In This Issue wednesday december 21 2016
Editorials
Spread
sports
Ridlehoover’s letter
bus drivers
varsity boys hockey
Viewer
Volume 64 Issue 4
Remembrance Family and friends of Giere and Carlson pay their respects at crash site. by Kailey Newcome and Amber Zhao editor-in-chief and managing editor-copy
On Monday, Dec. 5, 300 to 400 friends and family of Bridget Giere and Stephanie Carlson gathered at the intersection of Highway 96 and Old Highway 10 to commemorate their lives. After noticing that students were stopping their cars in the middle of the busy intersection to visit the crash site and lay memorials for Giere and Carlson, the Ramsey County Department of Transportation decided to block off the site for a 30-minute memorial, giving people a safe period of time to pay their respects. Students either drove or took buses from Mounds View to North Heights Lutheran Church, where they walked to the site of the crash. At the memorial, students were given the opportunity to leave flowers and other small tokens of remembrance for the girls; however, for many students, it was more than just a place to leave flowers. It was a place to say goodbye and reflect on memories. Lauren O’Dougherty, 12, brought some tennis gear to lay at the cross for Bridget. “Me and many other girls on the tennis team brought tennis-related things to show our respect...tennis racquets, signed tennis balls, and a big poster.” she said. “Every time you [saw] Bridget she [had] a smile on her face which radiates to everyone else and makes them want to smile too.” What began as a simple act of laying flowers
quickly turned into a deep understanding for one another. Friends and family stood in a wide circle around the crosses as people laid flowers at their bases. When all the flowers were laid, the circle filled in as everyone linked together embracing, with those in the middle reaching out to the crosses. For 15 minutes, students stood in silence as they reflected on their memories with the girls. Cynthia Guerrero, 11, was a close friend of Carlson and Giere. “We all loved going to bonfires and making s’mores and playing music and just running around and fooling around [together],” said Guerrero. “We would have bonfire nights a lot during the summer.” As the student body begins to heal and understand the events of Dec. 1, Junior Officer Paige Leiser wants the girls to know how important they were. “I want them to know that they are valued by our school and that their friends will miss them. I’ve seen how close they were with their friends over the past few days, and they [will always] have a special friendship with the girls in the junior class,” she said.
photos by Ellie Tsai
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editorials
top 10 things to do during winter
10
Drink hot chocolate as fast as you can
9
Accept your burnt tongue
8
Do you...wanna build a snowman? Watch Love, Actually for the 50th time
6
7
Finally lick that metal pole...we dare you!
5
Realize that licking metal poles is actually a horrible idea
4
Fly out to Stanford....with Tyler Hong
Watch Rogue One!!!
2
3
Bombard your neighbor’s house with snowballs
1
Go hunting for yellow snow cones
2015-2016
Viewer Editors
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Protestors protect Standing Rock Reservation On January 25th, 2016, plans to build the Dakota Access Pipeline were announced, but it wasn’t until late July that conflict between the Standing Rock Tribe and the Energy Transfer Crude Oil Company (ETCO), the corporation building the pipeline, began. Since then, thousands of protesters at Standing Rock and millions more around the world have come together to rally against an unjust construction plan. The original goal of the Dakota Access Pipeline was to connect the booming crude oil economy in North and South Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. However, to keep costs of the pipeline low, ETCO planned to construct a small section in areas crossing land sacred to Native Americans and under Lake Oahe, a source of drinking water for the people of the Standing Rock Reservation. Although the idea of a pipeline directly routed to Patoka is
economically efficient, the outcomes compromise the sanctity of the Native American land. While the pipeline posed environmental risks such as oil leaks and promoted the dependence of fossil fuels, the main conflict did not revolve around the environment. Instead, the conflict was centered around the struggle between preservation of sacred Native American burial grounds and a source of water for thousands of indigenous people. Furthermore, there have been various allegations on the protesters’ side regarding cruel punishments at the hands of law enforcement. Protesters recalled how they were thrown viciously onto the ground and had their wrists brutally twisted behind their backs, while others were forced into large cages that one woman described as bearing resemblance to a “dog kennel.”
Despite all of the controversy surrounding the protests, mainstream news sources have, for the most part, remained silent on the pressing issue. As videos filmed by protesters and drones capture peaceful, unarmed protesters shot with rubber bullets, maced by police and hosed with water cannons in subzero temperatures, it would seem as though these events would receive constant attention from most popular media sources. In reality, mass coverage of unjust violence against peaceful protesters would lead to widespread outcry and a destruction of any prospects of the pipeline — directly interfering with corporate interests. Seemingly unrelated, many ties exist between the oil industry and corporatized media. With sources like MSNBC having ads that promote fracking or pro-fossil fuel industry commentators on Fox News
and Wall Street Journal being revealed to be funded by big oil companies, the places we trust to provide reliable news would rather make a profit than risk damaging the image of their sponsors. It wasn’t until after the decision to reroute the pipeline passed that CNN began in-depth coverage of the story. However, this victory is a remarkable accomplishment that respects the wishes of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, while also protecting the Missouri River and the surrounding ecosystem. Furthermore, it demonstrates how to this day, the word of the people will act as the human conscience against potentially dangerous decisions.
