Issue 5

VOLUME 67 ISSUE 5 | JANUARY 21, 2020

THE VIEWER

Your Ideal Mounds View

INSIDE THIS ISSUE STUDENT PARKING 02/ AVA ERNST 05/ DRINKING AGE 09

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News

Tuesday January 21, 2020

Student crossing concerns

by Isaac Vo staff reporter

With construction moving the majority of student and staff parking across Valentine Road, the new influx of pedestrian traffic as students and staff cross the street to school has raised safety concerns. The school has developed new safety measures, but the apprehensions persist.

Even before this school year, many people voiced their thoughts on the safety of the road crossings, but the school had no precautions put in place. Before the lot across the road turned into school-sponsored campus parking over the summer, the bus company, to the school’s dismay, leased out parking spaces to students.

“We did not sell those permits,” said Associate Principal Michael Schwartz. “We had talked to [the bus company] about [parking permits]. It was their lot, and I have no control over their lot. I didn’t like it, and we didn’t think it was very safe, but at the same time, if you choose to buy a permit offsite, what do you want me to do about it?”

This year, however, the district owns the bus lot, and has put in some safety measures to avoid liabilities. “We have a Ramsey County Sheriff out there every day, and we have multiple staff members out daily,” Schwartz said. “Our drivers know the routine and the system; the later start helps us, and we’re getting additional lighting out here from the city and Excel Energy to help us, so we got all our lights turned on. That was a big issue. A month ago, those lines were cut during construction, but our lights are now working, and it’s been like that for a couple of weeks now.”

Incoming improvements, along with new street lights from Excel Energy, should secure current circumstances, according to the school administration.

The school’s solution is to try and regulate where the students cross. “What I don’t like is when our students have to cross twice: our road, then [the circle drive],” Schwartz said. “I’ve never liked that. Working with the district, our plan is after the first of the year, to move all the kids to the east entrance [in line with the entrance of the bus lot].” Until a week ago, the students would cross both the road and the parent drop off on their way into the building. The hope is that safety concerns will be resolved with a new plan that changes where students cross the road. “[Students will] cross once, and then walk down the sidewalk with the kids from the busses all the way up so that they won’t be in traffic.”

This change has recently been implemented where students will now be directed to cross the road at the east

entrance of the bus lot, and will utilize the sidewalk when walking into to school to avoid crossing the road twice.

With the new traffic and crossing system this year, parents and students have changed their schedules to avoid traffic snarls.. Trends seen by administration suggest that students and parents are getting into the swing of things, timing-wise, as individuals find more optimal times to drive to school. “I’ve seen a lot more people be dropped off between 8 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. when it’s not near as busy,” Schwartz said. “People spreading out a little bit more [has] made a world of difference [reducing traffic] on Lake Valentine Road, down at the ‘T,’ coming across the bridge, getting busses in and out. For example, we try to have all our busses come from the east, westbound, so they are not in our traffic at all.”

Even with high-traffic times accounted for by the school, periods before, during and after school still remain unmonitored. The area is often dark during morning and evening hours, which make pedestrians more difficult to spot. “For the musical, a couple days I had to get a ride home with my friend that had to park across the street,” said Kathryn Smith, 11. “There was no one out there, and it’s pitch black outside, so cars can’t see you.” Another student, Marisa Streeter, 12, had a similar experience. “I had an incident after tennis practice [in the fall] with Principal Bruggers [where] me and the principal were waiting for cars to go by, and when we were half way through the crosswalk, this car completely zooms by, not stopping for us, almost killing us,” Streeter said.

Some of the school’s staff also experienced discomfort and expressed their concerns. “When I get here in the morning, it can be really dark and dreary, and people just don’t see you,” said English teacher Gretchen Nesset. “I think it’s just a matter of time before somebody gets hurt.” Another staff member, math teacher Leah Higginbotham, had similar remarks. “The parking lot itself gets really icy and not great; that’s why I began parking in the east lot,” Higginbotham said. “I think the parking lot itself needs to be improved because it’s gonna be icy, it’s on a slope, and even before winter came there were really rough [pothole] areas.”

As the days get colder, icier conditions make things more difficult on the roads, especially for pedestrians.

“I’ve slipped every single day when I walk in,” said Josie Gaworski, 12. “[The crosswalk] is just slippery and always covered in ice. I could slip and go under a car, or [the driver] could just not stop. It takes a long time for someone to actually stop too, especially when

you’re alone and not with a big group. You don’t know when [it’s safe] to cross.”

Despite the added crosswalk monitoring and other measures, ,, many students still want more action taken.. “At this point, I feel like it’s best for the school to get something in motion before an incident happens and not wait until then to do something about it,” Smith said. ”Because what happens when someone actually gets hurt, or even killed?”

One idea brought forward by students and staff for improving safety is a pedestrian traffic light to draw more attention to cross walkers, while simultaneously keeping traffic running smoothly. The current lights in place can temporarily disable during high traffic times to enable greater control for physical staff to guide drivers. The lights can switch back on when no one is available to monitor the road. Social studies teacher Jonathan Nuss has an idea for a skywalk from the second level English hallway that reaches across the road to a set of stairs on the opposite side or simply a pedestrian bridge over the road. Schwartz responded to these ideas saying this would need to meet American Disability Act government standards, an act ensuring accessibility to the building for everyone and would be expensive. He believes the current safety measures in place alongside ideas the administration plans to implement in the future should address any safety concerns.

tirely but instead become one-sport athletes. Students mainly pursue only one sport because they want to develop their skills to a more elite level with the aspiration of competing at the collegiate level. “I only have

up more time to solely focus on her running instead of dividing her time among multiple activities.

However, many of these now one-sport athletes face multiple problems that coaches are starting to notice. “As a whole, I believe some injuries are happening from overuse or not properly training,” Redman said.

“Some athletes are doing too much or specializing in one area and not working all parts of the body. Overall training needs to be well-balanced.” According to Redman, single-sport athletes fail to train in a well-balanced manner compared to an athlete participating in multiple sports, often leading to unexpected consequences.

Mounds View athletics recognizes the NFHS study, and the coaches are currently working on a solution to maintain their numbers and encourage students.

“The activities department is in the process of promoting a #oneherd concept,” Redman said. “All Mounds View programs will support one another as one culture, heightening the experience of students and success of programs,” Redman said. The “#oneherd” stands for united relationships between all athletes at Mounds View, regardless of their sport. Leaving a sports team means no longer being a part of that team bond. Mounds View believes that with this concept, all athletes will become connected with each other and support one another. This will keep athletes invested in their sports until they graduate while also creating a stronger community for Mounds View athletes.

