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Friday, December 6, 2013
Volume 61, Issue 5
Tragedy unites MV, Cretin students
by Logan Maccani staff reporter
As rivals in academics and sports, Mounds View and Cretin Derham Hall students have competed for years. However, when tragedy struck Cretin this fall, students put aside their differences and found compassion and friendship. On Nov. 10, a Cretin football player was killed in a car accident. Max Lowell drove straight into an electrical pole in Eagan, cutting off power to surrounding houses for hours, and ultimately ending his life. The school lost another student, Ben Mueller, to suicide the same week. The support has been flowing in to the school ever since. “The death shows that the bond between our schools is more than just a competition and goes beyond the playing field,” said Joe Janey, 11. Janey was just one of Mounds View’s football players who has tried to support the football player and family. Lowell’s funeral was held on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Janey, Nick Schwartz, Charlie Callahan, and Ryan Kaczynski all attended, though they did not know this student athlete personally. “Around 1,600 people were there. A lot were family and also supporting students from other schools,” said Callahan, 11.
Reloaded
New Nerf Assassins game to start this by Sophie Jaszewski staff reporter The Nerf battle that revved up students’ summer is returning, with some revisions. The three moderators, seniors Chance Carnahan, Sola Olateju, and Robins Mdoka, are doing everything to help those who have not have had the knowledge of it — or missed registration deadlines — to join. To make it more convenient for interested students, copies of registration forms will be available at school and online, in the hopes of having even more participation. A modified Nerf Assassins game will start after first semester ends. “We want to have stricter rules and better organization overall,” said Chance Carnahan, 12. Although the adrenalinespiking game was fun for most, players often argued over the rules. The game moderators plan on analyzing the previous game, as well as games at other schools in the state, to ensure all runs relatively smooth come winter.
Though the concrete rules are still up in the air, the boys did come to agreements on some of the changes. “If you’re caught lying, you’re entire team’s out,” said Sola Olateju, 12. To avoid bribery, revival tokens will be hidden by game moderators only. The timing of the game was a topic disputed. “Running outside and having people shooting other people in the winter is ridiculous,” said Nick Gedig, 12, a former participant in the game. Others prefer a winter game. “January’s perfect because the game will probably take, lets say, four months, so if kids want to start a game in June, July, or August it will work too,” said Olateju. They ultimately agreed to do a winter game. As for the turnout of this game, the game moderators are taking several actions to publicize in hopes to increase the number of players, including an emphasis on Twitter activity. “It’s going to be bigger and better than ever…No one’s safe,” said Carnahan.
All day for everyone by Sean Sabeti-Oseid staff reporter From crayon artwork to outside recess, many Mounds View students have fond memories of their time as kindergartners. For most, it was a pleasant way to ease into real school, with half days and plenty of time to go home and play, although some students’ parents paid for an “all-day” class. Beginning next year, all students will be attending all-day kindergarten, and the curriculum will be more structured, like first grade. Longer school days will give students more time to learn and interact with their peers, while coming at no cost to parents within the district. Legislators have approved funding that will reimburse full time kindergarten, making the program accessible to anyone in the district. This is part of a broader plan to better prepare all forthcoming students for higher education. Administrators like Angie Peschel, Director of Curriculum, believe that starting new students off with all-day kindergarten should be a part of this process. “By offering all-day kindergarten to all our students, we are able to provide increased opportunities for all students ...” said Peschel. In years past, there was an option of having an extended day, but with a fee and no additional academic supplement. Beginning next year, there will be one or two designated buildings for students who participate in the program. Reminiscing about their childhood memories, some students are happy about what the changes will bring. “I remember being almost bored because I didn’t have anything to do. I wouldn’t mind a jumpstart in math to transition from non academics to full academics,” said Asa Carlson, 11. However, others are skeptical of how this would enhance students’ learning. “I don’t think extended experience with kindergarten will necessarily help children with their development,” said Mark Sheldon, 11.
Do you wish you had all-day kindergarten? “Yes, to meet new people and explore uncharted waters.” - Pushkar Chaubal, 11
“No, you miss out on meeting people in your area.” - Laura Leavens, 12
“No, because you wouldn’t have older people to look up to.” - Priya Tandon, 11
2editorials
December 6, 2013
TOP Student debt:
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Great team player
“Strives for success”
“Values learning”
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My greatest weakness is my perfectionism
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Better than Graham Goodwiler
Got an ‘A’ in Mr. Wright’s class first semester
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I give back to the community
I’m a people person
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I went on a mission trip one summer I try hard
2013-2014 Viewer Editors Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor
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Phoebe Ke
Sasha Safonov Manager of Design Kyoka Millard Business Manager Nina Bertelsen News Monica Kemp Editorials Tristan Aschittino Alistair Tang Features Ryan Yoch Nicole Wahlin Spread Neha Sethi Tommy Sletten Variety Namrata Gadela Reviews Kyoka Millard James Birr Sports Maddy Rosenow Molly Hancuh Gallery Rebecca Nara Photographers/Artists Ben Kaiser Anders Nygaard Michaela Morse Adviser Martha Rush
Online Crew
James Birr, Kobi Endrizzi,
Joe Janey, Nathaniel Nikoi
Staff Aaron Adams, Ross Armstrong,
Michael Ban, Emma Blume, Daniel DeWitt, Sarah Dhols-Graf, Thomas Doty, Brittany Durbahn, Andy Glischinski, Eva Hoffman, Sophia Jaszewski, Ryan Kaczynski, Persis Ke, Jonathan Kim, Benjamin Kingsriter, Vicky Lee, Matthew Lubratt, Logan Maccani, Tess Martin, Brooke Olson, Jacob Reisdorfer, Katrina Renacia, Kellen Rholl, Emily Ruan, Joshua Rydberg, Sean Sabeti-Oseid, Nicholas Standridge, Tatiana Steward, Carlie Sullivan, Mikayla Toninato, Max Van de Werken, Clara Wang, Josh Yuan
The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing
Editors Agree
STAFF EDITORIAL 1
Editor Disagrees
Stop this crisis from ruining our generation
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How will I pay for college? I suppose I could get a loan through the government—interest rates aren’t all that bad. I’ll always be able to pay it off when I get a job after graduation anyway. Or will I? One in five American households have more than $26,000 in student loan debt. This debt makes it more difficult for young adults to get a financial footing. How can they take out a loan to buy cars or houses, or anything for that matter, when they are so indebted? With such financial dangers at hand, postsecondary education is arguably life’s most important financial decision. Tuition shows no signs of going down, so it is time for students like us, as well as the government and universities themselves, to take steps to reduce the crippling effects of tuition and debt. How did we get here? Higher education is a double-edged sword. It is an utter necessity in the social and economic climate of today, and yet it burdens students. Universities are capitalizing on that necessity, all while operating under the arm of an overprotective Uncle Sam. Government issued student loans from 2011-2012 accounted for 93 percent of all student loans, according to Forbes. The government tries to keep loans cheap to minimize debt as much as possible, but that creates a flood of money that colleges are all too eager to take and squander. Fitness centers, student movie theaters, grand sports complexes, dormitory expansions and refurbishing, private student bathrooms, and even student bars in some instances are costing universities millions of dollars, and the rate of construction is accelerating rapidly as colleges compete for the eyes of curious potential enrollees. According to the New York Times, Harvard, America’s wealthiest university retains $6 billion in debt, much incurred from a multi-billion dollar campus expansion project. Across the country, the 500