Editor-in-Chief
Kailey Newcome
Managing Editor - Copy
Amber Zhao
Managing Editor - Online
Daniel Yong
Business Manager
Rigney Cunningham News
Sunny Lim Editorials
Samuel Kwong Jake Rosenow Features
Kallie Slotvig Spread
Ben Davis
Variety
Rigney Cunningham Reviews
Kailey Newcome Sports
Jack McCoy Jackie Gaworski Gallery
Marley Jones Photographers/Artists
Samuel Kwong Adviser
David Ostrom Staff Toni Baraga, Jaden Bloomberg, Dashauna Davis, Cassandra Downs, Sanjana Dutt, Ellyn Gustafson, Shannon Haffely, Ameni Hajji, Haley Keeney, Lauren Lafaye, Zoe Lindberg, Hannah Mastenbrook, Mitchell Mattison, Riley McCorkell, Christina Mehrkens, Emily Meyer, Joseph Pasdo, Mihaelan Pinzari, Aman Rao, Parker Ruedy, Kevin Sabeti, Ethan Stromquist, Olivia Stuart, Sarah Tang, Ada Joy Carysse Villar, Miichelle Wang, Felix Zhang, Diana Zhu
The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing
illustration by Samuel Kwong
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 3
Wednesday, december 21, 2016
A message from our principal Dear students, The past couple of weeks have been very difficult for our school and our community. The loss of life is always difficult, but when young people pass before they have had the opportunity to live a full life, the tragedy is exponentially hard on everyone. That being said, I am writing to express my most heartfelt appreciation to all students and staff for bonding together and for supporting the families of Bridget Giere and Stephanie Carlson. In my entire professional career, I have never witnessed a school come together with this singular focus of support. Whether you knew Bridget and Stephanie or if you just learned of these classmates recently, your attendance at the Thursday night vigil, the Monday afternoon memorial and any of the subsequent services made a significant difference to the families of these precious young ladies. I will also include in this list signing the rolls of paper, constructing paper cranes, and the many other caring gestures that were exhibited here at Mounds View High School — please know that your actions were noticed and very much appreciated. As we move forward, let us not forget that support is still needed. Samantha (Sammy) Redden, her family and many close friends still need us, and I know that you will also be there for them, just as you have been there for the Bridget and Stephanie’s this week. In closing, I want to also thank you for reminding me that even in the darkest of times, our world is still filled with abundant hope, joy and love. Your actions have reminded the world that goodness and kindness reign — no matter the obstacles that lie in front of us, we will remain united in the bond we all share. We Are Mustangs. With compassion and kindness, Dr. Ridlehoover Candle light vigil for Giere and Carlson on Thursday, Dec .1 photo by Ellie Tsai
illustrations by Samuel Kwong
Editor opinions What your Viewer editors think of topics in this issue
“I was so proud of the Student Council Food Drive. We raised nearly $6,000, and it felt really nice to be able to help those families for the holidays.” -Kailey Newcome editor-in-chief
“The school year’s not done with me, but I’m sure done with it!” -Samuel Kwong editorials editor
“Its been a hard couple of weeks, but the support shown by others has been amazing.” -Kallie Slotvig features editor
“Consumerism is the true meaning of the holidays.” -Ben Davis spread editor
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features
wednesday, December 21, 2016
Q and A with our bus drivers
Nadene Dell Bus driver for 10 years
What are your favorite hobbies?
Michael Lill Bus driver for 4 years
Laura Lind Bus driver for 34 years
Dell: Bowling and social activities. Lill: I like cars, I have a couple of classic cars. I like to read and to do things with the family. Lind: I like scrapbooking, playing handbells and I just learned how to make homemade bread.
What is your favorite thing about this job?
Dell: I love driving, and all of the kids I drive. Lill: I like the kids and having interactions with them. Also I like the bus, it’s kinda your bus so you try to keep it as you want. Lind: Interacting with the kids.
What is your work schedule like?
Dell: Weekdays I work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and I have training in between pickup and drop off routes. Lill: At about 5:40 a.m. I go through a full checklist to make sure that the bus is safe. Then I do my rounds for Mounds View High School and for the middle school students. After finishing my afternoon rounds, I get back to base about 4:45 p.m. and then I go home. Lind: I get to work at 5:50 a.m. and I usually get a break around 11:30. I’m done around 5 o’ clock.
What do you wish people knew about bus drivers?
Dell: Bus drivers have to worry about more than just their driving. They have to worry about the safety of the kids, and what to do if they do get hurt. Lill: From a driving standpoint, I wish people knew rules about dealing with buses better. Lind: Most bus drivers really do want to make sure the kids are safe.
