MV Viewer 2018-2019 Issue 5

VOLUME 66 ISSUE 5 | January 11, 2019

THE VIEWER How Mounds View Perceives Intelligence

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

EXPANSION 02/ IZI 03/ INTO THE SPIDERVERSE 10

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News

Friday, january 11, 2019

Plans for MV renovation finalized

by Logan Grimm and Benjamin Gardner staff reporters

Over the next couple years, the Mounds View School District plans to expand in order to provide adequate space for future generations of students. A bond that passed from the 2016 election allowed for the renovation of many schools in the district. Starting early this year, the initial parts of Mounds View’s plan will begin and is primarily associated with parking changes.

Mounds View High School is included in the second stage of renovations across the district, and the major components are projected to finish by the fall of 2020. The overall project will include a new, larger gymnasium, additional classrooms and other improvements to the building, such as a more reliable heating and cooling system.

One of the primary goals of the process is to design classrooms that allow for more student interaction and better opportunities to learn. Physically and studentwise, “class sizes will start to increase,” said Associate Principal Michael Schwartz, citing a growth in student population following the closure of open enrollment.

The intent of the larger rooms is to ensure that all students can work together efficiently and effectively.

“Everybody’s part of a process, part of a team,” said Schwartz. In addition, the school will increase security at the front entrance to allow safer check-in into the building. “We will have a secure entrance where all visitors will go through a secure vestibule,” said Principal Stephanie Bruggers.

Aiming to enhance the student learning experience at Mounds View, the expansion will also bring new “flex-spaces.” These spaces will offer more openness and comfort than traditional classrooms, bringing greater opportunity for small group collaboration. Every class will have the opportunity to use the spaces to create new ways to learn. “Flex-spaces will be throughout the building,” said Bruggers. “We anticipate a vari-

ety of teachers using the space.” One teacher who plans to utilize the space for group work is Spanish teacher Katie Randall. “I think in our class there’s a lot of opportunity for [students] to do speaking and group work.

That flex-space would be beneficial to have them be working, instead of in the hallway, at a place with tables.”

Another interior renovation planned is a redesigned lower commons. Concept images show numerous seating arrangements accompanied by desks and workspaces, which is what prompted furniture testing and reviews by students in late November earlier this school year. More notably, however, is increased access to the main gym from the commons. The school plans to construct a new pathway that cuts through health teacher Ross Fleming’s room.

Furthermore, athletes will also see changes in regards to improved facilities for sports practices and games. A new addition to Mounds View will be an athletic commons, providing even more space for relaxing and doing work. Also, where the back gym currently stands, a new weight room and cardio area will fill its spot. The main attraction is the addition of a new gym, which will be added onto the south side of the building near the social studies wing, protruding into the current staff parking lot. The gym will house four basketball courts and will feature an indoor walking track on the second story.

New additions to the building will occupy the current the staff parking lot behind the school. The future gymnasium will eliminate the entire staff parking lot in the back, which currently provides parking space for 97 cars. To compensate for this, the school district acquired the parking lot across the street from Mounds View that was previously owned by First Student, Inc. The new lot will bring an approximate 400 additional parking spaces once preliminary construction on the lot has completed.

The designs for most of the additions are being carefully constructed to yield the most natural light.

“The architects are working hard to incorporate a lot of natural light,” said Bruggers. The new gym will feature large windows to let in light, a design not present in either of the two current gyms.

In addition to outer construction, plans promise to bring an expanded kitchen to serve the needs of the growing student population. Furthermore, an improved parent drop-off will be made, although the specifics are not published yet.

After years of planning proposals in response to teacher, student, administrative and parent opinions, the Mounds View district will finally see facility changes made in the schools. The last time that Mounds View had any significant renovations was in 2001, which only emphasizes the need for interior and exterior changes in the school. After all renovations are completed, Mounds View will have bigger and newer facilities, ultimately enhancing the experience of those in the Mounds View community.

Timeline of the construction events at Mounds View Early 2019: The district officially purchases the Bus Lot from First Student Inc. April 1, 2019: The boys locker room will undergo a change. The current weight room will be torn down and will be moved across the street inside the former bus garage. The mechanical room, along with a large oil tank moving, will be renovated April 15, 2015: The construction of the new world language tower begins May 13, 2019: The new four-gym complex will start, which will take over the staff lot June 10, 2019: The construction of the new language arts tower begins January 2, 2020: The renovation of the current world language hallway starts March 2, 2020: The renovation of the current social studies hallway starts April 13, 2020: The girls locker room will undergo a location change

The reimagined lower commons will feature furniture, new lighting and a new path to the main gym (concept image).

Fall 2020: Major components of the second stage of renovations are projected to be completed.

The new gym will contain four basketball courts and a walking track above from the second story. The building will also feature large windows to let in natural light (concept image).

The new weight room and cardio area will be put into the current back gym (concept image).

photos courtesy of Colin Sokolowski

News

Friday, January 11, 2019

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Shoreview CC opens new facility

by Natalie Nemes staff reporter

On Dec. 15, the Shoreview Community Center opened a new section of its Tropics Indoor Waterpark, Bamboo Bay. The 7,000-square-foot addition includes a new play structure geared towards toddlers through 10 year olds. Recently, Shoreview has seen a demographic shift from seniors to younger families, and the city aims to accommodate the changing population.

With this change in demographic, the city council intends to adapt by building complexes targeted towards the new families. “One of the big reasons why this expansion is so important is because our community is continuing to evolve. We have a great deal of young families that are coming into Shoreview, and there were not enough spaces and places for young children to play in the water, and so this expansion is critically important for our future,” said Council Member Amy Johnson.

In recent years, the Mounds View School District has continued to grow, Johnson said. In addition to the Community Center expansion, the city is building new homes for incoming families. As families move, the schools fill up, and the children in the schools need to have a place for recreational activities.

Although Shoreview’s population growth inspired Bamboo Bay, the Community Center’s reach extends beyond Shoreview. Johnson described it as a “regional destination.” “This isn’t just about the city of Shoreview, but it’s about the entire region and being able to use this space for the future, and so the inspiration [for the expansion] is really to continue to make it a destination,” said Johnson.

The expansion’s new play structure consists of slides, spray guns, fountains and buckets. “I have seven

grandchildren, and we go to [Wisconsin] Dells, and we go to places that are lots of fun...and I just thought that this could really be an exciting addition to the pool,” said Shoreview Mayor Sandy Martin.

Bamboo Bay occupies the space that the outdoor pool used to reside in. “We had a little wading pool [outside] for years, and it wasn’t often used. It was boring. It was just a little pond. Nobody ever used it, and it was taking up some really valuable space,” said Martin.

The $16 million expansion of the Community Center, paid for by the city’s capital projects fund through bonds and an increase in the city’s debt levy, recently completed with the opening of Bamboo Bay. The city began remodeling the building in the fall of 2017. The renovations include more than the water park—they also include a remodeled Wave Cafe, additions to the fitness center and additional amenities. There will also be an indoor playground, new preschool classrooms, activity rooms and additional bathrooms.