cartoon by Michaela Morse
public and private universities rated by the Moody Corporation including Miami University (Ohio), New York University, and Harvard have compiled $205 billion in debt as of 2011. How do they repay it? In a vicious cycle, by raising tuition. What can we do? The answer cannot be to reject higher education. College is an investment in the investor’s own human capital. It is potentially a very profitable one, according to Jeffrey M. Lacker, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Median lifetime earnings of a bachelor’s degree holder are $2.3 million as opposed to $1.3 million for those with no postsecondary schooling. But students must approach the college investment with caution. Once the investment has been made, it cannot be undone. There are also no tangible goods in the investor’s possession as a safety net; the entire investment must be made on faith in one’s own ability and trust in the job market. Not every graduate can earn enough to repay the loans, and it’s even worse for those who do not graduate. The current college dropout rate is near 50 percent. Dropouts often find it impossible to continue to finance their
education or they realize at the worst possible time that they were not college ready. Dropouts experience next to no net earning increases like degree holders, but they never get their money back for their first academic years spent in the wrong place (economically speaking). These problems must be addressed. First, high schools should implement financial education programs ensuring that all students are aware of opportunities outside of four-year college. Technical schools and trade schools might be the right choice for some students. This only solves part of the problem, however: it doesn’t prevent colleges and universities from raising tuition to fund extravagance. Institutions of higher education must take responsibility for their exorbitant expenditures. Because the government is the only entity with the resources and funding to undertake the task of regulating public universities, it should go about doing so, capping tuition (allowing it to fluctuate with inflation) and overseeing major expenses, sifting out multi-milliondollar fitness centers and the like. The flow of government-supplied student loans and grants into private universities should also be sharply restricted to force prices down. The public, the investors in higher education, also have a duty to asses the situation in which they find themselves. Students should make sure they are college ready before they decide to enroll and familiarize themselves with the prospective earnings their major will allow them to achieve. An art major probably will not pave the way for a six figure salary, but a nuclear engineering student may have a better means of obtaining such a payout. Tuition is outrageous and student debt is dangerous, but many things can be done, both by the government, the universities, and the public to end the shaky situation that students find themselves in upon leaving high school.
Bro, do you even cite? by Nina Bertelsen business manager A bibliography, the dreaded requirement of every project, takes only a few minutes and is easy points; yet, students groan when it appears on a rubric and often times will turn in a page of URLs instead of actually citing their sources. Students need to stop whining and take a few minutes on EasyBib to properly complete this simple task. Bibliographies are required for every research project you’ll ever do. Their purpose isn’t to make life difficult. Bibliographies give credit to authors that have put hours of work into compiling research and writing articles. They give credit where credit is due.
The most puzzling reason people complain about bibliographies is the “hassle” and “time” citing sources takes. With websites like EasyBib.com, it takes just a few minutes to complete. Automatically using MLA formatting, you only need to copy paste a URL into EasyBib and it’ll generate the entire citation for you. URL doesn’t provide all the information? Take a few seconds to scroll down and look for the author’s name or day it was published at the bottom of the page. Such a short period of time can give you the 10 extra points, raising the grade of your paper or project. It’s understandable why students give bibliographies a bad rap. In middle school, all would be herded down to the library for
the annual “how-to-cite-for-this-big-paper” presentation, which was inevitably horribly boring and unhelpful—as was the citation guide in the front of the planner that they told you to use. MLA? Annotation? Website? One Author? Two? Contributor? Editor? Date Accessed? It all became a jumble of words and the class would zone out. But in high school, the jargon has become manageable. A bibliography is no longer a hassle and is instead a basic requirement. It doesn’t serve you or your group members any good to complain about doing a bibliography.With EasyBib it takes just a few minutes to fulfill a simple requirement. So stop turning in a list of links, protect yourself from plagiarizing, and use EasyBib!
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.
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editorials
December 6, 2013
Dirt, damage, and disrespect by Alistair Tang editorials editor Dying of boredom at school? Looking for a thrill or something to feed your sadistic appetite? Try heading into your nearest restroom. Inside, there’s so much to be done. You could kick over a waste basket and watch as dirty paper towels decorate the ground. Or maybe take a part of your lunch that you don’t like and throw it on the walls. Sticky things like yogurt and applesauce work great! Then take a step back and admire your work, and exit the restroom giggling at your handiwork. The next day those pesky janitors might get fed up and lock the restroom so no one can use it, but that’s no problem. Your momentary adrenaline rush was worth inconveniencing all the other students who use the restroom, right? Wrong. Far too often the actions of students at Mounds View come at the cost of others. While most students wouldn’t trash a restroom for no intelligible reason, a large portion of the student body still acts similarly on a smaller scale. This is evident by the steady influx of litter, classrooms disrupted by obnoxious banter, and in extreme cases overturned waste baskets and desecrated restrooms. The cause of this problem can range anywhere from negligence to outright maliciousness. However, the cause is only important in identifying the solution: students need to be more respectful towards their peers and the staff.
photo by Alistair Tang
A trash can emptied into a restroom sink, just another case of school vandalism. Many instances of disrespect can happen unintentionally. For many, going to school is an utterly unenjoyable chore, save for socializing. Unfortunately, this most often occurs during a class. Before you start to chatter with your friends however, consider the thoughts of others. When you socialize, you disrupt the class, and in that process disrupt the learning experience of your classmates. While you may consider the class to be “easy” or may simply not care about your grade, other students may be struggling in the class and are putting their best efforts towards paying attention to the teacher’s lesson.