Why do you think it’s important to have buses available to students?
Dill: Education is important and not every parent has the ability to transport their kids to school. Lill: I think it gives kids options, some of them can’t drive yet and most of the times, parents are working and we don’t have a great public transportation. Lind: It is more efficient to get them to school and it’s safer, the size of the bus helps protect them.
photos courtesy of Ameni Hajji, Kallie Slotvig, Nadene Dell
information compiled by Mitchell Mattison, Ameni Hajji, Kallie Slotvig
features 5
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Ralph Reeder Food Shelf
How it makes an impact by Mitchell Mattison and Ameni Hajji staff reporters One out of every seven people in the U.S. relies on food banks in order to feed themselves and their families. The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, located in New Brighton, is an organization that works to help those who rely on food banks. Poverty within the Mounds View school district is a hidden issue and the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf has been striving to fight this issue since it first opened back in the ’80s. “The mission of the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf is to provide emergency and supplemental food assistance and also to provide people with additional resources and empower them so they can take steps towards self sufficiency,” said Lisa Baker, program supervisor. The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, named after a former superintendent of the Mounds View school district, Ralph Reeder, is a non-profit organization owned by Mounds View schools. The food shelf provides food and services to about 17,000 individuals in the district each year, and an average of 560 households visit the food shelf each month. “Originally the food shelf was put together not just in response to teachers and social workers seeing kids coming into school hungry, knowing that food insecurity was a problem, but it was also put together as a vehicle for service learning, a place where Mounds View students could come and volunteer and learn about hunger,” said Baker.
The food shelf works to give each person who visits them five to seven days worth of nutritionally balanced food. This includes meat and milk as well as personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies. The food shelf not only provides food to people in need, but it also helps people get connected to other resources to help them apply for health insurance and food stamps. “There’s tons of families every year that have not had insurance for their kids or themselves that we are able to help get on that which is going to help them keep healthy and keep out of pocket cost down,” said Baker. The Mounds View community is the number one provider of donations for the food shelf. However, the food shelf also gets food from Second Harvest Heartland, a large food bank and many other grocery stores. The clientele mainly includes low income residents living within the boundaries of the Mounds View Public School District as well as the counties of Ramsey County and St. Anthony. “We’re not just a food shelf in general in terms of we’re not just giving out food, we are connecting people to other resources,” said Baker. The sense of community has helped to make Ralph Reeder one of the main food shelves in the area. “I’d like people to know that the need here in the suburbs is very real. Poverty is actually increasing at a very fast rate out here in the suburbs,” said Baker.
How much money Mounds View raised:
2015: raised around $1,200 2016: over $5,000 in total from food drive week and Halloween dance
Items wanted:
Shampoo and conditioner
Hamburger helper
Clothing detergent
Deodorant
Sugar illustrations by Kallie Slotvig
photo by Kallie Slotvig
Ralph Reeder accepts all non-perishable food items, fresh garden produce, personal care and hygiene items, cleaning supplies, monetary donations, gift certificates, school supplies and holiday toys and gifts. -Ralph Reeder Foodshelf
How to help the food shelf by Kallie Slotvig and Olivia Stuart feature editor and staff reporter Hunger is a widespread issue that affects many Minnesotans each year. To combat this issue, food shelves around America look for donations of food and money to feed citizens of their communities. The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf has become the main food shelf of the Mounds View community. In 2015, the food shelf donated 383,000 pounds of food and personal care items to people in need. These large donations are made possible through volunteers and donators who work alongside the organization with a goal to fight hunger. Volunteers are an essential part of the success of these services. “We have about 90 regular volunteers almost every month, but we have a lot of opportunities for one time volunteering,” said Lisa Baker, program supervisor. Volunteers can expect to answer calls, stock shelves and pick up donations along with many other small tasks. The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf has many seasonal volunteer opportunities, as well. Operation Joy in December gives holiday gifts to children who would otherwise receive nothing for Christmas. March FoodShare is a statewide campaign to raise food and money for over 300 local food shelves. The Good Neighbor Back to School Project in August collects school supplies for students who can’t afford the items themselves. These projects help to combat not only hunger, but all aspects of poverty.