With so much construction, the remodeling process faced challenges along the way. Portions of the Community Center were forced to temporarily close, and events often had to relocate. Michelle Majkozak, Community Center general manager, described working through the renovations as “crazy.” “One of the biggest challenges we had was trying to keep...the Community Center operating during the construction because we were impacting almost every area in the building,” said City Manager Terry Schwerm. Most of the closures happened in the waterpark section of the Community Center during last April and May. However, the facility was able to keep the fitness center open the entire time and only closed the track for a six to eight week period.

The biggest challenge for the staff was integrating the changes while keeping everything operating.

In addition to improving the Community Center, the city has also set aside $3 million for revamping the outdoor Shoreview Commons area. Improvements to the area will take place in two phases. Phase one renovations, set to take place this year, include an outdoor skating pond with a garden area, a “plaza-style” skate park, a new playground to replace the current one on Mound Avenue, pickleball courts near the current tennis and basketball courts and a sidewalk connecting the Community Center to the Shoreview library. Phase two renovations, set to take place in 2021, include the addition of a playground and a building with concessions and restrooms to accompany the park.

Ultimately, Johnson said that the region is fortunate to have a gathering space. “Not every city has this, and I believe, really, really strongly in having a gathering space and a place for people to co-mingle with each other in a community,” said Johnson.

Shoreview Community Center staff pose at opening of Bambo Bay on Dec. 15. photo courtesy of Natalie Nemes

IZI event connects MV families

by Rebecca Li staff reporter

Chatter quickly fills the lower commons of Mounds View High School as people from all walks of life excitedly arrive for the event of the night—the IZI (pronounced “izzy”). IZI, or Intentional Social Interactions, is an event that serves to promote cross-cultural interactions and to build a stronger, more diverse community. It offers a unique opportunity to bring the Mounds View community together in a way that otherwise may not have been possible. “The idea of the IZI was to get families [of students and staff] together that normally wouldn’t come to the school and normally wouldn’t be involved in communication nights,” said student speaker Josiah Wiest, 11.

Edgewood Middle School first began hosting these events three years ago, and every school in the Mounds View district soon followed by holding their own annual IZIs. The event on Dec. 13 marked the third IZI held at Mounds View. Through dean outreach, informational emails and the network of former participants, the event reached a record attendance of more than 180 people.

An IZI typically includes a free dinner followed by activities that promote social interaction. The dinner featured food across several cultures, including goi

Parents and students gather in lower commons for the IZI event on Dec. 13. photo courtesy of Rebecca Li

cuon (spring rolls) from Quang, a Vietnamese restaurant, and samosas from Acapulco, a Mexican restaurant.

There were two main goals for the night: for each person to meet at least two new people and to stay connected with at least one person after the event as a way of opening doors of opportunity in the community. In collaboration with resources from Marnita’s Table, the non-profit organization that developed the IZI, Mounds View students designed a plethora of icebreaker games and conversation-starting activities to help achieve those goals.

One of these activities was the “Moving Survey.”

“Those who like mild food, come with me to this side of the room; those who like spicy food, go to that side of the room!” boomed Keily Wadlington, 12. As participants moved across the lower commons and formed groups based on the traits they identified with, they could meet and easily begin conversations with people with similar experiences or characteristics.

Another activity was the Mindstorm, in which participants discussed hot topic questions such as “What does it mean to be a ‘leader’?” and “What is something that you can do to make your opinion heard without being rude?” in small groups. Participants were encouraged to move around and switch tables often to connect with diverse groups of people. “I really enjoyed meeting and interacting with many different people. I learned that there are people who have come from completely different backgrounds from me, and I’m glad I got the chance to interact with them and share ideas,” said Celine Sackih, 9.

The highlight of the night, however, was when everyone sat in a circle and summarized their experience at the event in one word and described their hopes and dreams for the future.

“It was super enlightening to hear all the positive responses from all the participants. I stood up and shared that my hope for our community is that all people can be accepted and all prejudices set aside,” said Sackih.

Not only does the IZI bring the community closer, but it also offers students a chance to explore their

Student volunteers attend the IZI event. photo courtesy of Bola Lawal

leadership potential. Featuring four powerful student speakers—seniors Bola Lawal and Keily Wadlington and juniors Josiah Wiest and Isaiah Tucker—as well as teachers, deans and members of Diversity Council, Soror and STRIPES, the volunteers helped set up the scene, greet incoming guests and encourage meaningful interactions. “It empowers students to be voices and own the flow of the night. It’s a way for them to add some ownership and leadership opportunities; it’s not often students get to speak at a dinner and help run an event,” said Dean Jeff Nowak.

IZI is quickly becoming a bastion of community interaction due to its ability to bring students and families together in the Mounds View community. Building on the success of the December IZI, a group of students lead by Lawal hope to host another IZI this coming spring.

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features

Friday, January 11, 2019

Committed Division I athletes Zengue kicks it into Dayton

by Paul Liang staff reporter

Xavier Zengue, 12, has always been an athlete. After spending his first three years in America, Zengue grew up in Nigeria and Sri Lanka where he played for local pro club’s youth teams. Coming back to the United States at the end of eighth grade, Zengue now competes at a high level, playing for the Minnesota Thunder Academy development program. As a senior, Zengue has now committed to the University of Dayton in Ohio to play Division I soccer for their program next year.

Zengue’s brother played Division III soccer for St. Mary’s College. His mother also ran Division II track and field while his father played professional soccer in Cameroon and America. In Sri Lanka and Nigeria, Zengue trained with accomplished soccer players and other youth players who shared his same drive and motivation to become a better player every day.

After moving to Minnesota, Zengue played for many teams. For two years he played for the Mounds View varsity soccer team and on the club team Blackhawks. After Minnesota Thunder Academy discovered his talent, he moved closer to the academy to play in their development program, the best soccer team in Minnesota.

There are many people who motivate Zengue in his life. “I think the biggest motivator in my life is definitely my dad,” says Zengue.

His dad helps him keep looking forward and level-headed. Another huge inspiration is another fellow soccer player named Sango Akale. Akale, who also plays for the youth national team, has been one of his teammates all throughout high school. “He pushes me to bring out the best play I have in me,” says Zengue.

Zengue’s peers have compared him to many professional players. “I think if Xavier was a pro soccer player he would be like Carles Puyol. He’s always level headed and plays well under pressure,” says Ethan Vongrey, 12, varsity soccer captain. Puyol was a well-respected and talented Spanish soccer player during his time. Zengue is also highly regarded by his peers and is rated to be one of the top two center-backs in Minnesota.

Playing a professional sport is a dream for many people, but for Zengue this dream may become reality. Zengue plans to continue playing soccer after college. “I’m not sure what’s gonna happen, but depending how well I play in college I could go to the MLS,” says Zengue. The MLS, which stands for Major League Soccer, is the professional league in America.

If things don’t work out in terms of professional soccer, Zengue also has other aspirations, including getting a degree in sports therapy at the University of Dayton. “Even if I don’t become a pro, I want to be close to soccer and work with athletes,” says Zengue. Whether he is on or off the field, soccer will always be an important part of Zengue’s life.

Xavier Zengue, 12, passes the ball to a teammate during his game against Sockers FC.

