would have been in the Old West. The trip was meant to be a tour, but all Carlson wanted to do was ride horses. She clearly remembers the moment she first saw them.

“It was lovely out there. I just thought the horses were all majestic looking,” said Carlson, 10.

Carlson found out that her mom was a horse lover too. “My mom had horses when she was younger, so I came home and asked my mom to ride,” said Carlson. “My mom was so happy when she found out that I loved riding, because then it was something we could do together.”

McKenna Taylor with her horse Both girls feel a strong connection with their horses. Taylor believes her connection with horses counts as true companionship and that “they [the horses] just understand you.”

The owners and horses connect in a special way that is different from any other human connection. “I feel very connected to my horses. They have so much personality, and they are almost like a real person.

You might think it’s like a dog, but it’s so much deeper than that,” said Carlson.

She said two of her horses, Wiley and Roscoe, seem to compete against each other for the opportunity to be taken out for a ride. “Roscoe saw me saying ‘hi’ to Wiley, and he thought I was going to ride Wiley instead, so he came trotting after me to say ‘take me’,” said Carlson.

Horses can also sense emotions and react to their

Kelly Carlson with her horse in Hacienda Stable. owner’s feelings. “Your horse can sense if you’re nervous through your seat,” said Taylor. “I have had incidents where I have almost fallen off because I was nervous, and my horse could feel it.”

In competitions, participants show off their horses and compete in a variety of events. Carlson started competing in horseback riding just so she could spend more time with horses. She has now been competing for five years and practices at Hacienda Stable in Hugo.

“I compete in the Western games, which include barrels, poles and other little events,” said Carlson.

This is a combination event where the horse has to go in and out of certain objects in the fastest time. “I love practicing with them, and when we practice, we practice games or just go for a ride,” said Carlson.

Taylor competes in mostly showmanship-type events, which include the western pleasure and halter.

These events are more about suitability and show off the horses along with the rider. Taylor has been participating in horse competitions for nearly eight years now.

“At first, I get really nervous, but then after I get going, I gain some confidence and it’s really fun,” said Taylor. The relationship between rider and horse is much deeper than meets the eye. Both riders strive to keep their horses and themselves in the best condition possible.

For college, both girls want to attend a nearby college or one that has an equestrian program so they can continue to ride.

“College is the hardest part. I don’t want to leave,” said Carlson.

Taylor feels the same way. “I want to go to a school with a good equestrian program so I can continue riding,” said Taylor.

Horses are a permanent love for these two riders; they are the focus of every minute of free time these two girls have. When Carlson was asked what she would do without her horses, she said, “I have no idea. That’s the thing. My mom and me will talk about what we did before we had horses, and I have no idea. It’s literally constant consumption.”

“

I feel very connected to my horses. They have so much personality, and they are almost like a real person. You might think it’s like a dog, but it’s so much deeper than that.”

-Kelly Carlson

McKenna Taylor takes her horse out for a ride at Woodloch Stable.

photos provided by Kelly Carlson and McKenna Taylor

Why your pet is the best pet yet

by KYOKA MILLARD and SAMANTHA BASCHKY staff reporters According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average number of students per public secondary classroom in America was 23.4 in 2007-2008.

The average number of snakes per classroom? Well, that’s a tad bit lower.

Classroom pets can teach students important lessons concerning responsibility and compassion. They can also be a distraction. When are classroom pets appropriate?

Mark Johnson, Mounds View biology teacher, has a snake, Sheba, and a plethora of fish in his classroom. Sophie Gorham, 12, recalled her experiences as his student with the animals.

“When I was in biology, I used to sit next to the fish tank, and whenever things got really confusing, like when we were talking about aerobic respiration or something, I would just look at the fish tank and realize all of this was actually happening right there—that was life!” she said.

The relationship between pets and children has been proven to be beneficial to both, and children often seek out the companionship of an animal when they are feeling upset. The Pet Care Trust conducted a study, and found that 40 percent of children chose pet companionship when feeling blue.