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photo courtesy of the Mounds View High School Newsletter EDITOR’S NOTE: The January 13th Daily Newsletter from Mounds View High School contains information about the new changes:.

Parents dropping off students in the circle drive should exit west to lessen the traffic flow. Barriers are present on both sides of the street and Ramsey County Sheriff Officers will be present to aid with traffic control.

Vehicles traveling east should use the first entrance to enter the lot (1) and students should cross to enter the building using the designated path (2).

Declining sports participation

by Ben Howlett staff reporter This year, high school sports witnessed its biggest decline in student participation for the first time in 30 years. A nationwide study from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) showed that 43,395 students either quit one or all sports. This decline raised red flags for coaches concerning the future of their sports teams.

Football became a prime example of declining sports participation this year, both in schools across the country and at Mounds View. “Yes, we have had a slight decline in the number of players coming out the last couple years,” said Mounds View football coach Aaron Redman. The NFHS study revealed that 30,829 high school players quit playing football across the nation, the most among all sports. This stands as a 2.6 percent decrease in the last five years.

In spite of the nationwide decline, Minnesota remains a front runner in sports participation in comparison to similarly populated states. Both boys and girls basketball participation remained stable and girls track and field stood out as the most popular sport. Minnesota also went against the declining sports participation trend by gaining more athletes than the previous year.

The underlying question drawn from this trend is why players decide to quit a sport; while every athlete has their reasons, there are a few that stand out. Many players who discontinue a sport do not quit athletics en-

photo courtesy of Brock Nelson Brendan Dunagan (21) and the rest of the defense march out onto the field.

to train for [cross country and track],” said Olivia Hoytyha, 10. She considers cross country and track to be the same sport as it requires similar training. This opens

News

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Cafeteria conflicts

by Arthur Nghiem, Josie Mackenthun and Andy Devine do not qualify for meal benefits.” Anyone can donate to the fund through an online form. staff reporters According to the Mounds View Public Schools On Nov. 11, 40 students at Richfield High School Unpaid Meal Charge and Debt Collection Procedure, had their lunches thrown away and replaced with a students do not need to worry about not getting served. cheaper option because their debt exceeded $15. Ac- “All students will be provided a meal regardless of cording to school officials at Richfield, this incident meal account status. While the district is under no legal resulted from inappropriate implementation of the obligation to do so, we believe it is in [the] best interschool’s lunch debt policy, which states that cafeteria est of the student,” the procedure states. However, the workers cannot take away lunches after serving them. policy does also note that “students with an overdrawn This incident prompted calls for new legislation account are not allowed to charge ala carte items.” This facing the stigma on lunch balances. A 2014 Minne- procedure is implemented at all schools in the district sota law already states that schools cannot “demean or “to establish consistent district practices” and was last stigmatize” students because of debt, but some legisla- updated in April, months before the incident at Richtors argued for strengthening the existing policy. They field. introduced a new bill that would explicitly prohibit If a student accumulates more than $30 in lunch schools from taking back meals after serving them, but debt, then this policy states that the school administrathe bill did not survive House-Senate conference com- tive team will try to resolve the issue. According to the mittee deliberations. procedure, “the school district will make reasonable Lunch debt remains a significant financial problem efforts to communicate with families to resolve the for schools and families alike: according to a study con- matter of unpaid charges. Where appropriate, families ducted by the Minnesota Department of Education in will be encouraged to apply for free and reduced-price 2018, “the outstanding debt in school lunch programs meals for their children.” has reached between $2,600,000 and $3,600,000 which The administration at Mounds View follows ceris virtually uncollectable, with 35% of public schools tain methods pertaining to the lunch balance of many seeing that debt double from 2015-2017.” students and how the school can maintain debt. “You Communities often come together to help out after hear stories on the news where a kid’s lunch is taken lunch shaming incidents. For example, Richfield High away or there’s an obstacle for them,” said Principal School received $22,000 in donations to its Sunshine Stephanie Bruggers in response to what happened in Meal Account after its lunch debt incident. These dona- Richfield. “We’d never allow that to happen, and if we tions covered the $20,000 of lunch debt owed to Rich- ever got to a point where that was happening, then we field Public Schools. would have to look at different resources. But I think Mounds View, like Richfield and many other it’s important that if a student comes [to school] hungry schools, has its own angel fund — a place for people that they should be able to eat breakfast and lunch with to donate to cover lunch debt for schools because us- us regardless of account [balance].” ing federal funds is prohibited. According to the district Evan Kim, 11, feels conflicted on this issue. “I feel website, Mounds View’s angel fund is “a fund desig- like I can see both sides of the spectrum on this one,” nated for students experiencing financial hardship and

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Kim said. “I can see how, [from] an economic perspective, it makes sense for the school to throw away extra food, but I understand how it’s not being used for anything else, so give it to the kids.” Mason Dean, 11, believes lunch debt should be resolved in the consciousness of students. “I don’t think it makes sense to refuse a kid food regardless of account money,” Dean said.

Mounds View provides options for families struggling to pay lunch fees so that students can focus on learning and not on their next meal. However, the incident at Richfield suggests that this is still not the case in high schools throughout Minnesota. While legislation to solve this issue was unsuccessful, many people hope that the community can be counted upon to help out.

A student types in their pin number in order to pay for their school lunch. photo courtesy of Angie Larson and Alissa Zhao

Changing courses for 2021

by Isabel Newhouse staff reporter

The 2020-2021 school year course registration is just around the corner and will offer more course options for students. With enough student registration, Mounds View will provide six additional courses next year including AP Studio Art, AP World History, ARCC Art Appreciation, ARCC College Writing, CIS Physics and How to Make Almost Anything II. The Mounds View administration strives to update course options for students based on what they hear through teachers and the demand for courses through registration. In addition to this, the administration considers many factors before implementing new options for students.

Students often do not consider how the number of students per class will change with the addition of a course. When adding courses in a department, the administration must evaluate what classes students will decide not to take in replacement for the new choice.

“Every time you add a course, you have to think, ‘where are those kids going to come out of?’ You don’t want these other courses only sitting with 18 kids,” said Principal Stephanie Bruggers.

The administration must also regard the cost it takes to put a course into action. The school needs to take into account the cost of textbooks and other materials required for the course before deciding to add it to the registration list. If the curriculum initially requires a large sum of money to implement, the school may not follow through with offering it.