Zengue plays against Chicago’s Sockers FC during his MN Thunder Academy game. photos courtesy of Xavier Zengue

UMN becomes home plate for Bateman

by Alissa Zhao staff reporter Growing up, Brett Bateman, 11, like many others, watched the “big kids” play high school, college and professional baseball and dreamed of being just like them. Now, he is about to make that dream come true: Bateman has committed to play Division I baseball at the University of Minnesota after he graduates from high school in 2020.

At a young age, Bateman’s dad introduced him to the world of baseball, and he has been playing ever since. “Baseball has had a huge influence on my life because I’ve been around it since the last time I can remember,” said Bateman. His dad played baseball in college and went on to become the baseball head coach at Augsburg University. “There are so many pictures of me when I was younger at our house going to my dad’s baseball games and chilling in the dugout with him,” said Bateman. When he was younger, playing baseball was just a way to get his energy out, but Bateman started to realize the importance of this sport in his life.

Eventually, Bateman started playing for Shoreview Area Youth Baseball (SAYB). “I grew up playing [for SAYB] with a bunch of friends who now obviously

As a child, Bateman enjoyed playing and watching baseball with his father.

go to Mounds View,” said Bateman. Through playing baseball, Bateman had the opportunity to meet a lot of people who share his love for the sport. “It’s super fun because you get to know everyone that plays baseball, and you get to hear their stories,” said Bateman.

This spring will mark Bateman’s third season with the Mounds View team. “Freshman year, I came in with not-that-high expectations. I knew I was a good ball player, but I didn’t think that I would be moved up.”

During his freshman year, he played on the sophomore team and started his sophomore year on the JV team.

After a varsity player got injured during the same year, Bateman took his place and played varsity for the rest of the season. On varsity, he made many strong relationships with teammates and successfully completed the rest of the season.

Bateman is living out much of his childhood dream by committing to play baseball at the University of Minnesota. “When you’re growing up, everyone imagines playing pro,” said Bateman. “When you’re young and you see the high school baseball players play and local college students play, it’s just amazing to think you could be in those shoes one day, and so that’s kind of what keeps you thriving.” His baseball aspirations have served as a motivator for many years. “At the end

photos courtesy of Brett Bateman

of the day, you always want to be playing baseball,” said Bateman.

After visiting schools across the nation that also wanted to recruit him, Bateman decided to choose the University of Minnesota. “Their team was just so close, and they were so welcoming to another player,” said Bateman. “Their program has just been amazing, and I feel like if I wanted to go pro they would be a really good step to make that leap.” While attending the University of Minnesota, Bateman intends to study meteorology and atmospheric sciences, and after graduation, he plans to attend graduate school to continue his study of meteorology.

Playing baseball has shaped Bateman’s life and taught him lessons like determination, persistence and teamwork, which he will carry with him even after he graduates. “It’s kind of a sport of failure,” said Bateman. “The game finds a way to put you down, and then it will find a way to put you back up. It’s how you react to the bad times that affect the good times.” Bateman understands that though there are losses in every sport, it is important to look at the bigger picture and to learn from those challenges. “It’s more than ‘I just play baseball for fun.’ You play it to become a better person.”

Bateman sets up to bat for the Mustangs during their state game.

features

Friday, JANUARY 11, 2019

The art of aerial silks

by Angela Larson staff reporter

Silk acrobatics, a common talent seen in many circus shows, leaves audiences in complete awe of the strength and expertise needed to demonstrate the flexibility and agility of the performer 20 feet in the air. Supported only by two long strands of fabric, these performers are required to have great strength, mobility and flexibility.

Silje Erickson, 9, a silk acrobat and aerialist, has all of those traits. Erickson has a long history with acrobatics—she has done silk acrobatics for three years and circus training since her youth. “My parents signed me up for my first circus class when I was three. They went to see a performance there and just knew that I should start training,” said Erickson.

As a young girl, Erickson attended acrobatics toddlers classes and figured out which circus path she wanted to take.

“There, I was introduced to everything the circus had to offer. I took a liking to the aerial acts, so I continued doing those,” said Erickson.

Silk acrobatics can take a long time to master; the task of doing acrobatic tricks while suspended in the air by long strands of silk fabric is very challenging.

The sheer amount of training—almost 14 hours a week for Erickson—really shows through in many of her performances. “There are two main shows

each year: the spring show and the summer show. The spring show takes place in April and May and showcases the beginner and intermediate performers. The summer show takes place in August and showcases the advanced performers,” said Erickson. Erickson’s athletic ability allows her to perform in both the intermediate and advanced shows, exhibiting her level of talent and commitment to the sport.

Now training at Circus Juventas in Highland Park, St. Paul, Erickson practices to strengthen her skills as an aerialist and prepare for her performances.

“Training can be really tiring and time consuming, but it’s very fun. Performing can be really stressful, but also very rewarding,” said Erickson. Although she is uncertain if she wants to follow a career in aerialism, she does hope to continue to do it for fun and expand her horizons in the sport, such as getting jobs or acquiring more skills. “I haven’t really made any big plans for my future yet,” said Erickson. “I’d like to travel a lot, but besides that, I don’t have anything set in stone.”

With all the work she has done to become the great aerialist today, Erickson cites her friends as her motivators as they continue to inspire her. Through her friends’ encouragement and her rigorous training, Erickson shines most when she is suspended in the air.

Silje Erickson, 9, showcases her skills in silk acrobatics. photo courtesy of Silje Erickson

Beating the buzzer

by Audrey Welter staff reporter While many sports at Mounds View push students physically, one league focuses on exercising the brain. Get the clickers ready, because this is Quiz Bowl—a fast-paced game that requires players to maintain a wealth of knowledge in several areas. The Mounds View Quiz Bowl team meets after school every Wednesday to practice the game and sharpen their skills. With over 20 students, the club has an impressive membership for any academic club. This year, the team is led by co-captains Peter Helgeson, 12, and Aryan Sehgal, 11.

In this high school tournament, individuals compete in groups of four to answer trivia questions. Unlike popular game shows that oftentimes can be predictable, Quiz Bowl is rather niche.

“Quiz Bowl is very unique because it draws information from everything: the classroom, TV shows, even watching Sunday night football,” said Sehgal.

There are a variety of questions directed towards participating teams, which can range anywhere from Russian works of fiction and historical photographers to properties of the periodic table and sports archives.

With so much knowledge to retain, many Quiz Bowl players choose to specialize in particular topics. “Personally, my favorite topic is current events because I read the newspaper extensively, and it allows for it to be applied,” said Sehgal. While Sehgal appreciates the applicability of his favorite topic, Shardul Rao, 10, chose his topics based on his

own interests. “I enjoy literature and fine arts because I don’t know much about it, so it’s nice to learn, but I also like mythology because a lot of the legends and stories are super interesting,” said Rao.

rupt the announcer if they know they are right. However, the team suffers a penalty if an interrupted question is incorrectly answered. Quiz Bowl teams compete with four members at a time, but

Shardul Rao, 10, is named Player of the Week by National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT). photo courtesy of NAQT

The centerpiece of Quiz Bowl is the buzzer rules. In the game show Jeopardy, players must wait for the speaker to finish the question before answering the question, but in Quiz Bowl, there is no need to hear the entire prompt if players believe that they know the answer.