Donations are another crucial aspect of this non-profit organization. People can donate food or hygiene items to the food shelf Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Ralph Reeder’s location at Pike Lake Education Center. People can also donate money. “For every dollar that we receive we can purchase up to 8 dollars worth of food,” said Baker. Checks can be made out to the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf. The students and staff of Mounds View High School have worked along side the food shelf for many years, helping to better the lives of those in need. For instance, Mounds View’s Student Council hosts an annual food drive to raise money and food for Ralph Reeder. “That money coming in between the dance and the food and fund drive brought in close to $6,000, so when you think about that, that’s a whole lot of food. We really were able to take that money and then start doing purchasing for our holiday programs so that has really been helpful,” said Baker. These generous donations have enabled the food shelf to carry out its mission.“We were extremely successful and I hope that with this enthusiasm leading forward that you guys [Mounds View students] will start thinking about how you can help maybe more throughout the year.” Whether volunteering or donating food and personal care items, there are many ways for people to get involved and help those in need. As written on Ralph Reeder’s website, “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself,” -Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Recovery The Teachers by Parker Ruedy staff reporter On Dec. 1, a tragedy struck Mounds View at the heart. Many students and staff were left in shock upon hearing the tragic news: a car crash robbing the lives of two Mounds View students and leaving another one in the emergency room. These girls, all juniors, had friends and family throughout the Mounds View community. Following this horrendous catastrophe, numerous teachers, including orchestra instructor Lucas Shogren, tennis coach and science teacher Mike Cartwright, and history teacher Lisa Colbert, took it into their hands to incorporate unique and special forms of grieving to honor the lives of their students. Although Shogren didn’t personally know the victims, that didn’t stop him from finding his own way to commemorate the juniors’ deaths. Believing that cheerful holiday tones wouldn’t match the morose atmosphere, Shogren searched for elegies, music pieces for grieving, written by composers who have also lost a lot throughout their lives. “I did not feel that holiday music was going to fit in, given the circumstances, so I picked out a few pieces that were specifically to remember those who have passed away,” stated Shogren. Though simple in key and understanding, the emotions
accompanying these depressing eulogies were unimaginably heart rending for his students and fellow Mounds View musicians. “I think music is a really wonderful way to help people express emotions that are hard to get out, and I could see students being able to express that emotion through the music,” said Shogren. Mrs. Colbert collaborated with another history teacher, Julia Berquist, to have students make blue origami paper cranes and place them throughout the school. “I think the cranes were a way for the students to process what had happened and join in solidarity to show their support for the friends and family of the girls,” said Colbert. With most students and staff left in pure shock, it was difficult for many to ease their emotions. Trying to combat this, Mrs. Colbert also started an idea called the Free Hugs movement. “I started the free hugs movement because I felt helpless. I wanted to emotionally support students in a time when words were failing us all,” said Colbert. Tennis head coach Mike Cartwright had the honor of having two of the girls on the B-white tennis team. This isn’t the first time Cartwright has had to experience a tragic car crash that cost a life. About a dozen years ago, a girl on the Mounds View girls varsity tennis team had passed away. In order to commemorate her,
the team honored the loss by purchasing a bench with her name engraved on it. “It is just to stand as a memorial of someone who was a part of our program, and died a tragic death too soon,” said Cartwright. The B-white team recently initiated a GoFundMe campaign to fund the purchase of another all-weather bench with the girls’ names engraved on it as a tribute. The campaign met its goal of $800 within the first day, and it raised more than $1200. In these past weeks, numerous Mounds View students, staff and community members have gathered to help support one another. If anyone feels like they are struggling to overcome this by themselves, teachers and staff alike have shown that they will not hesitate to help.
The Grieving Process often shifts to anger. In this portion, the by Hannah Mastenbrook and Lauren LaFaye griever finally accepts that the tragedy has staff reporters happened and is furious at themselves and others. This feeling of anger and hatred Grief is a very powerful emotion. generally stems from the innate human Due to its volatile and confusing nature, drive to understand the reasoning behind it can be a challenge for most people to an event. Often, when a horrific tragedy handle. With the recent, shocking tragedy occurs, there is little premise behind it. that occurred on Highway 96, numerous friends, students and family have struggled This evident lack of answers often leads to frustration, knowing that there may never to overcome a flurry of emotions, such as be any surefire answer behind a conflict. confusion and anger, accompanying this These feelings of rage and anger horrible sense of grief. will eventually die down with time. According to the Kübler-Ross model, Unfortunately, this is when most victims in cases like this, most people follow a enter the highly unsettling bargaining specific grieving process: denial, anger, stage. Bargaining acts as an “emotional bargaining, depression and acceptance. truce”, where a victim strives to find a Every griever follows their own unique way to explain or heal the situation. Often, process, and not everyone engages in the as a result of this, people affected by the same steps. bargaining stage are frequently racked with In general, most people begin with guilt and suffer premonitions about how denial. Denial is a psychological defense they “took it for granted,” or not being able mechanism, where the victim attempts to reason their loss by believing it’s a figment to cherish what was lost enough when they had the opportunity. of their imagination. During this phase, When the people suffering realize that it’s very common to be in a state of shock, they simply cannot avoid the outcomes with their denial as a form of ineffective of the loss, many fall into a cataclysmic remedy to combat these harsh feelings. stage of depression. Generally, this is the Eventually, this sense of denial
The Team by Felix Zhang staff reporter
When a situation like that of Dec. 1 tragically occurs, it is imperative that the proper authorities respond with speed and accuracy but also to minimize emotional impact to those affected. Recognizing this need, the Mounds View district has a specific team which assembles in the event of a crisis. This team, often referred to as the crisis team, is one step among many in healing a deeply wounded and grieving community. The crisis team is made up of Mounds View High School administration and staff members. “It’s not a team in the sense that there are certain people, it’s just whoever’s involved,” said Amanda Little, the district’s Assistant Communications Director. The purpose of the team is to be prepared and able to better respond in the event of a crisis. Furthermore, each member of the team has an individual role and serves as a part of the whole. “Mine is to get the
hardest stage to overcome as guilt and sorrow hack away at a person’s well being and humanity. The sufferers are left in a perpetual, cloudy state of confusion, and their grief evolves into a form of blank emptiness. Fortunately, given enough time, the depressed will leave this state and come to that fact that a calamity has actually occurred, thus marking the final stage: acceptance. During the acceptance stage, the person will finally understand that there is simply nothing more to do than to move on. A common misconception is that it means the person will be okay with the tragedy, when in reality, the truth is how they have overcome it and realize they need to go back to their regular lives. The Mounds View district has gone through a gut-wrenching ordeal, and has been blessed with immense comfort and support. However, in order for us to move into the acceptance stage, only time can help mend these broken hearts.