There are multiple reasons as to why a course is not currently offered at Mounds View. Bruggers explains that these reasons range from a teacher not having the credentials for teaching the class to a lack of student demand in course registration. If the school does add a class to the registration list, the administration relies on the response from students to determine if the course will follow through. If the school sees higher or lower registration rates for a specific option, the school will abide to those interests to determine the next year’s

courses accordingly. AP Chemistry stands as an example of this. “It has just been student interest that has propelled [AP Chemistry],” said AP Chemistry teacher Jessica Espy. “It wasn’t offered last year because there weren’t enough students interested to run the course.”

Even with enough students registered for a course at the normal registration time, there is still not a guarantee of it being available the following year. “Administration also has to keep in mind how many [registered students] plan to not actually take the course,” Espy said. “For things like AP Chemistry, a lot of students will register to take the class, but come August, they decide to drop the course. That’s why there needs to be a high threshold on how many students register.” If enough students are not registered, the school is unable to allocate the time and resources to provide the course.

The school may also add a course when a department or teacher has a specific course in mind that that he or she believes is a valuable addition to the curriculum. Mounds View social studies, English Language Learner and potential AP World History teacher Kristen Heinz lobbied for three years to add AP World History to the course registration list. Heinz pushed for Mounds View to offer the course because of student interest she observed. “I hear from a lot of my students asking why there wasn’t an AP World History [at Mounds View], and I know that there are students from Mounds View that go to Irondale to take AP World History,” Heinz said.

Adding ARCC courses also requires having qualified teachers, which can serve as another obstacle for a class not being provided. Art teacher Jim Bias requested to add ARCC Art Appreciation after hearing of students unwilling to go to Irondale to take the course. To become an ARCC teacher, a teacher must either have a master’s degree or 18 credits in the respective field.

Students have differing opinions regarding the increased number of choices. “I probably would have taken AP World History. We had the choice between AP Euro and normal world history, and I would have liked to take AP World History because I’m more interested in that than [AP] European History. I feel like

it would have helped us go more in-depth,” said Neha Sriram, 12. Other students do not share such interest but still find the courses beneficial. “I have not heard of [these courses] before, but they seem like interesting classes,” said Celine Sackih, 10. “I feel like [these courses] are a nice addition to the current curriculum at Mounds View.”

When Mounds View adds more courses for students during registration, the administration considers the number of students interested, the price to run a course and the credentials required of a staff member to teach the course. Administration also anticipates course registration as it shows a preview of the following school year. “[Administration] gets excited after registration because we get to see what classes we are going to run,” Bruggers said. Students will register for courses on Feb. 4 and Feb. 6.

New courses for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year 1. AP Art Appreciation 2. AP Studio Art 3. AP World History 4. ARCC College Writing- replaces Writing Portfolio and Writing Lab

5. CIS Physics 1101: Introductory to Physics- replaces ARCC Physics 6. How to Make Almost Anything II

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features

Tuesday, january 21, 2020

Conserve-ing the environment

by Amy Binder staff reporter

When most students reflect on their high school experience, they remember sitting in desks, taking standardized tests and learning skills they could not apply to the real world. For three Mounds View High School students, however, this vision could not be further from the truth. Tucked into the woods of northern Wisconsin, Conserve School (Conserve) hosts 60 high school students each semester to learn about the environment and interact with the outdoors.

This year, Anna Grace Hottinger, 11, Isabel Roe, 11, and Allison Rosenquist, 11, attended Conserve’s fall semester. Although most would feel daunted by the decision to step aside from a normal high school path for a semester, these students saw the move as an opportunity for change. “I knew that junior year is typically the hardest year, so I wanted to make mine fun and make it a year that I explore what I am interested in,” Roe said.

Unlike Mounds View, classes at Conserve feature many hands-on activities; one class culminated in a solo camping trip, during which students used the outdoor skills they learned throughout the semester to live alone in the wilderness for two nights. Other classes taught students about prominent environmental movements and activists by reading environmental bills and policies. “The classes that we took at Conserve were all based around the idea of environmental stewardship,” Roe said. “We would go outside almost every day in most of our classes, and when we weren’t outside we were doing the same kinds of studies inside.” Students were also encouraged to explore Conserve School’s 1,200 acres of lakes, forests, bogs and prairies outside of class. “There is so much wildlife and new things to see everywhere on campus,” Roe said.

Conserve’s impact extended far beyond Roe and Hottinger’s time in Wisconsin by encouraging them to take their involvement in environmental issues to the next level. For both students, this meant exploring in-

ternship opportunities. “Before I went, I cared about the environment and thought I was doing a lot for it, but as I was learning more at Conserve I realized I wasn’t,” Roe said. “I have made efforts to change how I impact the environment since I have returned home and am looking at internships that have to do with environmental stewardship.”

voting registration projects and outreach. “We need to look at the climate justice movement and include every voice and make things accessible to everyone,” Hottinger said. According to Hottinger, the climate justice movement is important because everyone, especially people with disproportionate advantages, will be impacted.

Major highlights of Hottinger’s activism prior to attending Conserve School include working as a Fridays for Future international activist, helping to lead the US Climate Strike at its beginning, contributing to Minnesota legislation and speaking on a panel for the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award alongside Greta Thunberg. She also met Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders through her activism efforts.

Just 250 miles away from Mounds View, students at Conserve School engage in a completely different type of learning. “The greatest takeaway that I have from my semester is how essential the environment is to our day-to-day lives,” Roe said. “We need to preserve the environment for others to have the same experiences.”

photo courtesy of Isabel Roe Roe (right) with a friend at Conserve School

Although Conserve inspired Hottinger to get an internship with Rep. Frank Hornstein to work on the Minnesota Green New Deal, it also exposed her to issues within the environmental activism community. “Unlike [what] other students may say, Conserve School actually frustrated my activism. Most of the lessons taught were around whitewashed environmental movements which made it difficult to be a strong activist,” Hottinger said. Now, Hottinger plans to approach activism differently by focusing on climate justice through

photo courtesy of Anna Grace Hottinger Hottinger at Wind River Range, Wyoming

Sliding through senior year

by Yatharth Sharma staff reporter

More talking, less interest in grades and a shorter attention span describe the state of many seniors at the end of the first semester. At this time, most colleges have notified their applicants on their acceptance status. Knowing that their academic performance will no longer have a substantial impact on their admission into college, many seniors reduce their effort in school. This phenomenon has been coined the “senior slide.”

Senior slide has numerous causes, most relating to the content students feel after acceptance into college. If a student has already accomplished their goal of getting into a college, maintaining strong academic performance for the rest of high school may seem futile. Therefore, students tend to view senior sliding as a reward for their hard work. “We did three-and-a-half years of actual hard work, so a semester of less effort will not hurt anybody,” said Sydney Pham, 12.