Because pets tend to be lively and loving, they often brighten the mood of those around them.

“Sometimes, classrooms feel pretty sad and barren. Animals might

help make the rooms more welcoming,” said Gorham. Though she recognizes the fact that some students may be distracted by their presence, for Johnson’s class, “If kids goof off [in Johnson’s], you can always just feed them to Sheba. So discipline is no longer an issue,” joked Gorham.

However, although animals are undeniably wonderful, there are drawbacks to the presence of pets in a classroom.

Another Mounds View student, Nathan Torunsky, 10, said, “A cage could easily be bumped into... [and] you would have to bother with feeding it, watering it, and cleaning the cage. I think many of my peers may be heavily distracted by the animals.”

Kids4Research’s website acknowledged the valuable lessons an animal can teach students, but also said that “it [classroom pets] can be a great responsibility for everyone.”

Johnson said he understands that caring for some animals take a considerable amount of time and money, but he said, “I think far more good than bad comes from it.”

Johnson, who has been teaching biology at Mounds View since the ‘90s, has said that he feels very strongly about having pets in his classroom. “I think it’s highly important to enhance the biology experience for my students, so they can see that I appreciate life in more forms than just humans,” he said.

The Pet Care Trust concurs with Johnson’s view, stating on its website, “Observing and caring for an animal instills a sense of responsibility and respect for life.” Johnson also said that his animals help him teach biology,

because he “can cite examples of camouflage with Sheba... The fish mean a lot to me too because I can talk about a population in that tank, and actually, both of my fish tanks in general are functioning ecosystems, just at a small scale, so you can talk about the roles of decomposers, producers like algae, and, of course, consumers.”

Along with the educational aspect, the animals in Johnson’s room provide a unique element to his classroom that students can enjoy—even if biology isn’t their favorite subject.

THE COST OF PETS

by NEHA SETHI staff reporter Pets don’t take care of themselves. When many people get pets, they don’t consider one important characteristic: cost. There are both tangible and intangible costs for any pet.

Gracie Smith, 11, is a dog and fish owner who needed to spend extra money for medical emergencies for her dog. “Two weeks ago, Cappy [the dog] ate rat poison and we had to pay to flush that out immediately, and a while ago we had to pay $500 to find out that Cappy had some sort of a bacterial infection,“ said Smith.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that the cost of caring for a pet is about $1000-$2000 in its first year. This covers training, food, and pet accessories.

Some of these expenses are recurring, such food, license, litter, medical bills, health insurance, toys, and treats. The ASPCA estimates that the average dog costs about $700 per year.

Biology Teacher Mark Johnson is one of the few teachers who has a classroom pet, a snake named Sheba. “[I’ve] only taken her to the vet once. She had a growth on her snout. They took X-Rays and examined it and recommended surgery, but it was very costly,” said Johnson.

Owning a pet can come with some cumbersome responsibilities. “My parents let me get a cat if I took care of it,” said Jon Remus, 11. “Safe to say, I drastically underestimated the task.”

The caretaker must be willing to tend to the emotional and physical needs of a pet. The owners must also accommodate their pets in their longterm plans and everyday lives, which may vary

from stenches that can’t be rid of to vacuuming four times a week because of extra hair.

Pets are costly; they take a lot of responsibility; they get sick and smelly—but to most people, having a loving, loyal companion by their side makes it worth it.

As Chrissy Redden, 11, said, “When I come home from school every day, they always brighten up my day and make me feel at ease.”

not your average pet Far from the average pet dog or cat, some students at Mounds View have their attention on more special friends. These odd pets have brought new characteristics to families, substituting Contrary to what some might walks in the park for more adventurous think, strange pets actually are a bit easier to house. Christina Nelson, 11, said activities. that even though they eat foods that are

a bit harder to find, it’s easier to take care of her uncommon pets because they don’t need constant attention.