mental health team organized, get people on board [and] get resources out to people on the building,” said Little. While the response of the team varies from situation to situation, the first step is always prompt communication with district administration. From there, the district works with the school’s team to make decisions about how to proceed. “We make a lot of quick decisions, and we hope they’re the right decisions,” said Colin Sokolowski, the Central Administration’s Public Relations Director. Although it’s crucial to make fast decisions in order to quickly release information to the community, it is more important that they verify the credibility of their information. “What matters most is that when we do communicate for the first time to our families about the crisis, that everything we offer is one hundred percent accurate,” said Sokolowski. In addition to making decisions and handling press, the team also consists of
a few therapists for grief management and consoling. For students in the midst of grief, Little suggests seeking help. “Whatever people need, I hope they would talk to administration to get help,” she said. Little would like to also remind students to continue supporting and helping each other, “The really hard part comes after many people’s lives go back to normal, but for the people whose lives were affected, their lives don’t go back to normal,” said Little. In the end, nobody wants the crisis team to have to intervene in a situation. However, unfortunate situations occur and the best people can do is to work together to get through it. “We never want this to happen, but I think that the students and staff and community can be very proud of how they came together and supported each other,” said Little.
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variety
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Second hand chic
My Sisters’ Closet by Toni Baraga staff reporter The holidays are a time for gift giving, but buying gifts can quickly add up. If students are looking for a cheaper way to buy gifts for family and friends, second-hand consignment shops can be a great option. My Sisters’ Closet offers a wide variety of clothing options at lower prices, making holiday shopping much more affordable. The quaint wooden building looks more like a house than a store, but inside it’s a whole different world. The entire first floor of the two-story building is jam packed with clothing racks filled with unique and vintage items, ranging from fur coats to antique jewelry. The aged coat racks and mannequin heads decorated with fur caps give the store a retro vibe. Mirrors and old hats cover the walls while plush chairs sit in the corners covered with dresses and skirts.
Because the store can carry expensive designer brands including Chanel and Prada, the prices can range from $10 to upwards of $300. Despite these seemingly high prices, the items are still sold at a fraction of the original cost. In addition to selling affordable clothing, My Sisters’ Closet allows people to bring in and sell their own clothes as long as they are in good condition. The two stores in Minnesota are located off of Hennepin Ave. near Uptown Minneapolis and off of Grand Ave. in St. Paul. They are both open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and from 10 a.m to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For students looking to give gifts, shop with lower prices or even sell their old clothes this holiday season, My Sisters’ Closet is an ideal choice. photo by Toni Baraga My Sisters’ Closet showcases some of its best pieces on the front steps.
Turn Style by Mihaela Pinzari staff reporter Turn Style Consignment certainly lives up to its slogan, “You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look like a million bucks.” Customers can shop for new clothes or sell old clothes to get cash or a new outfit, making Turn Style any shopper’s paradise. Turn Style is a premier Roseville consignment store offering mall brands like Banana Republic and Express, and designer labels like Gucci and Coach. The store sells necklaces, bracelets, heels, boots and a wide variety of seasonal clothing for both men and women. Shoppers are sure to find the ideal piece for any important occasion. Besides purchasing clothing, customers can receive cash
for their used clothes. Turn Style will take in all brands except for Forever 21 due to the brand’s poor quality, making it easy to sell old clothes and refresh shoppers’ winter wardrobes with new items. However, the store can be very selective, carefully choosing clothes to resell at a reasonable price for everybody. Turn Style also expands beyond the clothing realm. In addition to shoes, clothing and accessories, Turn Style takes in furniture and accent pieces, so you can keep your home looking updated year round. Turn Style is open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. This topnotch consignment store is located on 2393 Fairview Avenue North in St.Paul.