Similarly to other seniors, Pham supports senior sliding; in the past when Pham took classes with seniors

amid their slide, she remained unaffected by their drop in interest toward academics. Even though she does not plan on actively participating in the senior slide, Pham speculates that her academic performance may drop next semester.

Other students at Mounds View also support the senior slide because they view it as a customary thing that almost all high school students go through. “[The senior slide] is one of those things [that happens] because of the way colleges work,” said Shiva Prasad, 12.

“A lot of the students think that they don’t have to try as much after getting into a college. I don’t see anything negative with it as long as their peers and parents are fine with it.”

In parallel with Pham, Prasad has had classes with seniors in the past, yet remained unaffected by their shift in engagement. “It was almost like they gave off a carefree vibe,” Prasad said. “It didn’t stop me from trying any less hard when I was a sophomore or junior.”

Prasad has a neutral stance toward the concept; he sees no harm in putting less effort toward school as long

image courtesy of Jenna Stellmack

as peers are unaffected. Prasad, who has an avid passion for STEM courses, has only felt a drop in interest among his non-math related classes. “My work ethic has always depended on the class,” Prasad said. “Personally, I have been driven by math and science. I have always put my largest effort into those classes.”

Others also believe that second semester senior year can be used to prepare for the future rather than still focusing on old classes. “Senior year is prioritized for personal relationships and college planning instead of school,” said Tanner Ware, 12.

Colleges have taken action to prevent the senior slides through monitoring the final semester grades of the students that they have admitted. If a student’s level of academic performance drops significantly, colleges can rescind their acceptance. Some students see the necessity of this practice. “I do think it is fair because the colleges accepted the student because of the things they were doing before. If they’re not continuing, then [the student] will not be accepted,” Pham said.

The senior slide also affects teachers and staff.

Some teachers endorse the senior slide if it does not involve disruptive behavior. “I think that if kids take the time to actually enjoy their senior year, I am all for it,” said English teacher Gretchen Nesset.

On the other hand, some teachers are disappointed that students lose enthusiasm towards school because of senior sliding. “Kids are not reaching their potential in their classes that they’re taking, and they’re classes that probably matter,” said social studies teacher Carolynne Ladd.

The senior slide is well supported by the student population. Some believe that students deserve a semester of relaxation after three years of hard work while others believe that the second semester can be used to prepare for college rather than focusing on high school. However, most agree that the slide is a great reprieve from the stress of high school.

features

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Setting the stage

by Elisa Guo staff reporter Since she was just 12 years old, Ava Ernst, 9, has been confidently striding toward success in pageants.

Ernst is not a typical teenager — when most students were relaxing during Thanksgiving break, she was busy competing at the NAM (National American Miss) Nationals pageant in Anaheim, California, for the title of National American Miss Jr. Teen.

Ernst at NAM Nationals in Anaheim, California.

All of Ernst’s years of dedication and commitment paid off at NAM Nationals. “I was so lucky to be able to place in the top 10 [in] the overall competition, which was insane,” Ernst said. On top of that, she also performed well in the optional competitions. “I was

blessed to place in the top 10 for spokesmodel, runway and casual wear,” Ernst said. “I placed as third runnerup for the talent competition.” Prior to NAM Nationals, Ernst had already built herself a reputation as an accomplished pageant contestant. In 2016, she was crowned Miss Pre-Teen Minnesota International, and in 2017, she won the title of Young Miss of Minnesota.

Her participation in pageants has led to many career and travel opportunities. “I’ve gained so much through it, including meeting girls from all across the country, going to Disneyland, getting scouted by many different talent and modeling agencies, and I even got to meet the producer of ‘High School Musical,’” Ernst said.

Before all the glitz and glamour that Ernst shows off on stage, she puts countless hours into getting ready for NAM Nationals. “It’s a lot harder than you’d think,” Ernst said. “When I was preparing for nationals, I typically spent about an hour a night practicing speeches, modeling and scripts alone,” Ernst said. “Along with that, there are coaching sessions which were about an hour or two a week.” She notes that while coaching is not necessary, it is especially helpful because there are many parts to the pageant that are evaluated.

The three required competitions encompass formal wear, personal introductions and interviews. “For formal wear, you need to know the modeling pattern and pick out a dress that you will model on stage,” Ernst said. “For personal introduction, you must write [and memorize] a one-minute speech [about] yourself. This will be presented on stage. Then, there is the interview, where you will have an interview with four to six judges.” Each of the three sections are worth 30 percent of the competitor’s final score, while the remaining 10 percent involves community service.

In addition to the required components of the competition, pageant contestants have the option to

participate in competitions that do not affect their final placement. Some of these optional contests include modeling, acting and talent acts. “I personally choose to compete in all of these,” Ernst said. These additional competitions are not only fun for her, but also a good opportunity for Ernst to familiarize herself with the stage.

Through experience, Ernst learned that pageants are not always about winning. “Pageants have taught me that a queen is the person who tells a little girl how beautiful she looks in her dress, or a person who fixes one of her competitor’s hair when it’s messed up,” Ernst said. “It’s not all about the crown.” Furthermore, pageants encourage girls to build strong characters. “[Being a queen] means being confident, unapologetically [yourself], kind and inspiring,” Ernst said. “It’s about showing others to be confident in themselves and how you make other people feel.”

Ernst strutting the runway in her formal wear. photos courtesy of Ava Ernst

Can’t bring Brown down

by Arfa Ali and Morgan Dalton staff reporters Like many students fresh out of college, Mounds View Paraeducator Nahjai Brown struggles with the expenses he incurred from obtaining his education. Upon graduating from Augsburg University in Minneapolis with a degree in physical education in 2018, Brown continues to pursue his dream of being a registered nurse despite numerous setbacks. Although Brown did graduate, he still needs his official transcript in order to attend other schools and receive his nursing degree. He will be unable to do so until he pays off his overage, which is a form of debt, to his alma mater.

In an attempt to pay off his debt, Brown turned to a popular fundraising website, GoFundMe, to help him raise enough to cover his overage and start nursing school. Brown’s accumulated overage reached $8,500 by the time he graduated from Augsburg, even though his financial aid covered most of his tuition. This meant that he still owed Augsburg University $8,500 before they would release his transcript. “When you owe money, [the college] holds your transcript and your diploma,” Brown said. Keeping up with overage payments soon became a struggle for Brown when late fees started amassing. Brown also became the caretaker of his two teenage brothers during this time, which further hindered the payment process.