Disrupting the class also displays a complete disrespect towards the teacher, who spent hours preparing for the class only to have their plans tarnished by the selfish interests of a few students. Due to the rigors of high school life, it is likely that you adopt a few lazy habits, which is natural and perfectly fine. Unless, of course, these habits affect others. Most people wouldn’t mind if you came to school without your hair perfectly straight or if you preferred to nap instead of joining an extracurricular. People do mind when you create a mess and leave it unattended. This creates an unpleasant sight for other students, and adds to the workload of the janitors, who already work around the clock to try to keep our school clean and don’t need any selfishly minded kids making their job harder. All these issues can easily be remedied if students had more respect towards others. If everyone took the time to clean up their own messes, the school would be a lot cleaner. Saving your conversations for after class would make the learning experience of your classmates a lot smoother, as well as show appreciation towards the teacher for all the time they spend trying to educate you. Showing respect towards others isn’t always the easiest thing to do, and it’s rarely the most convenient path. But if you take that extra step, the benefits are near limitless. You may find that one “boring class” is actually interesting, or that the school is a whole lot cleaner.
MPAA—rated R for ridiculous by James Birr online managing editor
Apparently you can go to the movies and see a man get shot in the chest three times but can’t hear one of those seven dirty words. According to a study published in the December issue of the medical journal Pediatrics, the amount of gun violence in PG-13 movies has risen drastically since the film rating system’s first days, even besting the amount of gun violence in R rated films. Films such as Skyfall or The Dark Knight Rises push the levels of violence to an extreme in films that are supposed to be deemed safe for children. According to Pediatrics, there is a link between a higher level of aggression and gun violence in film, dubbed the “weapons effect.” Although such an effect is very abstract and hard to study, the recent influx of the number of mass shootings seems to have a direct correlation to the rise in gun violence in PG-13 films. Even last summer’s shooting at a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado included the killer identifying himself as The Joker from said popular film series. The Motion Picture Association of America—
Editor opinions What your Viewer editors think of various issues.
cartoon by Michaela Morse
MPAA for short—has been known for its notorious bias when it comes to the rating process. The MPAA has shown a clear affinity for studio tentpole releases, giving them lower ratings such as a PG or PG-13. Meanwhile, other independent films could receive a harsher rating—such as an R or NC-17—for the same offense. Why is it then that films such as Once and Philomena can be rated R for the occasional use of
“I want to be a cat so people don’t judge me for sleeping for the majority of the day.” - Molly Hancuh sports editor
“Every time the temperature drops below 30 degrees, a little piece of me dies.”
-Ryan Yoch features editor
Student VIEWS
“I don’t think students are disrespectful, as in I’ve never seen a student say something rude directly to a teacher. I think it’s more carelessness, like we leave a lot of messes for the janitors.” -Berit Turnquist, 12
“There are quite a few rude behaviors at Mounds View, like the unnecessary yelling in the hallways that disrupts classes and when people stand in the halls, blocking others from getting to class.” -Charlie Smith, 11
photos by Ben Kaiser
crude language, or that Blue Valentine and The Piano are restricted because of realistic portrayals of sex? What makes such acts more immoral and unacceptable to youth than someone murdering a man at point blank with a gun? It is a combination of many factors. Films such as Valentine and Piano are much lower-budgeted films than the former, making it harder for them to fight against the MPAA’s final ratings decision. Along with this is the odd belief that violence is much more acceptable in mainstream American culture, while the use of language and depictions of sex are not. What is the point in shielding youth from things they can see and hear on a regular basis, but making a highly unnatural, sadistic act such as murder easily viewable if you have at least $10 in tow? I am not suggesting that it is necessary for the MPAA to lessen its restrictions on sex and language in film. I am simply suggesting that the MPAA needs to wake up to its actions. If gun violence truly correlates to aggression in viewers, why would they encourage that in youth culture? If, simply put, monkey see, monkey do, why are we not obstructing such a violent image?
“Some of us don’t feel the need to celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter, and would like to shop accordingly.” - James Birr online editor
“eSports has millions of fans from all over the world and is rapidly growing in popularity. It should not be disregarded as a professional sport.” - Alistair Tang editorials editor
4features
December 6, 2013
Rocking the
by Ross Armstrong staff reporter
s choolhouse
A night of music and dancing at the Vadnais Heights Commons Nov. 9 led to over $30,000 raised for the Rock the School House event. It was held through the Mounds View Schools Education Foundation, or MVSEF, a charity that supports a number of district-wide initiatives, including free ACT testing for students and handheld electronics for classrooms. While guests mingled over drinks and appetizers, music was supplied by The Belfast Cowboys, a nine-piece Van Morrison cover band, featuring two of our very own Mounds View District teachers, Paul Gronert from Chippewa and Eric Johnson from Edgewood. However, the most important part of the evening came when the live auction began. With items ranging from handmade jewelry to a tour of the Twin Cities Arsenal in Arden Hills, the 330
attendees competed to support the district. Mindy Handberg, co-executive director of MVSEF, worked with a team of staff and volunteers to help pull the event together. Handberg has worked with the foundation for three years and says she enjoys fundraisers like Rock the School House, because “it’s a great opportunity to bring together parents, staff and community leaders in support of our kids and our schools.” MVSEF, originally called the 621 Foundation, was launched in 1987, and gives an estimated $100,000 to Mounds View Public Schools each year. This money provides classes with updated technology, allows every Junior to take the ACT for free, and supports the sciences through the annual Physics Fair. The free ACT test offered to all Mounds View juniors has had a large influence on students. According to GiveMN.org, 97 percent
of district juniors took the ACT, far more than any public school district in the nation. Taking the ACT in a familiar environment helps many students feel more relaxed during the test. “You are way more comfortable with your surroundings,” said Kylie Monson, 12. “I did much better at Mounds View than other places. When you’re here, you can just focus on the test.” Though taking the test at Mounds View increases confidence for some, taking it for free means the world for those who need it most. MVSEF provides families that are struggling to make ends meet with the chance to achieve a better life. “It can relieve a lot of pressure for families,” said Bella Sutton, 12. “Taking the ACT for free gives everyone the same opportunities to succeed.”