Turn Style offers a wide variety of clothes and accessories.
photo by Mihaela Pinzari
reviews 9
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Fantastic Beasts is magical by Shannon Haffely staff reporter On Nov. 18, the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, directed by David Yates, was released worldwide. The movie stars british actor Eddie Redmayne in the role of Newt Scamander. The movie begins in a dramatic fashion, opening with a team of wizards who face an unseen enemy, who defeats them quickly. A blue light flashes as the fight ends in an instant, killing everyone in the room except for one man with slicked-back, white hair. The screen then transitions to a series of newspaper headlines, warning about the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald and troubling beast attacks in the United States. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie. We first meet Newt, an optimistic, caring and gentle magizoologist, a zoologist for magical creatures, as he sits on a boat passing the Statue of Liberty. A briefcase sits at his feet, and the lock pops open by itself. Inside is a restless magical creature. Newt calms the creature by reassuring it that they’re almost at the end of their journey, and before long, he steps foot on American soil. It doesn’t take long before the restless creature escapes into a bank, and Newt must chase after it through the “muggle” or, in American terms, “nomaj” world. This leads us to the introduction of Jacob Kowalski played by Dan Fogler, a no-maj who will become an important part in Newt’s journey, as well as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein played by Katherine Waterston. Goldstein is an American witch who works for the Magical Congress of the United States of America in the wand permit department who was
previously demoted from her position as an auror, a wizard or witch who fights dark magic. The movie follows Newt and his new acquaintances as he searches for his missing creatures while inadvertently getting mixed up in the ongoing beast disturbances in New York. While the film ties into the Harry Potter universe well, it isn’t as captivating as the original Harry Potter movies were. The plotline is well written, but it isn’t immediately clear how Grindelwald was relevant to Newt’s story, or who Newt’s main antagonist is. The movie continuously switches between his point of view and the point of view of an adopted child called Credence played by Ezra Miller. For the majority of the movie, it is not clear how Credence’s story is relevant to Newt’s. Viewing the film felt like watching two different movies that happened to be taking place in the same time period and place that coincidentally happened to intermingle. The humor throughout the movie is appropriately placed and provided the perfect balance of comedy and action.The graphics and special effects in the movie are absolutely astounding. From the beginning to the end, this movie never ceased to awe the audience with its mythical creatures and magic. There was a little something for everyone, which makes it a great movie for any viewer. Overall, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a fantastic addition to the Harry Potter universe, with a fair plot, great characters, and breathtaking creatures and magic. Whether viewers are zealous fans of the books and original movies or not, the movie does a fantastic job of keeping them in peak interest.
The Verdict Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is another Harry Potter franchise success.
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fair use by harrypotterwikia.com
Disney creates another classic by Sarah Tang staff reporter
Moana stars an adventurous, determined girl destined to find the demigod Maui and save the Polynesian islands from darkness. The storyline starts with Moana’s childhood and leads up to her adolescence, when her grandma decides to give her a mission: to find Maui and restore the heart of Te Fiti that Maui stole. Moana journeys through the oceans with an egotistical demigod to deliver Maui to Te Fiti to replace the heart. Written by composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, the soundtrack combines Polynesian tunes with catchy lyrics to craft another Disney classic. Unlike other Disney songs, most songs are deeply rooted in the cultural setting of the movie. The graphics in Moana far surpass past animated movies. The fluid movement of the people and the ocean all add to making the movie more life-like. An important non-visual aspect of animated movies is the voices. Disney gathered a group of Pacific islanders to pay tribute to Polynesian culture. Auli’i Cravalho, who voices Moana, was born in Hawaii and Dwayne Johnson, the voice of Maui, is half Samoan. Combined with the accurate illustration of village life and aspects of food gathering and the like, Moana induces Polynesian folklore and life. Moana is a comedic and intriguing movie with a fierce protagonist who, unlike most Disney princesses, doesn’t need a prince. A mix of traditional music, stellar animation and cultural voicing makes it a must watch for all Disney fans.
The Verdict Moana diverges from the classic Disney herione, giving a fresh new take to another Disney classic.