Like many others, “We don’t really have them for any Chris Atkinson, 11, reason,” Nelson said about her family’s owns a cat; however, chickens, pigeons, and snake. his is a wild cat. “We were Though the snake is her brother’s sad over the loss of our cat, and the chickens were a present for her so we went to a breeder, sister, Nelson still has her adventures and Artimus caught our eye,” with them. “I got the snake stuck on said Atkinson. my arm once and I missed the bus,” Chris owns a Bengal, she said. a cross-breed between a Also, she goes through having domesticated feline with an Asian chickens jump on her back and eat Leopard cat, which grow to be her earrings. As for the pigeons, between 12-16 pounds, according to they belong to her dad. wildaboutbengals.com.

“I don’t know, my dad just As a wild crossbreed would imply, really likes pigeons,” Nelson said.

Bengals are active. “She [Artimus] With all these unique animals competes with the dog when I throw a dog in her house, it could be toy,” said Chris. considered a modern Bengals are also very intelligent. “We once zoo. had a vase with flowers and Artimus managed

Most people have mammals as pets; however, a small portion are more cold-blooded. According to gallup.com, only two percent of Americans own reptiles. Snake owners are an even smaller portion, but they sure have interesting stories.

Tyler Fredlund, 9, found that caring for a baby boa was more than he expected.

“I had to catch mice for it to eat,” he said.

Ebony Hearst, 11, has dealt with other problems. She accidentally let her snake out of its cage, and it survived for two months in the house by itself before she caught him.

“We were just sitting in our living room one day and it crawled through. I was just like, to pull out all of the flowers without breaking the ‘oh there it is!’” Hearst said. vase.”

For those who wish to stray Some people are content from the common pet, snakes with domesticated are a viable choice. animals, but for those with a wild side, the Bengal cat is the closest thing to the safari—short of a tiger.

How much does your pet cost annually?

$875 $730 $670

information compiled by Molly Hancuh and Sasha Safonov

Cats v. dogs?

Dog Rabbit

22

31

Cat bird ffish

$200 $35

Cat peoplE

dog people

8 variety The art of costume hunting

November 16, 2012

NIFTY Top Hat: $2 to $4 Glasses: $3

all content by REBECCA NARA staff reporter

Although Halloween has passed, there are yearround opportunities to dress in costume, like themed parties, conventions, or spirit days. One of the most effective and enjoyable ways to achieve the ideal costume is found-object costuming, the art of putting together a costume with cheap clothing and props.

This method creates original, personalized products while avoiding the ridiculous markups of storebought costumes.

Thrift stores are the staple of found-object costuming. Josie Bergman and I go on found-object costuming hunts as a fun hobby. We ventured to Unique Thrift Store to gather the elements of a Victorian-era outfit. We found a dress in the formal and wedding dress section that was absolutely perfect for the outfit we had in mind. With that confirmation and the additional purchases of orange-tinted hippie glasses of questionable political correctness, the costume was $11 in total.

Along with our main quest, we were able to put together a Phineas costume and a Ferb costume, from the show of the same name. The Ferb outfit did not require any alterations. It consisted of a $3 yellow top with a collar and $4 purple high-waisted pants. The Phineas costume was trickier, because of the distinctiveness of the striped shirt. We accepted that there was no such shirt in existence. We resorted to making our own out of two separate shirts, at $3 each.

When planning a costume, start simple. It is best to shy away from extravagant costumes with lots of pieces as they become expensive, heavy, and troublesome to wear. However, complex designs can be greatly simplified without losing impact; a princess is still a princess even if her dress doesn’t sweep the ground.

If the goal is a generic costume, try finding a piece that stands out and center the rest of the idea around it. If a character is the aim, identify the key aspects that make the character recognizable. These features should be the focus of the outfit.

Consider thrifting when in need of a costume, whether it be for Halloween or not. It’s an inexpensive, fun activity with artful results.