Meet the new lunch lady Teresa Ng’s journey from Hong Kong to Mounds View
by Josh Yuan staff reporter In 2000, Teresa Ng sacrificed everything she had, moving halfway around the world to the United States in search of a better life for her two children. Although she was a trained computer technician, she even had to give up that career in the difficult American job market. Ng took on a job as a lunch lady to support her family. And after working in the district for eight years, Ng has now transferred to Mounds View, becoming the newest of our lunch ladies. “I think it’s important to get to know the lunch ladies,” said Sarah Conlin-Brandenburg, 11. “They do so much for us.” Though she officially moved to America 13 years ago, it was not Ng’s first time in the US. She attended Mankato State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in computer science after just three years. She then returned to Hong Kong in 1989, where she remained until 2000. The opportunities of an American education for her children is what drew Ng back to the US. “In Hong Kong, it was very stressful. [The schools] push you. They give lots of homework every day, and lots of tests,” said Ng. “There are not enough spots in the universities, so you have to really be at the top to get into a university.” In 2005, Ng found a job as a Highview Middle School lunch lady. This year is her first at Mounds View, and Ng says the adjustment from middle school lunches has been tough, due to the rotating positions and increased number of kids at Mounds View. “When I was at Highview, I was a cashier. I just
Ng sells Bosco Sticks to Samuel Mastenbrook, 12, during the B-lunch rush. did one job,” said Ng. “Here, they have so many different positions. We have to rotate to different [positions] every three weeks, so you have to do a lot different things to learn.” Though she learned English as a second language in Hong Kong, the difference between the dialects of Minnesota and Hong Kong has created additional problems. “Hong Kong was under control of the British for around a hundred years, so our English is a little different.”
photo by Anders Nygaard
Despite the challenges, Ng is passionate about her job. She is especially impressed with the manners of Mounds View’s students. “My favorite part is when you see the students,” said Ng. “They are so happy, and they are so polite.” She has sacrificed so much for her children, moving to a different country and giving up her career, but Ng finds joy in every aspect of her new life. “I don’t have to worry about their school, they can handle it,” said Ng. “I like it here.”
features
December 6, 2013
5
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was embarrassing Funny things happen to everyone, but some people have especially bad luck by Katrina Renacia staff reporter From falling down the stairs, to sitting on gum and walking around the school with a big stain on her white jeans, WonWon Deewon, 10, has experienced almost all of the most embarrassing moments a student could think of. Events like these seem to follow her wherever she goes. “I just have plain bad luck. Even my parents say that,” said Deewon. Everyone has had their fair share of embarrassing moments in school. Moments which soon turn into memories they will never forget and stories that become inside jokes among friends. For most students, embarrassing occasions, although not impossible, are rare. But for Deewon, every day is another opportunity for a new embarrasing moment to present itself. It’s only been a few months since school started, but Deewon already has lots of stories to share. One of her most embarrassing moments at Mounds View was walking around with a soiled pair of jeans. “I was wearing white jeans and I forgot to take my tea travel mug out of my backpack so it leaked out and it went all over my pants. I didn’t notice it until fourth hour,” said Deewon. “I was talking to my friend, and one of my other friends came by and told me there was something on my pants.” Deewon was desperate to find a solution to this problem. “I went around to teachers’ classrooms and asked for stain removers and every time they asked me what it was for, I had to turn around and show them my back. It was just so embarrassing,” said Deewon. She ended up going to the bathroom to wash the stain off her jeans. The adventures with Deewon’s jeans do not end here. A couple of weeks after this incident, another one happened.
photo by Anders Nygaard
WonWon Deewon, 10, has had more than her share of embarrassing moments. “I sat on a chair with a gum on it and it totally destroyed my jeans,” said Deewon. “I was taking a test so I couldn’t go to the bathroom and fix it until I finished answering all the problems. My teacher was laughing at me.” Aside from accidents with her pants, Deewon also experienced some other embarrassing moments. She sat on five different desks—which all fell, and once slept for the entire duration of a class and had lines all over her face when she woke up. Besides Deewon, other students in Mounds View also have a lot of experiences to share. For most of them, their embarrassing memories happen during their freshmen year. This is true for Andrea Tan, 9. Her most embarrassing moment happened before the first real day of school. On the last week of August, she went to school to have her ID picture taken and to get a copy of her class schedule.
cartoon by Rebecca Nara
“It was my very first time to set foot inside the building,” said Tan. “I wanted to roam around the hallways and explore this new school.” Along with a friend, she made her way through the hallways and went looking for their respective classrooms. “We probably made so many turns that we got lost. We looked for the exit sign and took the stairs nearest to it.” The stairs led to the basement. “When we got down, we saw two boys looking at us with confused faces. And then we looked up just in time to see the sign that said ‘Boys Locker Room’,” said Tan. She and her friend turned red and hurried back up stairs. “I can’t believe we almost ended up walking straight into the boys locker room.” Other than the locker room encounter, Tan also experienced another embarrassing moment while in school. “I was running late for my sixth hour class. I was half walking-half running when I got to the stairs,” she said. Due to rushing, Tan fell from the stairs and almost completely lost control. Her legs twisted together when she tried to hold on the railing. “It was good that I managed to hold on to the railing at the last second. I only slipped a few steps,” said Tan. She received some unusual glances from people and one guy helped her stand steadily. “I was totally hoping that no one would notice it.” Embarrassing moments happen to everyone. For some, it may be as simple as falling asleep in class, while for others, it’s as bad as walking around with a big wardrobe malfunction as what Deewon experienced. But as time goes by and the more embarrassing things that Deewon experiences, she feels like she’s becoming immune to them. “I just let it happen. I guess I’m not really the type to be easily embarrassed so I treat it as if it happens everyday,” said Deewon.
Sadie’s big move makes room for Morp by Aaron Adams and Sarah Dhols-Graf staff reporters For years, the Sadie Hawkins dance has provided a twist in the normal pre-dance routines of Mounds View students, turning guys into paranoid powerless freaks, wondering who will be the one to bring them to the dance. This year, many students are wondering why the date of the dance has been moved several months earlier, from Feb. 23 last year to Dec. 7 this year. “Having Sadie’s in February gave girls more time to think about who they could ask, so that’s why I was confused
when the date was changed,” said Alex Olson, 11. The reason for this change is mainly logistics. Mounds View has six dances per year, and since Homecoming took place in September instead of October, there was never a back-toschool dance early in the year. “Because we didn’t have a back-toschool dance, we had another dance to do in the winter months, so we decided to do it in December,” said Shannon Belland, Student Council advisor.
Two years ago, Sadie’s was moved from December to February to take the place of Snodaze, which was a formal date dance similar to Homecoming. However, Belland said some people were concerned that both pepfests were scheduled with date dances, making the pepfests themselves seem exclusive. When the Student Council decided to schedule a more inclusive dance into Winter Week, Sadie’s was moved back to December. “Winter Week is really to get
students involved in the school again and pumped up again for the spring semester, and so we wanted it to be a really inclusive dance, which is why that dance is Morp now,” Belland said. Students said they were excited to see Morp — which is backwards of Prom — returned to the schedule. “I’m really glad Sadie’s is now in December since it makes Mounds View able to have Morp, which is my favorite dance,” said Jordan Nustad, 11.