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Sports
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Winter athletics take off
Nordic’s new beginnings by Zoe Lindberg staff reporter The recent drop in temperature marks the beginning of a new season of opportunities for winter athletes to achieve their goals and improve their abilities. This year, the Mounds View nordic skiing team is ready for a fresh start and hopes to enhance their technique and racing skills. The team is excited to be working with their new head coach, Julie Garretson. After spending the past year as the nordic assistant coach, this season, Garretson moved into the head coach position. Assisted by her sister, Lisa, and science teacher, Ian O’Neil, Garretson is excited for the opportunity to make her mark on the program. Garretson spent five years as a member of the Mounds View nordic team while she was in middle and high school and jumped at the opportunity to come back to the program. “As a new coaching staff,
our personal goal is to establish a strong program [and] encourage our athletes to invest in this sport for the long term,” said Garretson. “I want to show every athlete how much fun and rewarding it can be to push beyond your limits of comfort.” While preparing to take the head coach position, Garretson looked to her high school coach, Mark Skildum, for inspiration. “During my time on the team, we had an excellent coach, and I still think about how much he taught me. I hope I can make a similar impression as a coach,” she said. This season, Garretson is looking forward to spending time with the students. “I love our kids in Nordic. They are all equally goofy and are the best part of coaching,” said Garretson. She is especially looking forward to bonding with them during their annual Holiday Camp at Giants Ridge Resort in Biwabik, Minnesota. “It’s a tradition
that has been part of Nordic since before I was on the team in 2003. We try to ski as far as we can in three days and we usually log between 50 and 100 kilometers by the end of the trip,” she said. “It’s exhausting but so much fun!” Garretson and the rest of the coaching staff hope to bring fun to every practice and provide a great experience for every skier on the team, regardless of their level of experience. “I hope each athlete leaves this season with an insatiable hunger for skiing and for MV Nordic,” said Garretson. “I’ve already seen this happen with our skiers from last year and it’s my favorite part of being a coach!”
photo courtesy of Julie Garretson
Winter athletes mix school and sports by Elly Gustafson staff reporter
photo courtesy of Jacqueline Schneider
photo courtesy of Nathan Varberg
As fall sports come to a close, winter athletes are getting warmed up with new athletic and academic goals. Although winter sports are challenging and take a lot of dedication, athletes are determined to balance school along with their sport. Student athletes scramble for time as practice and homework constantly compete. When homework piles up, so does stress. “I feel more stressed about school than my sport,” said Jordan Bergstrom, 11, a cross country runner. With all of the commutes to practice and the late nights on the skiing hills, time for homework or studying for finals diminishes. Many winter athletes must deal with the conflict between finals and meets that other athletes don’t have to worry about. Many important meets and games occur over finals week. “Last year we missed a day of finals to be in the section meet,” said Jacqueline Schneider, 12, a nordic skier. Winter sports and school go to battle as students find themselves choosing one over the other. “Most nights I don’t feel like I have to choose between homework and practice; however, there are some nights where I don’t have enough time or energy to do both. On these nights, practice always wins, and I’ll try and get the homework done during school the next day,” said Nathan Varberg, 12. Unlike fall or spring sports, students enrolled in winter sports must make more decisions that could possibly affect grades on their transcript, which comes out in the middle of their season. With practices ending as late as 10 p.m. for some sports, setting priorities and managing time becomes difficult. Varberg, a basketball player, finds it harder to study after practice. “Doing homework after practice is difficult because you are so tired from the school day,” said Varberg. “I’d rather take a nap.” Winter athletes strive to do the best they can, but school still comes first. “Find time [to study] when you can. Either get up early or stay up late. Lunch and reflect [days] are helpful,” said Neve Wheelecor, 11, girls hockey. Even if it means finishing homework minutes before its due, student athletes are determined to balance school along with their sport. Ellie Tsai, a junior on the alpine ski team, believes in putting full effort in, even though sometimes it may be tough. “Be organized. Prioritize school over sports, but schedule time to allow yourself to enjoy your sport. Whatever you are doing in the moment, put 100 percent in.”
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Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Boys of winter by Aman Rao staff reporter The beginning of winter marks the beginning of the Mounds View boys hockey season. Hoping to continue the success of last year’s great season, the boys tried out to demonstrate their skills and earn positions on the ice. They’re now preparing for long, stressful game nights, hungry to bring home some excitement to the Mounds View crowd. With senior captains Wyatt Thole, Colin Baird, Tom Nagle and Spencer Ovshak leading the way, the team has embarked on a new season, one that hopefully ends with the Mustangs as section champions. Mounds View’s dedication and hard work allows athletes to achieve good results. “Hard work on the ice pays off during the games, and gives us wins,” said Joe Sutton, 11. The Suburban East conference is very tough to compete in for hockey, with plenty of strong teams vying for one opportunity to attend state. Nevertheless, Mounds View is definitely a contender. Though challenges are ahead, the players believe in themselves and the team shares an unbreakable bond. “This is a team sport. We are all brothers, always there for each other every practice, on and off the ice,” said Peter Harrington, 11. A unique tradition that Mounds View hockey players share is a link of key chains that has every teammate’s name and their number. “The keys represent unity as a team. Everyone on the team then attaches the key chains together, to form one giant chain, and
this represents that the team is only as strong as their weakest link, or in this case, player,” said Sutton. This tradition has helped preserve team unity. Leaders at Mounds View are a crucial part of what makes the sports society so unique and special. “I look up to a leader like Wyatt Thole, because of his skill, his leadership and his flow,” said Harrington. He hopes to one day be as strong of a leader as his captains are this year. Ovshak, 12, believes that he is ready to lead Mounds View into a strong season. “As a hockey team, we have presence, and as a leader, I will make the team the best they can be,” said Ovshak. Combined with coaches Scott Brokaw and Darren Aho, the hockey team enters the season with high levels of confidence. The Mounds View hockey coaches have put in many hours to ensure everyone that they are on a path to start the season with a bang and their hard work has been reflected through many of the players. “Our coaches are super positive and are always trying to bring out the best in us. They are always pushing us to do our best, and it has truly impacted our work ethic on and off the ice,” said Adam Coltvet, 11. Mounds View is known for its promising leaders and hard workers, and the boys hockey team is ready to face any challenges that may come their way. Anyone wishing to see the boys as they fight to make it to state can watch their home games at the Vadnais Heights Sports Dome.