Vest: $2 to $5 Shawl: $1 to $4

Belt: $1 to $3 Accessories: $0.50 to $3 each Dress: $8 Leggings are not usually found at thrift stores, it’s best to buy them new

Shoes: $5 to $8 The items purchased at Unique were intended to supplement clothing already owned. The ranges given are generalizations of prices at a given thrift store. This costume would cost $24 to $53 if it were only thrift store materials, about the cost of the dress alone if purchased new.

Thrifting tips Be Confident: Only buy what you will use! If any part of the costume does not work, the entire thing will be uncomfortable.

Know the Material: Avoid leather, as it is heavy, expensive, and hot. Also, shy away from shiny or ultra thin fabrics. Make the costume have as much of the same material as possible.

Accessories: Wearing jewelry can have its own challenges.

Clashing gold and silver can be conquered with the purchase of metallic spray paint.

Props: Most props are too distinctive to find at a store by chance.

Try finding something similar and altering it to fit what you are looking for. Tacky or other craft glues may come in handy.

Portrayal: Accuracy is not a driving factor in found-object costuming. As long as it is recognizable, feel free to put your own spin on whatever the image is you aim to recreate.

9

reviews

THRIFTY November 16, 2012

Some Shoptions Buffalo Exchange 9 .9 $4

by JAMES BIRR staff reporter

There’s nothing quite like the worn, stale smell of a thrift store, and the used, dated clothes sold inside. Refreshingly, most people’s presumptions of thrift stores are completely blown out of the water by a place like Buffalo Exchange.

At the Buffalo Exchange on 2727 Lyndale Ave. S in Minneapolis, the smell and the sights complement the cool, pleasing atmosphere and contemporary clothing.

The thrift store sells a wide range of both women’s and men’s clothing, as well as shoes, bags, and accessories. Featuring numerous name brands at a cheaper cost, the clothing sold feels trendier and higher

$8.99

$4.99

fair use from knobs-etc.com

quality than most thrift shops. As the quality does come at a somewhat higher price than other thrift shops, the people shopping at the store are different from most shoppers: they wish for both inexpensive and quality clothing, not one or the other.

The store’s cool, neutral color scheme removes any previously negative thoughts of thrift shops one might have. The polite and courteous staff is charming and friendly. As you go to the counter to check out, they even compliment your various choices and give suggestions for future shopping.

As a whole, the experience offered by Buffalo Exchange is warm and inviting. If you are sick of the same old, worn-out clothing from most thrift stores, Buffalo Exchange in Uptown is the place to shop.

Unique Thrift Store

by NAMRATA GADELA staff reporter

Need a new dress for a party or just a warm fall sweater? Unique Thrift Store is a one-stop shop for people of all ages.

A vast selection of gently used clothing, toys, books, jewelry and home furniture is available. It’s located at 1657 Rice Street in St.Paul and also in New Hope, Columbia Heights, Burnsville, and St. Paul Hudson Road.

Unique is well organized. Men’s, women’s, and kids’ clothing are arranged in one section of the store with jeans, sweaters, shirts, and tops organized on different racks by size. Footwear is located on separate shelves above the clothing racks. While rummaging through the shelves, one can find many

unexpected items, from a colorful jacket to a DKNY sweater. The clothing is generally in nice condition.

Prices for clothes are affordable, with jeans generally costing only $6.99, shirts $5.99, and sweaters $7.99. The store also has designer brands such as DKNY, Juicy Couture, Puma, and Guess. Kids’ clothing is around $5.99 for jeans and $3.99 for tops.

Books are inexpensive: paperbacks cost $1.49, hardcovers $2.49, and children’s books are only $0.69.

Unique offers a VIP member pass which gives 25 percent off marked prices on weekly VIP member days and special offers delivered to your email. The best days to go are the 50 percent marked-off days. So head on over to Unique Thrift Store, a place where a rare find is in store for you.

Goodwill Hunting $8.99

$22

$116

$101

$5

$10

Complete Harry Potter Series

Levi’s boot-cut jeans

$44

$380 $45

Price ($)

$5

$252

fair use from knobs-etc.com

9

$4.9

$3.