Verbal Versatility What learning a new language can do for you
Terrific Trilingualist Mounds View junior masters three distinct languages
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We spoke Akan so we wouldn’t forget the language
-Dennis Acheampong, 11
photo by Ben Kaiser
by Brooke Olson staff reporter Hello! Bonjour! εte sεn! Very few can understand all three of these languages. Dennis Acheampong, 11, is one of them. Acheampong moved from Ghana to Minnesota in the fall of 2012. He fluently speaks English, French, and Akan, a native language of Ghana. Acheampong has known English and Akan since he was born, and was taught French in school while he lived there. Ghana’s official language is English, and it also serves as the standard language of educational instruction. Therefore, Acheampong has been taught in English since he began school. “It was only required to speak English in school,” said Acheampong. “Speaking a native language, other than French, was punishable by school authority.” According to Acheampong, English is
not the most commonly spoken language in Ghana, even though it is the official language. Acheampong explained that Akan is the most widely known language in Ghana, and it is what the majority of Ghanians speak. “We spoke Akan so we wouldn’t forget the language,” said Acheampong. While his fluency in English and French is directly attributed to his education, speaking Akan is influenced by the culture of Ghana. “Not all people in Ghana speak English, especially the old people and other people who didn’t attend school,” he said. Moving to a new country on another continent is a bigger transition than most high school students will experience in a lifetime. Acheampong’s knowledge of multiple languages has helped him make a smooth transition into his new life and his new school. This allows him to focus all of his attention on his learning experience, rather than worrying about communicating
with others. “Learning at Mounds View isn’t hard because it’s in English. I am a very fluent English speaker so that isn’t a problem,” said Acheampong. The only major difference he noticed between school in Ghana and Mounds View is the curriculum. His former school encouraged students to focus on a major, while Mounds View students are required to study a variety of subjects. Acheampong would not be in the same situation that he is now without his trilingual skills. “I like English the best since I am a better English speaker than my other languages,” said Acheampong, “and also because English is a worldwide spoken language.” As he begins his second year at Mounds View, Acheampong looks forward to the year ahead of him. “I’m enjoying my time at Mounds View because the people here are really nice,” said Acheampong.
information compiled by Tess Martin, staff writer infographic by Kyoka Millard, Design Editor
Bilingual Brains
Research shows that being bilingual helps the brain develop and strengthens the brain by Persis Ke staff reporter Fluency in more than one language is not only useful for speaking to family members, for traveling and for future careers, it also benefits the brain. “The research is clear,” said Betty Lotterman, Spanish teacher. “From childhood to old age, people who use more than one language have better mental function.” Throughout the 20th century, scientists believed bilingualism and multilingualism interfered with children’s development. However, new evidence has shown that switching between languages exercises the brain and strengthens cognitive muscles, according to the New York Times. Time Magazine recently reported, “A multilingual brain is nimbler, quicker, better able to deal with ambiguities, resolve conflicts and even resist Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia longer.” A study published in Neurology also proved bilingualism or multilingualism helps delay dementia, whether literate or illiterate. Scientists reviewed 648 medical records of dementia patients and found those who were bilingual and multilingual developed dementia symptoms almost five years later than those who were monolingual. For illiterate people, dementia also developed significantly later in those who spoke more than one language, showing formal education was not the cause for later development in dementia.
Learning languages involves remembering grammar and vocabulary, strengthening the mental “muscle” and improving memory. Knowing multiple languages requires constant switching between languages, forcing people to focus on the important details. In a New York Times article, psychologist Ellen Bialystok explained how this works. The brain has a system called the executive control system, which helps you switch between tasks. Bilinguals use this system when they speak, resulting in increased use of the system, and thereby making the system more efficient. When a group of five and six year olds were asked if an illogical sentence, “Apples grow on noses,” was grammatically correct, the bilingual children were able to confirm that the sentence was grammatically correct while monolingual children could not move beyond the sentence’s absurdity. Compared to monolinguals, bilinguals are better multitaskers, another function controlled by the executive control system. When looking at brains through neuroimaging bilinguals appear to use a different network than monolinguals. “Their whole brain appears to rewire because of bilingualism,” said Bialystok. While the complete effects of multilinguality are not yet known, research in recent decades has shown that fluency in more than one language works the brain more vigorously and in different ways, resulting in multilinguals possessing more efficient brains that are more adaptable and able to delay memory issues.
8 variety
December 6, 2013
‘Tis the season for buying
Great buys at Good Things by Eva Hoffman staff reporter
Good Things is a charmingly offbeat gift store jammed to the max with shelves of all different sizes, shapes and colors. Each shelf brims with unexpected gifts, gags, and merchandise both practical and impractical. It is not a place to go with a shopping list, but rather a place to wander, browse, and be surprised. The smell of holiday candles greets visitors as they turn off of 4th Street in downtown White Bear Lake, past the potted evergreens, and through the double front door of the boutique. The effect, once inside, is delightfully chaotic. In the foreground, a small holiday display is arranged on a white table cloth. Small pictures of angels, painted in pastel, smile a greeting. Garlands of snowflakes fall from the ceiling. The smell of peppermint candles wafts from the table.
Located: 2184 4th St. White Bear Lake Hours: Monday-Friday 10am to 8pm Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday 11am to 5pm
Pictured on the right: Googly eyed luggage tags
Beyond this festive display, the rest of the store is arranged in mini-departments ranging from apparel to cookware to kids toys. The store’s quirky sense of humor expresses itself in a variety of comical and intentionally random knick knacks. A walk down any aisle might bring a shopper past pizza-slice Christmas ornaments, wine bottle holders in the shape of a high heel, or googly eyed luggage tags. Still, the store earns its name with a well selected and surprisingly diverse choice of good things.