After completing anatomy and physiology classes in college, Brown realized he enjoyed medical science and determined that he wanted to pursue a nursing career. “I decided to go with nursing because the body is super interesting,” Brown said. “I also want to work with kids. The long term goal is a nursing anesthesiologist. But to go in right away, I want to be a pediatric nurse.” Besides his interest in anatomy, Brown also has a passion for helping others. “I love to help people,”

Brown said. “I love to nurture them. That’s also why I want to go into nursing because I love helping people.”

In addition to working as a Paraeducator, where he monitors the hallways at Mounds View, Brown also volunteers as a coach for the Roseville High School varsity football team as the sport has always been an integral part of his life. “Going from 7th grade all the way up to when I was 22, I played football every summer, did football stuff every year — workouts and all that,” Brown said. “I decided I needed to do something.

I walked up to the coach and asked if I could help with defensive backs and the receivers because I needed to keep football in my life.” Aside from being involved in the sport, Brown also enjoys the feeling of community found in the athletes. “I love the camaraderie with the players,” Brown said.

same influence on people that his coach had on him. “If I can get to one kid and show them that it’s not as hard as it seems or giving them something to look forward to and someone to talk to,” Brown said. “It makes it that much better for me.”

“Life wasn’t easy. I had to do a lot of stuff. I had to grow up a little faster than I should have.”

Nahjai Brown Brown expresses his desire to help others because of the impact his football coach had on him. “High school personally wasn’t the best for me,” Brown said.

“Life wasn’t easy. I had to do a lot of stuff. I had to grow up a little faster than I should have. For a bit I didn’t have a place to live, but I had a coach I would sit and talk to every single day.” He aspires to have the

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photo courtesy of Nahjai Brown

For more information, feel free to visit Nahjai Brown’s GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/nahjai-brown.

“One

time, I was not let back into the school because of closed campus after I went and got something to

eat because the food here isn’t appealing to me.”

--Clara Gust

“When students leave the building and they’re going out in the commu driving; we don’t know what’s going to happen. As well as when they com know what they’re bringing back into the building. We try to have a safe environment for all students.” --Gregory Martin, a

“I think open campus would be a nice addition. My buddy Ethan and I have a free would be nice to go out to eat or go pick something up from home. And to sol

lem of kids leaving school is to make a call home; it’s ju ple.”

“Our campus has always been closed since 1955. It’s a

decision; we follow it. It’s never been an open campus.”

--Michael Schwartz, asso

Cl

os

“Closing the bathrooms isn’t going to stop anything bad from happening. It’s just

ed Campu

going to stop kids from using the bathroom.”

--Alec Tokarev, 12

“I’ve been checking bathrooms all the time. We’ve got door openers to hold the doors open now to avoid those issues.”

--Michael Schwartz, associate principal “The locked bathrooms all the time are a big problem. Like, I don’t care what people are doing in there, but if I got to go, then they better be unlocked. There are different ways to solve the

problem of vandalism and vaping in the bathrooms besides locking them.”

--Kyle Oberreit, 11

“Our bathrooms are open all the time.”

--Michael Schwartz, associate principal

“If there ever is a bathroom locked, I would just say come let us know, and we’ll go unlock it. If it’s due to construction purposes, usually they’ll put a sign up.”

--Gregory Martin, associate principal

we ferent ang Mounds View H

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“We really didn’t want to make changes to ReFLECT, but what we were finding was that there were a lot of students roaming the halls, doing things they weren’t supposed to be doing, and we didn’t want to ruin it for everyone. We didn’t want

to take ReFLECT away.”

--Stephanie Bruggers, principal

“Nobody wants to walk around school with a green pass during ReFLECT. If students

choose to not work on a specific class, the administration doesn’t need to force this on everybody.”

--Clara Gustafson, 11 ccc

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“I think e’re looking at a lot of difgles to hopefully create a better High School experience, and I don’t

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rather be in a dumpster than be here at Mounds View.”

--Rebecca Jiang, 12

ugh we realize that the time is now.”

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8

editorials

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Evading the electronics

by Angie Larson and Molly Shwiff news editor and features editor The prominence of electronics is ruining childhoods today. When millennials grew up, they played with toys such as dolls and cars. On the other hand, parents today hastily expose their children to electronics like TVs and iPads for an excessive amount of time.

The impact of children’s constant use of technology is proven to be detrimental to their social lives and their physical and mental health. Thus, parents should take greater precautions when it comes to their children’s exposure to technology.

Ever since the start of the digital age in the 1990s, the influence of technology has not only played a larger role in children’s lives, but it has also affected their parents. Recently, parenting styles have arguably taken a turn for the worse with the progression of technology.

As technology becomes more accessible, parents would rather press a button on a TV remote to keep their child entertained instead of interacting and playing with their child. Unlike many kids who were born before the digital age, it seems like the current youth have substituted traditional toys for bright, blue-lit screens. With that comes less interaction with family and more interaction with the device in their hands, resulting in children feeling cast aside due to their parents’ choices.

The more parents have gotten used to using technology as a form of entertainment, the more their lazy habits are engrained as entertainment for their children.

In addition, the more time that children spend relaxing with their devices, the less time they spend participating in regular physical activities. According to Mayo Clinic, children ages six and up should be getting at least an hour of physical exercise a day. This recom-

mended amount of exercise cannot possibly be met if children have easy access to technology. Furthermore, exercise is vital for good health, especially during a child’s period of development, so a lack thereof will be increasingly harmful to their physicality in the long run. Parents need to fulfill their responsibility and remove their children’s access to technology to ensure their well-being.

Additionally, the effects of spending an excessive amount of time online deteriorates a child’s social skills. When children spend all their time on the internet, they may not be able to develop a sense of interaction with others. As a result, they can become accustomed to chatting with their friends through social media, leading to social issues throughout the rest of their lives. Parents who frequently use technology around their children can also affect a child's development as well. When parents are preoccupied with technology, the lack of attention can cause children to express feelings of loneliness. The early onset of abandonment issues can be seen in many children; according to a study from Harvard University, neglect counts as 78% of all different types of child maltreatment. The many negative effects of spending time online should be enough for parents to stop placing their children in front of screens for entertainment.

The overuse of technology and social media can socially isolate children and reduce their fitness, and it can even damage their mental health. According to a study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, “using less social media than you normally would leads to significant decreases in both depression and loneliness.” Putting down a phone to interact with peers or participate in activities can not only improve a

child’s social skills, but it can also help keep their mental health in good condition. Overall, the use of technology, especially starting at a young age, needs to be reduced as the status of their mental health will only continue to get worse.