Since more points are awarded to a faster correct answer, it is to the players’ advantage to answer quickly or even inter-

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players must respond without consulting teammates for the regular round questions (bonus questions allow collaboration). To compete well, there needs to be a strong sense of trust and cohesiveness between members of a Quiz Bowl team.

So-called “trash” questions are popular among students, making up about 15 percent of the topics. Trash, or pop culture, questions are intertwined with

the more academic questions. “[The type of question is] called ‘trash’ because a lot of Quiz Bowl players look down on it and say it shouldn’t be there because it’s not really academic, but I really like it and it’s nice to have fun questions mixed in with the academic ones,” said Rao. Quiz Bowl competitors spend countless hours studying thousands of topics, practicing at weekly meetings and even participating in practice matches online.

“We always play Protobowl, which is this trivia game,” said Eric Palmer, 12.

“It helps me flex on my teammates.”

The team’s hard work has paid off, as the Mounds View A team has qualified for the nationals tournament in Atlanta this May. They hope to qualify the B team as well in the upcoming Run for the Roses tournament held at Roseville High School in February. While the Quiz Bowl team is proud to reach nationals once again, the players are always grateful for the experiences they’ve had.

“The best part is definitely the people who are in it because I’ve gotten to be pretty good friends with people who are in Quiz Bowl, not just at Mounds View,” said Rao.

Defining intelligence IQ

by Eliot Kim and Samuel Larson staff reporters

An IQ score is determined by standardized tests and measures one’s cognitive abilities, which is a person’s capacity to learn. Such tests include the The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, which analyzes different aspects of IQ such as one’s Processing Speed Index through symbol searching. The score is calculated by dividing mental age (found by tests) by biological age and multiplying by 100. The American Psychological Association found that students with higher IQ scores retain more information in school. Carolynne Ladd, an AP Psychology teacher, agreed that IQ does lead to academic success. “If your IQ is high, and therefore your SAT and ACT scores are high, there’s a correlation with how you’re going to do in your academics,” said Ladd.

The academic aptitude has been shown to correlate with success in the workforce, as IQ relates to greater competency in many fields of work. According to a 1998 study published in the Psychological Bulletin, a higher intelligence score indicates greater success in occupations with high academic qualifications such as research and management, which in turn contribute to greater income levels. In addition, above-average IQ scores correlate with a lower likelihood of committing crimes and longer life expectancy.

However, IQ scores do not effectively mea-

sure a person’s decision-making ability, critical analysis of information and ability to control impulses. A 2009 study by the Yale School of Management’s Center for Customer Insights concluded that while IQ evaluates “reason and the use of working memory,” it doesn’t measure the situational use of these abilities. Irrespective of IQ score, those who had higher scores on alternative “rational thinking” tests or EQ tests had significantly fewer negative life experiences such as unplanned pregnancy, school suspension or severe credit card debt.

While IQ can roughly indicate academic and career accomplishment, the application of this intelligence, important for critical judgment of decisions, is not taken into account.

In addition, unlike IQ, which is significantly more difficult to alter, education can improve EQ. Overall, neither IQ nor practical knowledge is sufficient without application. Ladd said that in an employment setting, if given a choice between a “really smart person who doesn’t work very hard and a really hard working person who is not quite as intelligent, I would take the hard working person in a heartbeat.”

IQ determines a basic foundation of intelligence, but future success needs rational thinking skills, patience and perseverance to build upon this knowledge base.

MV’s perce

by Madeline Jepko and Joshua Dai staff reporters

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page layout by Jenna Stellmack

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EQ

information compiledby Madeline Jepko

In today’s society, intelligence can have many different meanings. Some people may define intelligence as having a high GPA or a high ACT score since these can help with both admission to a good college and getting a good job.

However, in a school atmosphere that pushes for a more balanced life, another aspect of intelligence has become more prominent: EQ, or the emotional quotient.

Mounds View High School proudly excels in its test scores, GPA and various other academic categories. U.S. News and World Report lists the school as the 13th best senior high school in the state with a 98 percent graduation rate. According to the school district, Mounds View also boasts an average ACT score of 25.6, which is significantly higher than the national average score of 20.8.

With these statistics, Mounds View proves itself to be a very intelligent school IQ-wise, but students seem to value emotional intelligence over traditional IQ. In a poll of 200 Mounds View students, 80.5 percent said that they value EQ over IQ when considering a person’s intelligence. “EQ is more important [than IQ] because your characteristics are more important than how smart you are,” said Mari Thomas, 10. This means that students often prioritize showing empathy and correctly labeling emotions over using logic and problem solving.

“EQ [is more important] because no matter how smart you are, you will always have to deal with people and emotions,” said Ava Thelen, 12.

Though the majority of students prefer an intelligence definition that emphasizes EQ, some of the students polled still prioritize IQ over EQ.

EQ

by Janae Lee and Clara Conlin staff reporters

eption To them, the word “intelligence” means problem solving and the ability to answer questions, not social skills and sensitivity. Giaolong Nguyen, 12, thinks that the student body overall believes that “whoever can take the most AP classes” displays the most intelligence. Luna Towle, 9, believes that success in school, including “good grades and effort,” is associated with intelligence.

Some students at Mounds View believe that students should change their perception of intelligence. Thelen said that students should think of intelligence as a “growth mindset.” “I think that they shouldn’t quantify people by [intelligence].

Don’t limit your views of people by their scores,” said Thelen. Sara Shapira, 12, agrees. “Students are so fixated on succeeding rather than actually connecting to people and developing relations with others,” said Shapira.

Although many students at Mounds View believe EQ to be of greater importance, they all define intelligence somewhat differently. Some of these definitions are EQ based, some IQ based and some a mixture of both. “[Intelligence is] the ability to intake information and solve problems,” said Berke Lunstad, 11. An ambiguity surrounds both IQ and EQ as it is impossible to objectively and quantitatively assess intelligence.

Students polled generally concurred that the term EQ is fairly unknown in today’s society while IQ is more widely recognized. Defining and valuing EQ and IQ differs from person to person.

In the end, most can agree that EQ and IQ are both important intelligence factors for different reasons. “[You] can’t have one without another and be successful,” said Lunstad. Whether one excels in communications or in physics, everybody is smart in some way.

For Julie Coopet, the Foods for Life and Child Psychology teacher at Mounds View, the definition of “smart” holds a different meaning than for most other people. When she hears a parent say, “‘Oh, my kid is so smart,’” she thinks, “How do they work with people? How do they feel about themselves?” Intelligence does not just account for one’s IQ (Intelligence Quotient) but also their EQ (Emotional Quotient). “IQ predicts about 20 percent of life; that’s it, but our school bases everything on IQ. EQ is the remaining 80 percent. 80 percent of life is determined by your EQ. It’s your ability to work with people. IQ will open the door, but EQ will keep the job,” said Coopet.

EQ, broken down into five categories by American psychologist and New York Times journalist Daniel Goleman, is like a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces begin with self-awareness, the ability to understand oneself, and self-regulation, the ability to control oneself. The next component is motivation, which emphasizes a willingness to change and the driving forces behind one’s goals. Empathy, the fourth element, is vital in understanding emotions and seeing things from other points of view. The last piece is social skills, which in the context of EQ is the handling of emotions effectively.