99

outfits styled and photographed by Ntona Ollor

Clubroom polo shirt

PlayStation 3

Black leather shoulder bag

information compiled by Matthew Montgomery

10sports

November 16, 2012

Putting the Nut in Nutrition

by ADAM TONINATO sports editor

Carbohydrates are the energy that fuels the body. As athletes are always concerned with their energy levels, carbs are an important part of their diet. Many Mounds View athletes hold carbo-loads, buffet-style dinners for the team where each athlete brings a dish full of carb-filled food that is open for everyone to eat.

Carbohydrates belong to two categories, simple carbs and complex carbs. When carbs enter the body, they are broken down and turned into sugars that can either be used at the moment they are consumed or stored away to be used later when they are needed.

Simple carbs are, as their name implies, simple forms of sugar that can be used immediately upon consumption. When these simple sugars, like candy, fruit, and pop, are used, they work very well for a short burst of energy, but then will burn out just as quickly and leave you more tired than when you first consumed them.

“We aren’t suppose to eat sugar and candy the night before games or the day of, we have to be healthy,” said Jonathan Young, 12.

Complex carbs are more useful because they are used when needed and not wasted right away like the simple carbs are. To obtain these, the first place to look would be starch-based products.

Pasta, potatoes, whole-wheat breads, and rice are just a few tasty sources of these complex carbs.

After the realization that carbohydrates are such an important part of an athlete’s diet, coaches across the country began organizing “carbo-loads” a night or two before big games or meets. Carboloads are designed to get the most complex carbs into the body as fast as possible.

“I enjoy the carbo-loads. It’s not so much of a social thing, just eat as much as you can as fast as you can,” said Connor Mikre, 12.

According to tests done by the Mayo Clinic, it takes approximately six to eight hours for complex carbs to be digested and become readily available. It is for that reason that carbo loads are often the night before, so that he carbs will be ready by the time of the event the next day.

Simple carbs are a good idea immediately before the event, as they give a quick and fast boost of energy; however, if you plan on doing something for a prolonged period of time, like running a distance race, your body will burn the simple sugars quickly and you will begin to fatigue faster.

Athletes and health scientists have nearly perfected the amount of of recommended carbs and sugars needed for every sport. Athletes even have become superstitious as to what they will and will not eat.

Sam Maccani, 12, said, “The night before a race, I only eat pastas with red sauce, garlic bread, and a small side salad.

I’ll never change that; it works for me, and I plan to keep it that way.”

FALL SPORT CARBO LOAD RATINGS Fall sport captains were asked to rate their carbo loads on a scale of 1-5

FOOTBALL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY SWIM AND DIVE GIRLS SOCCER BOYS SOCCER VOLLEYBALL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY information compiled by Adam Toninato

Pasta dishes with breads and salad common at carbo loads.

photo by Anders Nygaard

11

sports

November 16, 2012

STATE CHAMPION!

Summer Brills wins the state tennis tournament for the first time in Mounds View history

T

by MAXMILLIAN WANG editor-in-chief n Oct. 26, with a glowing smile and cheers from her teammates, Summer Brills, 11, won the Minnesota 2AA State Championship match, becoming the first Mounds View girls tennis player to do so. Needless to say, Brills was pleased.

“I’ve been working for it all year,” said Brills.

It was a hard fight to the end. Brills played two three-hour matches, with only an hour-and-a-half in between to recover. “It was very tiring, oh my gosh. That night, I fell asleep in a minute because I was so exhausted. It was the most I had ever played back-to-back,” she said.

That tournament, though, was only the final leg in a long journey.

photo by Kevin Lee

change for my next match.”

Keeping calm is important in tennis; it is a sport as much about strategy as a athleticism. Picking out and exploiting an opponent’s weakness is essential to winning.

Brills speaks of a tennis match like it’s a duel between her and her opponent.