Pictured on the left: High heel wine bottle caddies
Pictured on the right: Pizza shaped ornaments
photos by Eva Hoffman
Sweet finds at Chickadee by Clara Wang staff reporter Chickadee Boutique shines as a quaint little backyard shop offering local art and crafts. Begun in 1979 by seven friends, this is a local institution that is a sure check-off on your holiday shopping list. From candles and mittens to jewelry and decorations, there is a wide variety of handmade products for everybody’s “special someone.” Situated in a forested residential lot, the Chickadee Boutique charms visitors with its rustic feel. The aroma of wood smoke and seasonal scents invites you in the door, and daily food samples tempt customers with handcrafted jams, breads, honey, and cookies for purchase. If you stop by at night, there is almost an aura of an enchanted forest with the stepping stones and garden art. The owner Jacci Krebsbach displays the garden art and architecture in the backyard setting, contributing to the air of spontaneity. Everything in the store is handmade by local artists and craftsmen from all over Minnesota, and the CDs and books are produced by local talent. There is an array of seasonally themed decorations and gifts great for the holidays. Hand-knitted sweater and scarves,
photo by Clara Wang
Seasonally themed gifts are sold at Chickadee Boutique. Located: 207 St. Marie St. Shoreview Hours: Thursday: 9-8 Friday: 9-5 Saturday: 9-5 Select Sundays: 10-5 glass christmas tree ornaments, and Christmas wreaths are just a few examples. With its warm atmosphere, endearing staff, and great selection of stand-out presents for the festivities, the Chickadee Boutique makes for a great holiday stop.
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reviews
December 6, 2013
UPCOMING MOVIES Adventures of the Penguin King December 6, 2013 Wide Release
Inside Llewyn Davis December 6, 2013 Limited Release
The Last Days on Mars December 6, 2013 Limited Release
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug December 13, 2013 Wide Release in 3-D
The odds are in this one’s favor
photo courtesy of Flickr
by Jonathan Kim staff reporter Waiting almost two years for a sequel can create unrealistic standards for fans, but Catching Fire definitely delivered. The much anticipated sequel to 2012’s The Hunger Games was released on Nov. 22, and grossed $134.5 million in its first two days of release. Many fans were very critical of the previous film due to many inconsistencies with the novel, but Catching Fire followed many specific details in the novel to a T. The movie started a little dry during the aftermath and tour from the first Hunger Games, but progressed to be more entertaining and exciting in the area than the first installment. The action scenes were not as intense and brutal as the first film, but was more thought out instead of just killing random tributes. Jennifer Lawrence proved that anything she touches turns to gold. Lawrence gave a brilliant performance in Catching Fire and totally reinvented the protagonist into a more sophisticated unpredictable character. Lawrence’s ending scene was iconic: in just a few seconds Lawrence portrayed grief, anger, hope, and realization for what was to come, making the viewers more antsy for the upcoming sequel. The other characters were spot on but ultimately
overshadowed by Lawrence’s acting feat. Gary Ross, the original film’s director, announced his departure from the series due to scheduling conflicts. Francis Lawrence was chosen as this film’s director, and definitely upgraded every aspect of the film from the original film. The script, special effects, characters, all were enhanced significantly. The cinematography specifically, was impeccable. The scenes were shot with an effortless movement, unlike the first film’s shaky camera work. The cherry on top of this whole production for fans was how true to the novel the film was. A little too true, the film definitely took an easy route by taking each scene directly from the novel and not having much different interpretations or visions. The scenes were very vivid, but very predictable. The film definitely upped the standards for the direction of the film. Fans everywhere were overjoyed with the film, and are patiently counting down the days for the final installment, split into two films, due for November 2014. The Hunger Games series sparked Jennifer Lawrence’s successful career, and Catching Fire definitely proved that Lawrence’s spark will keep on burning.
Forgettable Midnight Memories by James Birr online managing editor What makes the sweet croonings of One Direction different from the songs of *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys from twenty years earlier? Not much. The same themes of young love, partying, and squeaky clean teenybopper fun abound in 1D’s latest release, Midnight Memories. It might be apt to say that Harry, Niall, and company could be maturing in their music, showing off lyrical depth, but when they’re the umpteenth boy band to do so, it sounds like a broken British record. Starting out the album with the cheap but simply enjoyable “Best Song Ever,” it’s clear what we’re in for: 14 tracks of pure unadulterated preteen hormones. Songs like “Does He Know,”
“Diana,” and the titular track show us that 1D belongs in the top spectrum of the charts with all the other typical Top 40 hits of today. Where the band falls flat is on the slower tunes. Songs such as “Story
photo courtesy of Wikipedia
of My Life” and “Right Now” revel in the band’s apparent maturity and seriousness when in actuality they are
awkwardly struggling to sing the lyrics they so clearly don’t relate to. Many of these slower ballads jumble together to create one giant ball of teenage angst and heartbreak that could leave even the most passionate Directioner worn out. Maybe some of the pitfalls of this album could be excused if the members of 1D had any involvement in the production of these songs, but not a single member is given a song credit. This leads me to believe that One Direction, despite their efforts, are hardly different from their counterparts decades prior. Although they have noble efforts and a few songs could act as a suitable white noise, I can’t recommend it. It’s not terrible, but it’s One Direction. I guess it’s just not my cup of tea.
10sports
December 6, 2013
Finishing splashingly at State by Maddy Rosenow sports editor The girls Swim and Dive team had a very stately end to their season this year, with both a relay team and a diver advancing to the State Finals. The diver, senior Kiley Kuether, placed first in state. The 200 Free relay consisting of McLaren Curphy, Maggie LaMere, Emily Nelson and Sara Nelson, were disqualified from the final. However, the girls broke the school record during their semi-final race. For Kuether, her senior year and ultimately her entire diving career at Mounds View could not have ended better. Very few athletes ever achieve the ultimate dream of calling themselves
photo by Maddy Rosenow
Kiley Kuether, 12, prepares for her dive.
a State Champion. For those select athletes, like Kuether, that do achieve the utmost success, it may still feel like just a dream. “Winning was completely surreal,” said Kuether. “It was such a huge goal and dream of mine that I wasn’t even sure it was reality, until I saw myself up on the big screen receiving my medal. That’s when I realized I did it, I actually am the new state champ.” This emotional realization did not come without endless hard work. “My goal to be state champion was something I’ve been working toward since the state meet ended last year,” said Kuether. Kuether plans to take her state medal and hard work to her diving career at college. She plans to dive at a Division I level. She has had many offers, in and out of state. “One of my top choices is Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida,” said Kuether. No matter her choice of college, Kuether’s success at State both this year and last will leave a strong legacy behind her in the diving program at Mounds View. Along with Kuether, the relay team will also leave strong roots in the program. The girls shattered the school’s record time in their preliminary race, with a time of 1:39.31. The girls had their eyes on this record for a majority of their season. “We talked about the possibility of breaking it throughout the season,” said Maggie LaMere, 12. “I honestly knew
we could break it, only if we all swam our personal best splits, and we ended up doing so.” Even though it had been a longtime goal for the team, it still doesn’t take away from the pure exuberance of swimming their way into history. “I was in awe,” said LaMere. “It felt great ending my senior year breaking a couple of records.” With their record-breaking time, the team was able to advance to the State final race. Unfortunately the girls were disqualified after a false start. The disqualification wasn’t even enough to deter the girls’ high spirits. “Nobody was even mad about it, because we had already broken the record,” said McLaren Curphy, 10. Both Kuether and the relay team had the fantasy ending to a season of hard work. For the seniors it was the best finale to their years of memories, and an amazing last hoorah. “It was definitely the ‘cherry on top’ to the season,” said LaMere.