Skills You Need, a website dedicated to life skills, divides social skills into seven different categories: influencing, communication, conflict management, leadership, change manage-

ment, bond building and collaboration skills.

Unlike IQ, there is no test capable of objectively measuring one’s EQ. “You don’t measure [EQ] in a number; you measure it in a feeling. It’s what we used to call maturity.

You know what it is when you see it. It’s not a measure. It’s a feeling. It’s a relationship. It’s an interaction,” said Coopet.

Going beyond high school, people need emotional intelligence to succeed in life.

“When you get out of high school and you go to college, it’s all about networking. It’s about who you know,” said Coopet. Martha Rush, an AP Psychology teacher, said that presentday businesses look for people who embody skills closely related with EQ. “When you look at surveys of businesses, they talk about what they call ‘soft skills,’ which I think is EQ. They’re looking for people who can work in teams and collaborate and speak and communicate, and a lot of those things have to do with EQ,” said Rush. “I mean, sure, some jobs they just want a really smart person to sit in a room by themselves and solve problems, but that’s not how most workplaces are like right now.”

EQ plays a large role in a student’s life but is often overlooked in the presence of IQ. Coopet worries that not enough students realize the importance of EQ in their lives and neglect to develop it. “I see a room full of kids with a good opportunity to talk to each other, and every phone is out. We are losing the opportunity to develop our social skills, and it’s happening now, and it’s happening all the time,” said Coopet.

l a n o i t emo cover design by Audrey Wu

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editorials

Friday, january 11, 2019

Blocking­the Internet impedes education

by Sandy Zhang staff reporter

Whether you are researching Prohibition, cigarette use or actually are caught searching for explicit information, Mounds View’s Internet usage blocking system has affected nearly every student during their high school career. With the intention of creating a better learning environment free of unnecessary and inappropriate distractions, the school district has blocked multiple sites containing non-school-appropriate materials as well as distracting media such as Snapchat and Netflix. However, although its intentions are good, the district’s blocking system is overdone and should be eliminated due to its tendency to also block out actually useful sites, failure to control access to truly inappropriate materials and ineffectiveness in actually deterring students from distractions.

Many students are probably famil-

“safe” for viewing but questionable in their credibility. The inflexible programming of the system often fails to separate sites based on their toxicity because it’s mostly based on the recognition of certain words and phrases. In cases like this, the system does not serve its original purpose of creating a safe learning environment but rather poses as an obstacle to learning.

As mentioned above, the blocking

but retailing sites such as Amazon and eBay can still extend their vape pen offers past the protection because they don’t contain clearly alarming content.

With some simple searching, students can still access inappropriate subject material within the Mounds View wifi range thanks to the loopholes created by the system itself. Due to the fact that the blocking system is nothing but a computerized program, it often fails to serve

“The district’s blocking system is overdone and should be eliminated.” iar with the pain of researching for class projects and finding that the majority of the sites on the first page of a Google search, such as websites regarding Prohibition or effects of marijuana use, are inaccessible since they contain words such as “drugs” and “alcohol.” With a large number of credible sites blocked due to the presence of “sensitive” words, students may find themselves retreating to the few sources that are deemed

illustration by Audrey Wu (above)

system is limited in its functionality.

Therefore, in addition to occasionally cutting out harmless sites, the system may also ignore some of the actually toxic sites. With millions of possibly toxic phrases out there, it becomes impossible to actually eliminate every single source of distraction. For example, inappropriate sites such as vaping.com is cut from the district wifi’s access range due to its obviously sensitive site name,

the role of a human adult in cutting out unfitting material. If only a small portion of distractions can be actually blocked, and important, non-explicit materials are blocked, then there’s little point in this blocking system.

Aside from the incomplete elimination of improper material, the system’s original intent to block off certain distracting media is limited in nature. Many students are familiar with the blockage

of Snapchat about two years ago that disabled the usage of the app within the district’s wifi range, as well as the recent elimination of Netflix. While the blocking of these media sites added temporary headaches for many, the cleverness of the student body soon found ways around it. By downloading VPN firewall apps or just using something as simple as LTE on mobile networks, students can easily resume snapping their streaks or binge watching the twentieth season of The Bachelor during math class. If blocking is ineffective, what’s the point of investing time and district spending in the additional programming?

Some in favor of the blocking system may argue that it does in fact play a critical role in eliminating a large number of distractive sites, including some not school-appropriate media. However, the act of trying to control the range of accessible internet content will never solve the problem in the long run. If students do not possess the ability to exhibit self-control and understand the value of learning, they will only find one way after another to look for loopholes in the system, diminishing the whole purpose of blocking. Instead of relying on media control to ensure the maintenance of a positive learning environment, more focus should be put on directly educating students about the right values to truly engage them in learning. An ideal learning environment is only possible when the majority of students in a class place their studies higher than other distractions. If students themselves can voluntarily “block” out the distractions in school, there would be much less pain in both finding credible websites for research and paying those data bills.

Do you think you play a sport?

Maybe not.

by Ben Steil debates editor What makes a sport a sport? In an age in which there continues to be new variations on the term, such as eSports (video games), it is an interesting question to consider. In my opinion, there are a few criteria to consider when determining whether a certain activity should be considered a sport or whether it should be given another designation entirely.

Firstly, it is clear that to be a sport, there must be some amount of skilled physical activity. The physical part of the activity must be inherently skillful, not just requiring some sort of motion. That rules out activities such as chess and craps. Even though these activities might require some sort of strategy, the lack of skill required to say, move a pawn on the chessboard or throw dice disqualifies them from being a sport. Pastimes that may require some strategy but don’t require any physical skill should be placed in the category of “games.”

Secondly, for an activity to be considered a sport, it is necessary for it to have an objective way of scoring; that is, players are required to score their points on their own. Reliance on judges to award points takes away from the

athlete’s ability to directly impact the outcome of the match. Pursuits that fit into this definition should be considered “performances,” as the goal of the athletes is to perform for the judges in order to receive points. Activities this category would include dance, diving, figure skating and gymnastics.

The final requirement to qualify as a sport is direct competition with the opponent. In more specific terms, this is the ability to interfere with your opponent and legally take action to impact your opponent in some way. This might include physically interfering with the opponent. One example of this parameter is tackling opponents in football. It also includes sports like tennis, in which players attempt to score points by hitting the ball in a manner that makes it difficult for the other competitor to return the ball back.

The lack of direct competition with an opponent creates another category, “competitions,” which include cross country races, track and field events, swim races and golf tournaments. In these events, athletes are really competing against themselves, trying to achieve the best time, distance or other metric to which the competition pertains.

Although in my eye these are the three minimum criteria required for an event to be considered a true “sport,” the label shouldn’t take away from any other competitions, games or performances that exist, nor the excitement of observing them. The anticipation of watching a make-or-break hand played in a poker game for millions of dollars, admiring the beauty of a perfectly executed floor routine in gymnastics or seeing who’s going to come out in front in the 100-meter dash all create a sense of excitement and entertainment for the spectators. These three criteria also should not take away from the accomplishments or prowess of the athletes who compete in these events. In their respective divisions, the best of the best are still considered champions for a good reason. It isn’t easy to complete the fastest decathlon in the world. These athletes are still considerable men and women.