With a decline in mental health also leads to other issues, including a lack of self-esteem. A study conducted by York University in Canada found that the self-esteem of many social media users worsened after they were asked to find a picture of a peer on Instagram who they felt was more attractive. “They felt worse about their own appearance after looking at social media pages of someone that they perceived to be more attractive than them. Even if they felt bad about themselves before they came into the study, on average, they still felt worse after completing the task,” said Jennifer Mills, Associate Professor and study author. These effects can be detrimental to a child’s self-esteem, harming their self-image which can lead to many eating disorders. Parents should consider limiting their children’s use of technology in order to avoid these problems, or even go as far as to prevent access until an age at which they can handle social media.

All in all, the implementation of technology during a child’s youth negatively impacts their childhood, with the consequences following them into the future.

For the sake of generations to come, parents should be more responsible in the development of their children and more conscious about the use of technology.

Not-preferred parking lots

by Alissa Zhao debates editor With the amount of money students at Mounds View pay to park at school, the lack of effort the school puts toward making it convenient for students is completely unacceptable. Every time students walk from their cars to the school, they have to deal with both the Minnesota weather and a parking lot that is ridiculously far away. As the owner of the parking lots, Mounds View should make the process more safe and accessible, especially during the winter.

We all know how tough the weather in Minnesota can be: In the winter, we have snow, ice and belowfreezing temperatures. The walk to school from either parking lot is seemingly endless and the parking lots are often not well-maintained. Despite harsh conditions being a regular occurrence of Mother Nature, this is no excuse for the school’s negligence. Countless times this winter, there have been days when both the parking lot and sidewalk were covered in snow and ice, making the walk into school a hassle and extremely unsafe for students. The school should be doing their best to make all elements of school as safe as possible, such as routinely spreading salt on the sidewalks.

Furthermore, the distance students have to walk in these poor conditions is unsatisfactory. While it can be observed how the new bus lot is more efficient, it is ridiculous that there is a huge lot that remains so empty for most of the day. Having that lot open to students

Editor Opinions on the legal drinking age

“If you're old enough to die in a war, you're old enough to have a beer.”

would be a far better solution since it would reduce the overcrowding of the North Lot, as well as reduce the risk of an accident caused by the issues mentioned earlier. It makes much more sense to return to the old busing system that had buses parking in the circle drive.

Students taking the bus were able to easily access their buses and students who drove to school had access to improved lots.

Finally, students pay over $200 for a parking pass, and the school needs to acknowledge that that is an inappropriate demand. We pay similar, if not more than, what college students are paying, which leads me to wonder where the money is going. In theory, it should be used to help maintain the parking lot. However, simply repaving the teacher lot has proven to be futile, while the main North Lot hosts an abundance of potholes and uneven pavement — outlined by an embarrassing array of makeshift flags. Mounds View should not require students to pay such a ridiculous fee for parking in a substandard parking lot.

Currently, students pay an outrageous amount of money for less than satisfactory service. It is Mounds View’s responsibility to make parking accessible and practical for students, and they need to make an effort to meet those responsibilities.

illutration by Jenna Stellmack

“I think it's fine the way it

“Everyone just wants to have

“Very few countires have a

is. I see why some want to

a good time. People should

drinking age over 18. If you

lower it, but I'm not sure how

just be careful with it.”

can vote and be drafted, you

lowering the drinking age is a

-Brock Nelson sports editor

good thing.”

-Natalie Nemes centerfold editor

-Natalie

Nemes

should be able to drink.”

-Leon Wang

managing copy editor

-Emily Feng features editor

DEBATES

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Drinking Age

9

The drinking age should be lowered

by Kaitlynn Badger and Sam Magnuson staff reporters Noah Domingo was a student at the University of California, Irvine, but he died tragically at the age of 18 from alcohol poisoning. He was a bright young man who had hopes of becoming an NBA trainer, but due to overconsumption of alcohol and lack of medical attention, his friends are facing jail time and his parents are coping with the death of their child. All of this could have been avoided with medical attention, but our current drinking regulations created fear in Noah’s friends, which made them hesitant to get him the help he needed. Teenagers and young adults risk both their lives and their friends’ lives out of fear of legal prosecution. Right now, underage drinking is dangerous, but that does not have to be the case. Lowering the minimum legal drinking age (often known as the MLDA) would create a safe environment on high school and college campuses, instead of putting children in

risky situations. Many government officials fail to understand the dangerous culture that the current MLDA is instituting and it needs to be lowered.

Though the current drinking age in the United States stands at 21, this has not always been the case. The legal drinking age had varied between the ages of 18 to 21 prior to 1986 when Congress agreed on a MLDA. Congress gave an ultimatum to states to change the drinking age to 21 or lose ten percent of federal highway funds. The states chose to change the drinking age and keep the federal highway funds.

Many institutions came forward in July 2008 about the harmful effects a higher drinking age has on certain groups, particularly college students.

The Amethyst Initiative, a group of educators motivated to rethink the drinking age, has a pledge signed by 136 university and college presidents across the country stating that the current drinking age of 21 is ineffective. The presidents of those universities believe that if the

What do you think should happen to the drinking age? (84 students polled)

drinking age was lowered, it would teach younger adults how to drink responsibly and lower the occurrence of binge drinking.

Fake IDs and binge drinking exist on college campuses because of the high MLDA. College students think it is risky and exhilarating to sneak around with fake IDs and obtain alcohol from illegal sources. As a result, they tend to binge drink sporadically instead of drinking casually without being pressured. Lowering the MLDA would remove the motivation and excitement around binge drinking.

Additionally, lowering the MLDA would also increase the safety of drinking. Underage drinkers would no longer feel the need to hide what they are doing, decreasing the risks of medical issues that come with binge drinking. Currently, students who are suffering from alcohol poisoning and blackouts are much less likely to seek medical attention because they fear legal prosecution.

There is no reason that someone should

What age should the drinking age be lowered to?

The drinking age needs to stay the same

by Katelyn Welle and Isaac Vo staff reporters The minimum legal drinking age (commonly referred to as the MLDA) currently stands at a strict 21, and has for the past 36 years ever since the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 passed in all 50 states. The MLDA must remain at 21 to limit underage drinking in order to keep youth in the United States away from all the risks that come with alcohol.