“During the warm-up, I try to find my opponent’s weaknesses, especially if I’ve never played them before,” she said. “Let’s say their [the opponent’s] backhand is not their strong point, then I’ll just hit mostly to their backhand, or if I know they’re not good at coming into the net, I’ll bring them into the net so that I can win the point. And if I make mistakes, I just step back, take a breather, think of what I did wrong, then try to win the next point.”

Her ability to keep calm certainly helped her at the state tournament.

“You know the cheering and yelling [at state]—I just tried to block it out. Like, I just got in my zone, and focused on how I was playing and what I could do to win,” she said.

When asked about her opponent’s weakness in the state championship match, Brills recalled it quickly. “It was her backhand. I knew if I just stayed consistent and moved her around, hitting from corner to corner, I knew

photo by Kevin Lee

O

he squeak of shoes echoed off the walls of the indoor tennis stadium.

The audience chattered excitedly as Brills and Clair Carpenter, a senior from The Blake School, strode onto the court. They were about to face off in the final match of the Madison tournament.

It was late August, and Brills was competing in her first tournament of the season.

Brills started this season with high expectations. She knew she had a chance to rank well in the state. And she should have been the winner at the Madison tournament, as she had defeated Carpenter before.

But volley after volley, Brills slowly lost ground. It was unnerving, unexpected—but Brills lost.

An early season loss is a rut many players don’t recover from psychologically. For one, it forces them to question their personal goals. For another, Brills’ loss went on her official record for all to see, even though it wasn’t an in-state tournament. Everyone thought she was beatable.

It is at times like these that Brills’ true talent in tennis unfolds. She’s fast and swift and agile as anyone, but she can keep herself positive and calm when others can’t.

“That was my first loss in a really long time,” she said.

“I just wish I had more energy, because I knew I could have pulled it off. It made me upset because I knew that I could have won, but I just tried to not get caught up in that wad. I tried to think positive about it and I knew I did my best.

I just thought through what I needed to

that I could win because I have pretty good ground strokes so that she would eventually miss,” she said.

As her friends know, this calmness is hidden behind her cheerful demeanor and smile. At the state tournament, Brills remembers feeling more energized than edgy. “Obviously I had a little bit of nervousness, but it wasn’t scared-nervous—I was excited! Just being at the state tournament is so much fun.”

Brills’ state win has brought her wide recognition. She remembers going into a store with her mom to get a letter jacket. When she told the clerk, a Centennial parent, her last name, the clerk immediately exclaimed “Are you the Summer Brills? You are so good!”

The clerk had seen Brills’ name in the local newspaper.

Brills was surprised. “That was cool, I didn’t know other people knew who I was,” she said.

Brills has another high school tennis season left. Many have high expectations for her again. But personally, she just wants to continue playing, not so much to win, but, as she said, because “I just have a lot of fun playing. I’ve been doing it for so long, and I never want to give it up because I’ve put so much hard work into it.”

A Pain in the Neck

Mustangs find themselves on the bench a little too much

by NOLAN CARLSON-STEVEMER staff reporter

“

It’s become really annoying as the time goes on, with constant trips to the doctor.

-Jacqueline Volkert

“

We figured surgery was the best option for me, because if I didn’t do it, my knee could pop out again and permanently injure my meniscus and leave me unable to play sports for the rest of my life.

-Kirk Gronda

“For as long as I can remember, my ankles have always given me problems. Somehow, I would always seem to roll it, or sprain it, or in worst cases, break it. [Because of] all of these injuries, sometimes it just hurts for no reason,” said Jacqueline Volkert, 10. “It’s become really annoying as the time goes on, with constant trips to the doctor.”

Injuries are the bane of all athletes, but with rest, stretching, and proper treatment, they can be easily avoided most of the time.

What about the injuries that never go away? What about those injuries that seem to keep happening? Well these are classified as “recurring” injuries, when previous incidents weaken an area and make it more prone to injury.

Most common areas for these injuries to happen are in the shoulders, ankles, wrists and neck.