Taking a look back to the original example and given these three rules, should eSports be considered a real sport? Firstly, skilled physical activity— although many would frown at competitors sitting in their chairs “doing nothing,” it does take considerable quickness of the hands and fingers to compete at

a high level in video games. Secondly, most eSports do have an objective way to win the game, such as eliminating all opponents before being eliminated themselves. Finally, direct interference with the opponent is commonly the method of winning the match, hence the genre of multiplayer games. For most eSports, especially for those that involve some kind of battle, the term “sport” is appropriate.

The three criteria outlined above

“For most eSports... the term ‘sport’ is appropriate.” give a good definition for general use when determining what category a certain activity should belong in. Although there may be some gray areas, clearly defining what is and is not a sport helps better differentiate the various activities people participate in.

DEBATES

Friday, January 11, 2019

9

Open campuses: abolish or allow?

Keep students safe It’s the best option

by Michael Gennaro news editor When students come to school, their first priority should be to get an education, not to go and pick up their favorite fast food during the middle of school hours. An open campus would be a terrible distraction to students. The idea poses the risk of unsupervised students, wastes time and potentially increases student tardiness and unexcused absences.

The school’s future renovation plans will increase security at the front entrance of the school. Mounds View will add a check-in system similar to that of Chippewa Middle School—complete with a greeter who buzzes visitors in at the front desk by the door. While this ensures that every student who enters and leaves the school during off-peak times is accounted for, the system will be strained if students are also let out for lunch. The security process would not be able to efficiently handle large numbers of students who want to grab lunch off campus. Letting people, students or otherwise, come and go without supervision would lead to an unsafe campus, and the school’s administration wouldn’t be able to track visitors in the building.

In addition to being potentially unsafe, leaving during the school day and

then coming back is a misuse of time.

While the school’s cafeteria food might not be as satisfactory as, say, McDonald’s, students should resist leaving every day and wasting nonessential money on food and gas—not to mention the nutritional damage of repeatedly consuming fast food. An open campus would also result in extended lunch time and cut into time for learning, which is the point of going to school. The policy could also add on extra time to the school day to make up for the longer lunch break.

Finally, given that students leave during the day, there would undoubtedly be a significant increase in the amount of tardies and absences from classes. Lack of proper planning and the countless distractions outside of school could delay students’ return to school and make them late for class. The main goal of school is to educate students, and opening up the campus would defeat this goal by making it easier for students to be tardy or skip class.

There really is no valid reason to leave school during the day. The school gives its students an education and a lunch to eat, which are the only things students should be worried about during school. The McDonald’s can wait.

illustration by Audrey Wu

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by Vicky Li staff reporter Chicken patties, Italian sandwiches and a plethora of baked Lays chips.

The Mounds View cafeteria overflows with the typical food options, confined within four cafeteria walls. Once you buy hot food, many times the school staff will not let you leave the lunchroom. For many of those who prefer to purchase school lunch, the crowded cafeteria can be an inconvenient eating situation. Even more so, the food options become much less appealing after eating them every day for years on end.

Lunchtime in high school allows students to take a break from classes, de-stress and eat a nutritional meal to fuel themselves for the rest of the day.

However, no national standards exist for lunch period lengths. With Mounds View’s 30-minute lunch blocks, overcrowded lunchrooms and mundane food options, The food options it hardly feels like become much a break. less appealing

after eating them M o u n d s View has for years.” a history of having closed campus lunch hours. Even now, the school has been cracking down on food leaving the lunchroom, forcing students to remain in the cafeteria. While student safety and class-skipping poses a valid concern, keeping students confined within the cafeteria, and even the school building, detracts from the freedom and possibilities of the lunch hour.

According to the Public Health Advocacy Institute, around 27 percent of all american high schools have an open campus policy. Typically, their lunches last for an hour, allowing students to drive to nearby restaurants and purchase food. The freedom of having an open campus lunch could teach students responsibility, from spending to time management. With the option to leave campus, students must decide for themselves how to spend their money and when to return to class. Students must effectively develop these important skills in high school to prepare themselves for college, which grants students complete freedom.

An open campus also provides more food options for students. While the cafeteria provides choices, they become bland throughout the year.

“

With the presence of various restaurant establishments within a few miles of the school, allowing students to go off campus opens up a world of eating possibilities. Not only this, but students with dietary restrictions have a broader array of options for lunch.

Furthermore, research shows that extending school lunch periods proves beneficial for student health. At Mounds View, students typically take around 10 minutes to walk to the lunchroom, wait in line and find a spot to sit down, leaving them only 20 minutes to actually eat their lunch. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2016 states that students given less than 20 minutes to eat ended up consuming 13 percent less of their entree, 10 percent less milk and 12 percent less vegetables than those given just five more minutes to eat in the same room, eating the same food. Thus, more lunch time is shown to directly correlate with the amount eaten and nutritional value of students’ lunches. With a closed campus lunch, lunch periods are inherently shorter, detracting from these benefits.

As high schoolers, much of our day includes sitting at a desk, listening to lectures and doing homework.

A Tork USA study done in May 2018 showed that a longer break in the middle of the day improves engagement and creative thinking in the workplace.

Such benefits would definitely apply in a school setting, as well. An open campus would allow students to get more time to socialize, remove themselves from the stress of high school and bolster productivity when working.

The switch to an open campus policy would cause a multitude of changes, some beneficial and some concerning. Although it could pose safety and truancy concerns, t h e policy Opening the would campus to allow a l s o grant for more freedom students m o r e would benefit student health.” freedom and, in t u r n , train student responsibility, an integral skill to grasp early on in life. Especially with the recent emphasis on mental health, opening the campus to allow for more freedom would benefit student health while detaching students from the demands of a challenging school day.

“

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Arts & Entertainment

A fresh take on Spidey

by Nancy Koshy staff reporter “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is a computer-animated superhero film that displays a new take on the classic Spider-Man films. Set in twenty-first century Brooklyn, the movie follows Miles Morales, an AfroLatino teenager struggling to adapt to his new private school. While drawing graffiti in a subway station, Miles gets bitten by a radioactive spider. The next day, he starts sticking onto walls and can suddenly sense when danger will strike. After coincidentally meeting with Peter Parker, Miles realizes his symptoms are actually Spider-Man powers. The film follows Miles as he tries to use his Spidey powers and works together with other “Spider-People” to fight evil.

This new movie is the fourth Spider-Man movie released in the last six years. The use of computer graphics and animation in the latest film helps set it apart from the others and make it more enjoyable overall.

With its excellent visuals, the film won Best Animated Feature Film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards. The animation brings the original comic book to life while keeping the integrity of its origin. The use of comic-like text and panels that appear alongside the normal anima-

Monday, January 11, 2019

tion bring a modern vibe to the movie. Familiar comic sound effects and bubbles fill the screen, adding to the anxiety and excitement of important scenes. Although at first these transitions and bright colors feel a little jarring, the audience quickly gets used to them. These flashy panels help viewers reminisce about reading the original comics, making “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse” truly unique.