Above and right: The relay team celebrates their record breaking time.
Managers: the unsung heroes by Mikayla Toninato staff reporter For any sports watchers it is evident there are two forces working on each team: the players and the coaches. However, there is one more part of the team that is not quite so obvious to the typical fan. Managers also play an important role and help to organize the team and while keeping everyone calm, cool and collected. Managers are students that find themselves with no activities during the season and want to stay involved in sports some way. Students can become managers by simply talking to the coaches. After coach’s approval, they’re ready to go. “I do it to do something during the
Photo courtesy of Dan McMahon
Football manager Natalie Sipe, 11, fills up water bottles for the players.
winter because I don’t have a sport, and I want to stay involved and help,” said boys junior varsity hockey manager Ciara Capra, 11. Students also manage if they don’t necessarily want to play the sport themselves, or in wrestling’s case, because they can’t. “I really like watching wrestling, and I just find the sport really fascinating, so it’s cool that there’s a way I can be more involved with it without just sitting on the sidelines,” said varsity wrestling manager Natalie Newcombe, 12. Others might manage because of a special relationship with the coaches, and want to make new relationships with players. “Mostly I just did it because Mr. Utley told me to. But it’s also really fun to make new friendships, and the matches are just really fun to watch,” said varsity wrestling manager Maddie McDonough, 12. Some students already know players on the team, and want to help them out. For example, junior Lauren Redmond’s brother was on the team and she wanted a way to become involved with him and find a way to help. “My brother wrestled and they wanted more managers,” said Redmond. “It was also fun meeting the players; you get to develop a lot of cool new relationships.” Although it may seem like the job description entails little to do, these hard workers make sure all the players are constantly happy and healthy. Keep-
ing them healthy includes bringing the players water and ice if they have an injury. Also, if the coach needs anything, they’re already on it. “We talk to the coaches and make sure they’re always happy. If they ever need anything we run and get it. Basically we’re just always running around making sure everyone is happy and seeing if there’s anything we can do,” said Capra. Most of their jobs including getting players water, taking stats and making the players’ food for after the games. “We also go to all the practices and make an end of the year book of pictures and memories from the season, although most other sports managers don’t do that,” said McDonough. Although managers run a lot of errands for the players and answer to their needs, they are there for more than just making cookies. “We couldn’t do a lot of things without them. I definitely appreciate them. They ride the bus with us and are just a part of the team,” said Spencer Stueve, 12. These hard-working individuals support for the coach and keep the players relaxed in time of need. When games get intense, they help to keep the anxiety levels low. “We congratulate them after every game and when they come off the ice. We’re always there for moral support,” said varsity hockey manager Audrey Sanders, 12. With the stress of a progressing season, teams become very anxious in
photo courtesy of Kiley Kuether
Kiley Kuether, 12, embraces former coach, John Madura, after her victory.
photos courtesy of Maggie LaMere
Photo by Maddy Rosenow
Wrestling managers enjoy their time at practice.
the fear of their season being over with any next game. “When the stakes are high, it’s easy for the team to become stressed over little details like getting water or finding equipment. We do our best to make sure everything needed is accounted for to help ease the anxiety of the teams. Usually we find these small things and they just keep the players and coaches focused on their sport and what needs to be accomplished,” said Newcombe. Although this may seem like a thankless job, these workers aren’t asking for any thanks. They spend their time ensuring the happiness and health of others and do so purely out of their own interest to help. Managers are always there for the team and help keep them on a smooth track towards a successful season.
December 6, 2013
At the speed of ice
11
sports
Mounds View students trade in the hockey and figure skates for speed skates
by Thomas Doty staff reporter
When Minnesotans think of ice skating, they usually picture a stick and a puck to go along with it. After all, this is the state of hockey. However, some Mounds View students interpret the meaning a little differently. Speedskating, although an official Olympic sport, is foreign to most people. It was first introduced to North America in the late 1800s but has grown in popularity. It is not an official high school sport, mainly because there are not enough competitors. Although competitors are scarce, there are still many organizations in which skaters compete through. They compete around the nation including countless national events. “I compete in many long track competitions,” said Muriel Kennedy, 11, who has been speedskating for eight years. “I mostly compete in metric races where you are racing a pair, yet racing for a time.” Kennedy, a former hockey player, decided to make the switch to speedskating after she saw skaters racing while at hockey practice. “I saw speedskating going on at the same place that I was playing hockey so I decided to give it a try,” said Kennedy. Now, Kennedy skates with the Midway Speedskating Club, a club that has been providing supervised training in speedskating for boys and girls since 1945. Located in Roseville, it is an organization that runs through U.S. Speedskating, which provides the opportunity for skaters to compete in national long and short track events. Britta Menk, 12, was also first drawn in to speedskating at a young age. “My older brothers played hockey and some of their practices would be outside at the Roseville Oval where long track speedskaters train,” she said. “My parents looked into it, and we joined the next season.” Menk traveled all around the U.S. to compete in
photo by Anders Nygaard
Muriel Kennedy, 11, speedskates in long track competitions. She trains with the Midway Speedskating Club. anything ranging from amateur to national meets and was a short track national champion in 2007. “What I liked most about skating was just the rush when your blades first hit the ice and the incredible feeling of winning a race and standing first place on the podium,” said Menk. “I loved the competition and meeting new people from around the world.” She speedskated for nine years. “I would compete in competitions
Athlete of the Issue
Tucker Gran Senior Hockey Captain Tucker Gran, 12, along with other captains Brandon Smith, 12, and Matt Hunt, 12, hope to lead the Mounds View Boys Hockey team to a winning season. Q: When did you start playing hockey? A: I started playing when I was three years old. Q: Why did you get into hockey? A: I got into hockey because my older brother brought it up to my parents, and I thought that sounded really fun so I told them I wanted to play.