photo courtesy of Wyatt Thole
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Captains (from left) Colin Baird, 12, and Wyatt Thole, 12, skate alongside Ryne Mohrman, 10.
We are all brothers, always there for each other every practice.” -Peter Harrington, 11
Alpine skiers set for slopes by DaShauna Davis staff reporter Although alpine skiing is often overlooked, Mounds View’s alpine ski team has consistently been achieving great things over the past few years. This year’s group of skiers hopes to continue their successful streak. “It should be a strong season for us. We have a lot of solid returning skiers and some new upcoming people as well,” said Jake Osgood, 12. “The loss of Juliana Damberg, our best skier last year who graduated, leaves a huge hole. But I think we have a pretty balanced team and we’re prepared to make up for her absence.” Last year, the team fell short of making it to state. However, with boosted confidence among the skiers this season, many of them believe that this could be the year. “We have a lot of good skiers this year, not just a few great individuals. If we work hard and do the best we can do, anything could happen,” said Osgood. This is the outlook of many of the team’s skiers, as they feel that the team has a lot of returning upperclassmen that have improved a lot. Improvement is especially significant for the three senior captains. “Wyatt, Jake, and I have been skiing together for a long time. Each of us
has improved immensely since we first started racing for Mounds View. Now that it’s probably the last year of racing competitively for the three of us, we’re anxious to get out there and try to do something special,” said Kylan Johnson, 12. Practices are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at Wild Mountain after school. The bus picks skiers up right after school and takes them back around 9:45 p.m., making it one of the largest athletic time commitments among high school sports. “It definitely takes a lot of dedication, to have about seven hours taken out of your weekdays. But it’s nice to have the day off on Wednesday to catch up on schoolwork,” said Wyatt Bieber, 12. Practices, while very time consuming, are still a fun time for a lot of the skiers. “I mean, skiing is really fun for me, whether it’s for practice or for leisure,” said Johnson. The team has their first meet on Dec. 23, where the skiers hope to perform well at the Wild Invite. With captains Osgood, Johnson and Bieber leading the way, the alpine team looks bound for success.
photo courtesy of Jake Osgood Captains Jake Osgood, 12, Kylan Johnson, 12, and Wyatt Bieber, 12, pose for a photo
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Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Thank you for your support by Sanjana Dutt and Diana Zhu staff reporters As Mounds View students struggle to recover from the wake of tragedy that hit the school on Dec. 1, 2016, there has been an outpouring of support from schools across Minnesota, evening stretching into Wisconsin. High schools including Park, Irondale and Shakopee sent their condolences to students and staff via social media, handwritten cards and flower bouquets. Some even sent posters photo courtesy of Irondale High School to show their thoughts and prayers are with the Mounds View community. Many schools also wore green the day following the crash for support. In addition to the encouragement other schools have generously given, the Mounds View staff has worked tirelessly to make the high school feel like a safe and comforting environment. Mounds View cancelled all after-school events, teachers pushed back test dates and deans provided counseling sessions with therapists. Furthermore, social studies classes took time out of their day to fold and hang dozens of blue paper cranes in the hallways. Other students organized a bake sale, decorated boxes and made commemorative buttons to show their support for Bridget and Stephanie’s friends and family. These past few weeks of healing have photo courtesy of Forest Lake High School shown that the community is stronger together than apart, and that with the continued support of others, Mounds View will slowly, but surely, recover.
photo courtesy of Centennial High School
photo courtesy of Irondale High School
photo courtesy of Wayzata High School girls hockey
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photo courtesy of Stillwater High School
Thanks for the memories
Whenever I think of them, I don’t cry; I smile. I’m so glad that I was able to be friends with them and to have them in my life. They will be forever loved and missed.” -Meghan McFarling, 11
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I will always remember Stephanie as a person who woke up every morning and made a statement, almost as if she was saying, ‘Here I am world’. She was never afraid to be herself.” -Jade Fullerton, 11
My favorite memory is when Sammy, Bridget, Stephanie and I would go to Sammy’s house after school and hang out in the hot tub and just talk.” -Hannah Nielsen, 11
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They have impacted my life in so many ways, and they have both made me who I am today.” -Lauren Bondi,11
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I will remember Bridget for how loving and happy she always was. She could always make you laugh. I will also remember er ran mu ns, ic are t e best things ever. ” -Jayda Alberg, 11