The protagonist’s realistic characteristics also make the movie more relatable and enjoyable. The movie begins with Miles running late for school and greeting his old friends while speaking in a mix of Spanish and English. This is a nice surprise that pays tribute to the cultural diversity in large cities like Brooklyn. The lack of subtitles forces the audience to decipher the sporadic Spanish. Additionally, unlike other superheros, Miles doesn’t completely understand his powers until the end of the movie. He isn’t immediately able to take the “leap of faith,” trusting his superhero powers and mission to save Brooklyn. Miles’s initial reluctance in his role as Spiderman is portrayed in a realistic, almost relatable way. This realism even seeps into the depiction of other characters. For instance, Peter Parker from another universe doesn’t feel ready to have kids, leading to his marital problems. This portrayal shows a differ-

ent, more raw side to America’s beloved superhero and allows the audience to empathize with his struggles.

With an unusually high Rotten Tomato score of 97 percent, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” deserves all the praise it has received.. In an overly saturated market, it stands out with its stellar animation and realistic characteristics. Although some may say the plot is straightforward and nothing special, the unique characters bring the story to life and captivate the audience. Regardless of age, people can truly enjoy this movie for being a hilarious and adventurous superhero film.

nity cited that another large issue of “YouTube Rewind 2018” was the lack of representation of more popular, recognizable creators. None of the popular Youtubers like Mr. Beast, PewDiePie, Shane Dawson or David Dobrik were represented in the video. This shows the disconnect between YouTube, its creators and the audience. All of the Youtubers aforementioned have millions of followers and have been trending at various times throughout the year, all factors that should have qualified them to make an appearance in the video. The video continues with the Fortnite theme and features semi-popular, lesser known Youtubers before pausing to acknowledge YouTube’s cultural diversity. While this may seem like a good enough idea to represent cultures and ethnicities, YouTube Rewind isn’t supposed to be about celebrating diversity and pushing a specific agenda, it should be about recapping a year of YouTube.

Another issue with the video is its overall lack of jokes that are not G-rated. This is in part due to Youtube’s real purpose of producing the Rewind videos these past few years—the videos are an advertisement technique that targets companies potentially interested in putting their ads on Youtube’s website. Because of this, the videos have evolved to become less about all the different creators that have shaped Youtube and more about specific themes that Youtube chooses to promote to advertisers. This often leads to selecting the safest and most family friendly jokes and content,

ignoring the channels that are statistically growing the most. In fact, David Dobrik, an extremely popular channel with over ten million subscribers, was completely overlooked due to his lack of “family friendly” content.

The video then cuts to an “In My Feelings” challenge, a dance challenge where people record themselves dancing by a moving car to the tune of Drake’s song “In My Feelings.” This was a testament to something big on Youtube this year. While this was a good break from most of the subpar content the video showed so far, it returns to mediocrity. What follows is a barrage of in-your-face skits with no real meaning, a remix of a Cardi B song and a compilation of (you guessed it) Fortnite dances.

While this video does have a bright spot or two, its overall watchability is diminished due to out-of-place moments such as randomly inserting an “empowering” message about cultural diversity instead of giving time to the successful Youtubers the audience hopes to see.

Don’t bother clicking the link unless you are looking to add on to its already record dislike total.

and I went to Colita on a Tuesday evening, the restaurant was nearly full but not too noisy. Colita’s menu is entirely gluten-free that fits on a single sheet of paper with dishes on one side and drinks on the other side.

We ordered a Crispy Masa Chip, Baked Island Oysters and Kansas City Pork Ribs. Friendly waiters ensured that our glasses of water were always full and quickly removed finished plates.

The Crispy Masa Chip came with a single large masa chip that covered nearly half of the plate and two bowls of dip: guacamole and guajillo salsa. The guacamole was smooth and creamy and had a perfect balance of lemon and salt. The guajillo salsa contained guajillo chiles which added a mildly spicy yet sweet taste.

Next came six large oysters topped with a delicious combination of bacon, parmesan and chives that left us licking the oyster shells. The oysters came on a bed of rock salt with cinnamon, star anise and other spices.

Although the garnishes were a bit excessive, it did make the dish smell quite nice. The Kansas City Pork Ribs were carefully decorated with green onions and cucumbers. Although the ribs appeared to be covered in a barbeque-like sauce, they had a surprisingly pleasant

taste reminiscent of the guajillo salsa.

While Colita scores big in atmosphere and tasty foods, it does have a couple of drawbacks. Located in southwest Minneapolis, Colita is a 30 to 40 minute drive from Mounds View High School, depending on traffic. The dishes cost about $15 each, but the quality of the food can justify the price. The dishes also take a relatively long time to serve, but this is understandable given the care and effort put into each dish.

Overall, Colita is an excellent restaurant that definitely should be considered for any upcoming dinner celebration. Located at 5400 Penn Ave. S, Minneapolis, Colita is open from 5-10 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and from 5-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

photo courtesy of Sony Pictures (left)

Time to rewind the 2018 rewind

by Brock Nelson staff reporter

Fifteen million—more than the population of New Jersey and Minnesota combined—is the total number of people that have disliked Youtube’s newest video “YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind.”

The video is now the most disliked video on the entire site by over 5 million, topping Justin Bieber’s “Baby” music video. While many people find this hate justified, some may ask, “What makes this year’s Youtube Rewind so bad?”

Every year around the holiday season, Youtube publishes a video about the year’s experiences on the site, including popular songs, people and movements.

While Youtube has only been creating these recaps since 2011, the site itself has been running since 2007.

These videos have harbored mixed reactions: While most have received positive feedback, this year’s video has been regarded as the worst out of the eight by far.

To start, the video begins with Will Smith saying he wants Fortnite, a highly popular video game in 2018, to be included in video. While this may seem innocent enough, Fortnite becomes the inspiration for the setting and main ideas of the video. To the dismay of many Youtube fans, the large emphasis on Fortnite takes away from the video’s ability to explore other events that occurred during the year. The YouTube commu-

photo courtesy of flickr.com (left)

Colita: gas station to upscale eatery

by Kimberly Shen staff reporter The restaurant scene in Minneapolis has a new player joining its team. Colita, newly opened earlier last fall, brings a variety of exquisite plates that are impressive both in appearance and in taste. The unique atmosphere inside is classy yet casual and includes an eye-catching garden wall behind a circular bar. In the short time since its opening, Colita has drawn the community’s attention and for a good reason.

Colita opened on Oct. 16, 2018, in a former gas station in Minneapolis. Daniel del Prado is the head chef and owner of the restaurant. del Prado is expanding his reach after successfully opening and running Martina, a renowned Argentinian restaurant in Minneapolis. Colita, on the other hand, focuses on Mexican cuisine, especially from the Oaxaca region of Southern Mexico. Colita specializes in smoked meats and masa (food made from corn flour) but also explores cooking techniques from other regions of Mexico.