Congress used the law to combat drunk driving by improving law enforcement and providing incentives to the states to mitigate drunk driving. This had a noticeable impact on underage drunk driving by directly reducing the occurrence and discouraging the act by limiting the availability of alcohol and adding the threat of legal punishment. Intoxi-

cated driving creates a huge problem that the MLDA has improved but cannot fix entirely. While the task of completely stopping driving under the influence may be impossible, many accidents have been negated due to the stricter drinking law.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 1983, a year before Congress enacted MLDA, there were more than 18,000 car accidents caused by inebriated teen drivers, compared to only about 10,000 in 2017.

Brain development also plays a large role in why the legal drinking age should remain the same. Even though adulthood begins at age 18, human brain development does not end until age 25 for males and 21 for females. Development of the prefrontal cortex still progresses during the teenage years into the early 20s, causing youth to make more irrational decisions and they lack the ability to

Viewer Staff 2019-2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING COPY EDITOR MANAGING DESIGN EDITOR MANAGING ONLINE PUBLISHER MANAGING ONLINE EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER FRONT COVER NEWS EDITORS FEATURES EDITORS

DEBATES EDITOR

Michael Gennaro Leon Wang Jenna Stellmack Alissa Zhao Alissa Zhao Janae Lee Jenna Stellmack Angie Larson, Janae Lee Molly Shwiff, Emily Feng Alissa Zhao

feel like they need to avoid going to the hospital for fear of the consequences they will face from the law. Lowering the MLDA would significantly decrease the risk of injury.

Finally, in the United States, you are legally an adult at 18; however, having a drinking age of 21 contradicts the feeling of reaching adult status. 18-year-olds can serve on a jury, vote and enlist in the military, but they still cannot drink. The government should allow legal adults, who have many other rights in this country, to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption.

Right now, we live in a country where young adults like Domingo are dying of alcohol poisoning when their deaths could have been prevented with simple medical attention. Idealistic and out of touch politicians are blissfully unaware of the culture that the MLDA promotes. To ensure the safety and prosperity of young adults, the MLDA must be lowered.

What age should the drinking age be raised to? infographics created by Alissa Zhao data compiled by Alissa Zhao

solve harder problems in comparison to adults. This inability to make sound decisions brings up the main importance of MLDA, to make sure underage drinkers cannot make those poor decisions that involve drinking. By keeping the legal drinking age at 21, both males and females have more time to develop their brains; and therefore, drink more responsibly.

Given the inevitability of students drinking, the change to legally drink at 18 would drastically increase the availability of alcohol to a younger crowd, including students of high school and middle school ages. New legal drinkers often use their new found power to give access to their underage friends, and so on, leading to a “trickle-down” effect.

If the MLDA was lowered, young adults would encounter more dangerous environments such as bars and night-

clubs. Neighborhoods with a greater density of alcohol-selling locations lead to more frequent assaults and violent crimes. If these locations allowed younger people, they would have a greater chance of being involved in dangerous situations, including sexual assault. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, every 73 seconds, an American becomes a victim of assault, with most of these occurrences happening in bars or nightclubs — another valid reason for the current MLDA. Lowering the drinking age to 18 years of age would result in the harming of many teens and young adults who decide to take advantage of the availability of alcohol. The MLDA law helps teenagers and young adults across the United States to stay safe and maintain healthy lives.

STAFF REPORTERS CENTERFOLD EDITORS EDITORIALS EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHER ARTIST ADVISOR PUBLISHER

Jenna Stellmack, Natalie Nemes Michael Hu Alec Nelson Brock Nelson Arfa Ali Jenna Stellmack David Ostrom Sauk Centre Publishing

Arfa Ali, Kaitlynn Badger, Amy Binder, Morgan Dalton, Andy Devine, Madeline Edgar, Blake Friedman, Savannah Guiang, Elisa Guo, Lucie Henrich, Sterling Hills, Ben Howlett, Irene Lampredi, Josie Mackenthun, Sam Magnuson, Ellis Maloney, Isabel Newhouse, Arthur Nghiem, Darah Ostrom, Isabelle Schrab, Yatharth Sharma, Kate Spence, Joseph Steil, Nicholas Stenlund, Isaac Vo, Hanzu Vu-Tran, Zige Wang, Katelyn Welle,

Sienna Wood, Junha Yoo, Johnny Yue

Mounds View High School ‌• 1900 Lake Valentine Rd. Arden Hills, MN 55112 • www.mvviewer.org‌ • @mvviewer • business@mvviewer.org

10

Arts & Entertainment

Columbia Heights Theatre Coming Soon Detour Thursday January 30

Moonrise Thursday February 6

Moulin Rouge Monday February 10

Strange Illusion Thursday February 13

Hollow Trump Thursday February 20

T-Men

Thursday February 27

Raw Men Thursday March 5

by Irene Lampredi and Madeline Edgar staff reporter

Located just fifteen minutes away from Mounds View High School, the Columbia Heights Theatre offers a unique and memorable movie-viewing experience.

While other theaters may have a modern design, the Heights revels in its lengthened history. Established in 1927, the Heights has seen its fair share of strange disasters, having survived three fires, a tornado and a bombing. However, after 93 years, the building still stands, and its vintage facade and selective film lineup continues to impress audiences. With its early 20th century decorations and a classic red curtain concealing the screen, the Heights resembles a European opera house.

The audience cannot help but feel like they have stepped back in time.

When we visited the theater on January 1, they were showing “Holiday Inn,” in accordance with their New Year’s tradition. For such specialty showings and opening nights, purchasing your tickets ahead of time on their website is recommended, considering that the show was already sold out three days prior to the showing.

Tickets can also be purchased at the door, but judging by the

crowd and the difficulty we had finding two seats together, planning in advance is a safer option. Also, it is worth arriving early, as the middle section fills up fast, and one may want to enjoy a bit more of the organ music that plays before the start of the show.

Upon arrival, a quaint lobby welcomes the audience accompanied by old-fashioned ticket booths and a concession stand. The festive holiday decor covering the room and the sleek grand piano in the corner tops off the atmosphere of cozy elegance. As we were heading to the venue, the distant sound of an organ amplified the sense of grandeur that we felt from the moment we stepped out of our car.

The Edwardian era carpeting was clean and the building was warm. A friendly face greeted us at the register, who took our tickets and allowed us to proceed towards concessions. Since we were at a movie theater, it was only right for us to try a bag of their buttered popcorn, which was delicious.

They also offer a plain alternative with no difference in price.

Our tickets were $12, as it was a special showing, but for regular movies they were $9 for adults and $7 for seniors and children.

Past the grand hall, we immediately caught sight of the Wurlitzer organ, lit at the

tuesday, January 21, 2020

foot of the stage. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” featured as the song of the evening. The organist played the classic effortlessly, which only increased the feeling of authenticity that permeated the entire building.