Q: What’s your favorite part of hockey? A: My favorite part about hockey is being with my friends every single day at practice and at games. Q: What are your personal goals for this year? A: My personal goal is to become a better leader on and off the ice. Q: What are your goals for the team this year? A: As a team our goal is to be prepared for every game. Last year we came out flat and we need to be better prepared for a game. Q: What are the team’s strengths this year? A: Our team strength is the bond we all have. I know it’s early and there’s a wide spread of ages on the team but I can tell we all get along really well. We have each others backs. Q: Which games are you most excited about? Why? A: Every game is exciting but our first game of the year is going to be the best. Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be? A: My superpower would be invisibility.
information compiled by Molly Hancuh
every weekend between the months of November and March,” said Menk. Eventually the time commitment was too much for Menk. “I was missing extensive amounts of school. My next step was to move out to Salt Lake City to train all day and then be home schooled which wasn’t something I wanted to do at such a young age,” she said. Menk gave up speed skating at the age of 12 but almost wishes she hadn’t. “I loved the competition and meeting new people from around the world. It’s crazy now as I read the skater profiles for the national team, who will be in the upcoming Olympics, to see all my closest friends. It makes me wish I never quit.” Most people wouldn’t think that the training aspect of speedskating would be all that grueling, but it is very extensive. “We train year round with a break for about a month or two in the spring time and we practice almost every day of the week,” said Olivia Stuart, 9. “Sometimes we have ice time and sometimes we do other things like running and weights.” Stuart also competes through the Midway Speed Skating Club at the John Rose Oval. “What I like most about it is that not very many people do it,” said Stuart. While not the easiest, nor the most popular, speedskating is proving to be popular with a small group students. “When I was little, I was watching TV and I saw a special on speedskating and I knew that was what I wanted to do,” said Stuart.
12gallery
December 6, 2013
Caution: clubs at work by Emily Ruan staff reporter
by Carlie Sullivan staff reporter
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From October to May, students in Science Olympiad strive to represent Mounds View at competitions. Other students often confuse Science Olympiad , also known as SciOly, for the Robotics team. The misconception often brings some healthy competition between the similar academic clubs. Science Olympiad has a hybrid class, Applications of Science Through Science Olympiad, which is required for sophomores, juniors, and seniors on the team. Although freshmen can’t be in the class, they are able to be on the team. A lot of work goes into Science Olympiad. “It is a hybrid class, and part of the class requirement is five hours of outside study every week,” said Rachel Berglund, 12. At the competitions, the students work in pairs. “They try to put freshmen partners with upperclassmen because they have more experience,” said Roshan Wariar, 9. “There are no scheduled practices outside of the class, but the partners often study together,” said Berglund. “It’s basically a huge family,” said Ouyang Xu, 11. “We kind of compete against each other, we all encourage each other. It’s not all about winning.” Students in Science Olympiad prefer it over Robotics. “Science Olympiad is better than robotics because it is more diverse. You aren’t constrained to doing only robotic events,” said Wariar.
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Mounds View’s speech team started up on Nov. 11 with an informational meeting that drew twice as many participants as last year. The team members are all very anxious to start the season; everyone is more than ready to have their voices heard. This year’s captains are seniors Chance Carnahan, Sarah Bujold, Laura Leavens, and Indhirakshi Damodar. Their goals for the season are to see returning members as well as newcomers reach new levels of success, hopefully to best the Roseville team at sectionals. “I lead by example,” said Laura Leavens, 12. The duties of a captain are mainly organizing and assisting teammates with the preparation for their performances. For Leavens, the most exciting part of being a captain is “watching people transform and change, from barely being able to look people in the eye to doing their transition walks and hand gestures.”
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by Brittany Durbahn staff reporter
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photo by Ben Kaiser
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A crowd of 25,000 cheers wildly from the stands, its attention focused on the close game of Frisbee-basketball taking place on the court below. Two teams, the Red Alliance and the Blue Alliance, are facing off in the final championship match. The points are piling on, although no coordinated strategy is evident. One member of the Red Alliance darts nimbly around the field, scooping up fallen disks and quickly feeding them into goals. His teammate sits at the other end of the court, leisurely launching disks from 50 feet away. Two minutes later, the Red Alliance has finished the season with a 234-144 win. This is certainly a team of powerfully-built players, but not in the muscled and toned way one would expect. They happen to be robots from the 2013 US FIRST Championship (FRC) held last April in St. Louis, Missouri. “The FIRST robotics competition is quite an event,” said physics teacher Matt Washenberger, who is one coach of Mounds View’s robotics team, the Mustybots. “It’s really remarkable.” The Mustybots have participated in regional FRC competitions for the past three years. From the time when the year’s theme is released in January to when the Minneapolis Regional FRC competition is held in March, the team has six weeks to design, program, and build its robot. This tight deadline is the hardest part, said sophomores Nick Pahl and Noah Somberg. “When the build season starts in January, it really picks up and continues escalating all the way through competition,” said Somberg. Another challenge the Mustybots face every year is programming the robot. “We had really good designs last year, it’s just synthesizing all the designs and getting them to work electronically,” said Washenberger. Despite the amount of effort required to build a working robot in just six weeks, robotics is a labor of love for many Mustybots. “I joined robotics mainly because I truly want to be some sort of engineer as I grow older and robotics is a great place to explore this desire,” said Brian Johnson, 11.
Above, Alexander Zaic and Alex Jiang show off their SciOly construction. To the right, Radhika Sharma and Janice Palmer put the finishing touch on their own creation. On the left, captains McKenna Taylor and Graham Fiebiger.
Speech Team Speech is for everyone. The 13 categories that members compete in are grouped into three categories: Interpretive, Writing/Research, and Draw. The Mounds View team has nine meets to prove their worth over the season. The Interpretive pieces challenge theatrical skills, either humorous or somber. Performances are usually individual, except in the Duo category where teammates dramatically tell a ten minute version of a play without looking at each other. Participants in the Writing/Research categories compose or discuss solutions to real world problems. They can also perform their original poems, short plays, or give a speech on a topic that interests them. The labeled “Draw” category does not refer to visual art but to the improvised nature of the challenges presented. Participants do not know which short story they will be performing until the day of the competition. While preparing for a meet, everyone has their
photo by Rebecca Nara
own special routine. “Right before a round, I submerge myself in my character. I feel the experiences and emotions that I will soon portray in front of the judge and my other competitors,” said Sarah Bujold, 12. “It becomes second nature.” Constructing mental strategies to combat an individual’s area of stress is a key part of being ready for competition. Through Speech, students work together to continually enhance this and other abilities they need in order to stand in front of the judges and their peers and give the best performance they can. Speech team builds the confidence and skills to overcome personal boundaries in public speaking and other areas with real life applications. Growing interest in the program and high hopes for the outcome of the season puts Mounds View speech participants in a position to improve their skills in tandem with their futures.