These injuries are centered mostly around joints with free movement such as ball and socket joints (shoulder and neck) and gliding

joints (wrists and ankles).

According to Medicine.net, joint pain can be caused by injury affecting any of the ligaments, bursae, or tendons surrounding the joint. Injury can also affect the cartilage and bones within the joint.

If these types of injuries are left untreated they can lead to arthritis, stiffening of joints, and constant pain. But these issues can easily be avoided by reacting quickly with the correct treatment. Simply immobilize the injured joint as soon as possible and only return to activities when it is 100 percent painless. Some common treatments for minor injuries include braces, knee, ankle and shoulder braces.

They are meant to restrict movement so that injured players cannot overrotate their injured joint and reinjure themselves. Physical therapy can be also used when the damage extends to ligaments and tendons.

Unfortunately, sometimes the basic treatment doesn’t work, especially if the injury has happened before.

Surgery can be an option if pain continues.

“We figured surgery was the best option for me, because if I didn’t do it, my knee could pop out again and permanently injure my meniscus and leave me unable to play sports for the rest of my life,” said Kirk Gronda, 10.

The average recovery time after surgery is six to nine months, so don’t resort to it unless absolutely necessary. “After I tore my ACL in a skiing accident, it took me six months to be able to compete again, and I could only be at about 80 percent for the next couple months as well,” said Gronda, 10.

To minimize risk of injuries, the best course of action is to keep muscles and bones strong, stay active and to exercise everyday to prevent muscle and bone loss.

Flexibility is also important in keeping range of motion wide so muscles don’t become overextended.

Injuries affect all levels of athletes. To stay on top of their game, athletes need to treat injuries correctly, stretch, and exercise so that their muscles and tendons are in top condition.

12gallery

November 16, 2012

Black Friday Explore the events behind the scenes MADDIE ROSENOW

!

G N I R O T G N RI IME P! T HO S

staff reporter

S

ON SALE

Say “Black Friday,” and many think of great and amazing deals. Others may think of stampedes, yelling, screaming, snatching items, and utter chaos. New stories are told every year of people being trampled, tackled, and attacked by obsessive shoppers trying to get that hot ticket item. Mounds View students have their own cautionary tales.

Physical harm is often a result of stepping in front of competitive shoppers. Jovan Kuykendoll, 10, witnessed a rather fearsome attack on an innocent.

“On Black Friday an old lady who was 90 got decked by a guy for a PS3, and she couldn’t get up afterwards,” said Kuykendoll.

Many injuries occur in the rush into the store.

“Everyone charged the doors and this lady stumbled, and everyone kept going and ran her over, and just kept trampling her,” said Julia Anderson, 9.

Similar to this story, a Wal-Mart employee in Long Island, New York was trampled to death last year. Although crazy to hear, incidents of trampling are widespread across the country.

However, successfully entering the store still does not guarantee shoppers will have the same success in buying an item. “When I was trying to buy a flat-screen this woman behind me started freaking out and grabbed me and just pushed me out of the way,” said Lauren Redmond, 10.

Black Friday can often be chaotic and dangerous, but it can also be enjoyable. A holiday spirit is always present, and the adrenaline rush of getting a great item for an even better deal can keep the energy going through the long fun night.

A

LE

LE SA

SAL E SALE AD BOARDS AL E SALE ALE E L SAL S A E S “$” The Emerson 32” Class LCD 720p 60Hz HDTV = $148 @ Walmart “$” Xbox w/ Kinect = $149 @ Target “$” Xbox Games = $25 @ Walmart “$” Ping Pong Table=$68 @ Walmart “$” Assorted DVD Titles = $3.99 @ Best Buy

photos by Ben Kaiser

“$” Nintendo Wii Console Bundle=$89 @ Sam’s Club “$” Dr. Dre Beats Solo=$179 @ Walmart “$” Samsung Galaxy S III = $48 @ Best Buy “$” Apple iTunes $100 Mutlipack Gift Cards = $79.88 @ Sam’s Club information compiled by Mitchell LeMay