Woody furniture and flickering candles create a cozy, southern atmosphere inside Colita, inspired by the same region as the cuisine served. When my mom

photos courtesy of Kimberly Shen (above)

sports

Friday, January 11, 2019

MV skiers command the cold

11

Alpine team spirit shines throughout the season

by Michelle Sung and Emily Feng staff reporters Despite the lack of snow, ski season moves quickly into Minnesota.

The Mounds View Alpine Ski Team, equipped with pairs of skis and a strong team dynamic, prepares for another exciting season ahead of them.

In order to succeed this season, the team needs to rebound to fill the spots of the five seniors who graduated last year. Kaarl Damberg, a senior captain of the team, maintains an optimistic perspective of the season. He continues to pursue both his personal and team goals after a close race at state last year. “The team goal is always to get top five at sections. Last year, I won sections and went to state to win the first run but fell the second run. My goal would be to make it to state again,” said Damberg. As one of the few seniors on the team, Damberg has a leadership role to fulfill and hopes to set a precedent for new and ambitious skiers.

With this in mind, the ski team does not expect their goals to accomplish themselves. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the 25 skiers on the team wait outside Mounds View for their coach bus to take them on an hour-long trip to Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls, where practices are held. Practices often consist of rigorous courses created by

Kaarl Damberg, 12, at last year’s MSHSL ski meet, knocking down a gate.

photo by Ann Nash

the coaches designed to train the athletes for their upcoming races. After running these courses for an hour, the team finishes up by taking down the gates and organizing them in the chalet.

The ski team does not exclusively hold training sessions during the winter—the captains are determined to keep the team well trained throughout the year. “Before we start practicing on snow, we have dry land training, so we’ll do a bunch of different workouts.

We also have captains’ practices before that,” said Emma Hanson, 12.

Though these practices are tiring, the spirited team energy keeps the team members positive. The skiers hold various team activities to develop the team

dynamic. “We organize some team events like Secret Santa. We design apparel, [and] we help give tips and advice to younger skiers,” said Hanson. Such activities strengthen the team’s bonds and reinforce enthusiasm towards the sport. Kale Johnson, 11, added, “We have carbo-loads every Sunday, and then we have a team sleepover the night before the Buck Hill Invite. The guys go to someone’s house, and the girls go to someone else’s house.”

Johnson started skiing at the age of four and fell in love with the sport right away. “It’s exhilarating, and it’s a lot harder than you would think; it’s a challenge. It consists of a lot of self control,” said Johnson. Like Damberg, Johnson

aspires to accomplish his individual goal to make All-Conference this season.

Although fulfilling his personal goals is a priority, Johnson keeps his team in mind. “My team goal is to have fun with the team and be able to support everyone,” said Johnson.

On Dec. 21, the alpine ski team had their first race of the season: the Wild Mountain Invite. “In our standards, we did pretty well. We placed well even though we didn’t expect much out of it,” said Amiina Ingah, 11. Placing 13th out of 23 teams, the team began the season with a strong jumpstart on the path towards personal growth. Damberg finished with a stunning first place individually, beating the second place racer by over a full second. “It was a great start to the season. The team held a strong, determined mindset, and we also got to bond with each other by talking throughout the race,” said Johnson.

With their new teammates and strong leadership, the Mounds View Alpine Ski Team hopes for the best out of this winter season. Already off to a great beginning, the team’s next conference meet is on Tuesday, Jan. 15 at Afton Alps.

Cross country, nordic style

by Jarod Koeppl and Hayden Eckert staff reporters Standing at the edge of a snowcapped peak, thrill-seeking skiers prepare themselves for the adrenaline rush—plummeting down the icy slope with the brisk winter wind in their faces. While this may be the typical image of skiers that people manifest in their minds, it does not represent the sport as a whole. Unlike alpine skiing, nordic skiing is a longer cross-country style race through the snow.

At the high school level, nordic ski races are typically five kilometers long.

There are two different types of techniques: classic and skate. The differences between the two races ultimately come down to technique. During a classic race, skiers keep their feet pointed

directly in front of them while moving their legs forward and backward in a running motion. On the other hand, skiers will angle their feet and perform more of a skating motion while skate skiing, hence the name.

The two techniques also use different equipment. A classic race utilizes longer skis and shorter ski poles than a skate race, and a gripping wax is applied to a section of the bottom of the ski as opposed to the gliding wax applied to the entire ski for skate skiing. Seven skiers from each school are allowed to race per event at a meet, and the top four finishing times are totaled for the overall team score.

While the limited snowfall this winter has lead to mediocre skiing conditions, senior captain Nate Moller be-

Ty Christianson, 12, skis at the Elm Creek Classic Race on Jan. 3.

lieves the season has gone well so far and anticipates a strong finish. “We have a very strong senior class with some up and coming freshmen and sophomores.

I’m looking forward to the conference and section championships to see what our team is capable of,” said Moller.

While nordic skiing can sometimes be overshadowed by other winter sports, it is more popular at Mounds View than students may realize, especially among the senior class. The nordic team has some of the greatest senior participation of any winter sport with 18 seniors on the team this year, just short of the 22 nordic members from all other grades combined.

“I think there are more seniors than other grades because we had a decent amount of skiers [during my] fresh-

man year, and then we convinced more and more people to join as we have progressed through high school,” said Moller.

Nordic skiing is an exciting and technical sport. By utilizing waxes and ski poles, the sport requires a strong sense of balance and intense focus. “My personal goal is to reduce how often I fall in races and finish every race knowing I tried my hardest,” said Jessica Peterson, 12. With a determined and motivated mindset, the athletes will train throughout the season to continually improve.

(left to right) Katia Bartels, 10, Gabrielle Olson, 12, and Elena Bartels, 10, prepare to compete at the Elm Creek Classic Race on Jan. 3. photos by Alicia Griffin Mills

Y WG O L V G G R I U T U P B L O C K I UR DD Y EWIGROE LGVN GH G I UMTCU J PNBV LA OL CP KI N I MU N E VI ORCECGCNO HM U DD D L H A I I M S K Q MC J N V A L P I N L I WM D A J A Z I V JOTC I CP CI OR M DM FU G NI DWLAHZAU IO IOMY SO K UQ T L GI LWI MSDS AP JI AD ZE R I

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top 10

New Year’s Resolutions (for real)

a job to earn 10 Get your own money Be less sarcastic 9 a new 8 Explore hobby Learn to write 7 a gym buddy 6 Get (and workout too!)

Quit procrastinating 5 a new 4 Find Netflix show 3 520x768,1600x900, 1920x1080 (think about it)

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Set time limits on social media apps

Sleep. 1

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P G E P C G T E G C N T Z G B N E

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community center spiderverse

open campus

quiz bowl

youtube rewind

alpine

blocking

nordic

colita

IZI

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Pet of The Issue

Name: Clark Age: 10 years old Gender: Male  Layout & artwork © Copyright 2018 Education.com Breed: Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog) Owner: Ben Rosin, 10 & English teacher Liv Rosin Favorite Toy: Whatever you are playing with ®

 fun facts

Clark...

®

Layout & artwork © Copyright 2018 Education.com

hates fireworks, the snow plow & thunderstorms. loves watermelon. never barks when people come to the house because he loves company — even the UPS man.

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