We were able to grab the last available seats, and we settled in for a few hours of viewing that transported the audience back to the 1950s.

The Heights retains many modern comforts as well, featuring snack options similar to other theaters and offering them at a more reasonable price than commercial theater chains. Reasonable legroom, an advanced sound system and a sizable, high-quality screen completed the overall viewing experience.

Though the theater’s setup may make it difficult for some viewers to see the screen, it was not a problem for us. The reclining seats also make up for any potential discomfort. The staff are kind and focused on providing an optimal experience for their guests, and the appeal of such a nostalgic venue is not to be ignored. Although the little business is certainly busy, it was well worth the price and experience.

by Zige Wang staff reporter

Replenishing the body with protein and vitamins is essential after a hard workout. The Nutrition Spot—located at 3470 Lexington Ave N, Shoreview, MN—provides a quick and healthy solution to help restore lost nutrients.

The Nutrition Spot has a recognizable lime green and white color scheme that can be seen on their logo and throughout their store, which helps brighten up a customer’s day. The space may be small, but the overall openness that the store displays makes for a much larger feel. The customer is welcomed by friendly staff behind a big counter.

Even though the counter is mainly used as a place to order, it also offers seating, allowing the customer to interact with the staff and view how the drinks are made. Tables are scattered throughout the store, as well as a couch to give a visitor the option to relax.

The store uses a unique ordering process by first making customers sign up on an iPad using their name, email and phone number. Then, customers write down their order, a hot or iced tea and a protein shake, onto a slip of paper by circling the choice of tea and writing down a number associated with a protein drink. The shop offers 30 protein shakes and three levels of tea with 14 in total. Each level provides a different amount of nutritional value. Patrons can

also “boost” their drink by adding more protein, fiber, probiotics or make their drink a fat burner.

I ordered a hot pomegranate tea and a cafe latte protein shake which came to a total of $8. For the price, customers get a substantial amount of product, considering that the 24 grams of protein is supposed to be a meal replacer. The shake was decent, but I felt as though they put a lot of ice in the drink, so the flavor felt diluted and the consistency was a bit watery. The pomegranate tea had a tart, fruity flavor that made the beverage taste exceedingly artificial.

As a whole, The Nutrition Spot has great customer service and is economically friendly. Although their drinks supply nutritional value, the taste of them was quite odd. However, if you are willing to sacrifice taste for nutritional benefit, this is the place to go.

Caffe latte protein shake (right) and pomegranate tea (left). photo courtesy of Zige Wang

The Verdict

6.5/10

Pictured above is the lobby of the theater.

The interior of the venue, pictured to the right.

Staying healthy in 2020 Nutrition Spot

Exterior of the building (above).

Bear Nutrition

by Zige Wang staff reporter

Every year, savvy health tips or a new diet seem to become a trend. So, it is not surprising why protein shakes and teas have been rising in popularity. Bear Nutrition, located in White Bear Lake off of Highway 96, offers just that and more.

The store has a neat and simple layout, and the front door opens up to the faces of welcoming workers at the register. To the left, the menu hangs on the wall in clear print for easy reading. Off to the right, customers lounge in a seating area and enjoy their drinks, while speakers around the store quietly play pop music.

Bear Nutrition has an overwhelming number of flavors to choose from.

They have 84 protein shakes, 22 teas, eight iced coffees, seven natural teas and three aloe drinks. All of their beverages have special properties; for example, their teas claim to help with energy, metabolism and appetite reduction.

Their shakes come in one size with a plastic cup, lid and straw. For the price of $6.50, including tax, customers get a reasonably-sized drink. The shakes also offer plenty of nutritional value with 24 grams of protein and 20 essential vitamins, making them a perfect postworkout meal to help repair and grow muscle.

I tried the salted caramel protein

photos courtesy of Irene Lampredi

shake. The shake was quite tasty, having the perfect balance of sweetness and a touch of saltiness. Usually, I can not finish shakes because the flavor gets intolerable. However, I was able to finish Bear Nutrition’s shake with ease. I could definitely feel the grittiness of the protein powder, but these based shakes commonly have a chalk-like texture.

Overall, I left the store satisfied.

The customer service was excellent, and the workers are obliging and make the space feel comfortable. Based on my experience, I would highly recommend a visit.

photo courtesy of Zige Wang Salted Caramel protein shake (above).

The Verdict

8.5/10

Cream of the crop

sports

Tuessday, January 21, 2020

The secret to every athlete holds great mystery, as each individual possesses a unique way to prepare for intense matches, meets and games. Mounds View High School continually holds a reputation of athletic success, with many students achieving titles at the state and national level. This athletic prosperity has allowed many student-athletes to be awarded All-Conference Awards, in which coaches nominate athletes who have exceeded expectations during the season.

The prestigious All-Conference Award recognizes athletes who repeatedly exhibit outstanding performances, high rankings and noticeable differences that set them apart from their teammates and competitors.

However, when district rankings do not exist to evidently prove which athlete should receive this award, coaches vote for the individuals who they believe represent the ideals of an All-Conference athlete.

Mounds View’s football program possesses a rich history of successful seasons that impress many football fans. A good work ethic not only serves as an essential part of an athlete’s journey to excel, but can make one stand out from their peers. Collin Hoyhtya, 12, received one of the few All-Conference Awards on the team. He is a wide receiver, a tough position to excel in due to the popularity of the position. However, Hoyhtya’s motiva-

tion to improve, a key aspect of achieving the award, sets him apart from the other receivers. “I love the different aspects of football; how many different opportunities there are for improvement,” Hoyhtya said.

“Especially as a wide receiver, I have seemingly endless things [that] I can work on to get better.” Despite his success on the team, he still experiences occasional setbacks. Mistakes, such as dropping the ball or making a poor play, briefly frustrate Hoyhtya. However, he makes sure that these minor mishaps do not interfere with his ability to comeback mentally and focus. “I just remind myself that I’m not defined by my mistakes, and I’ve worked hard to become a great football player,” Hoyhtya said. “I just need to trust myself.” All-Conference athletes, like Hoyhtya, symbolize the passionate love for the game, resilient mindset and strong work ethic that essentially create a well-deserving athlete.

In addition to football, the girls cross country team has also has many talented runners. This year, four athletes from Mounds View received the All-Conference Award. Taylor Isabel, 9, holds one of these prestigious accolades. Starting cross country in 7th grade, Isabel had to quickly adapt to the high demands and stakes of being a varsity runner. Along the way, she has experienced a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Isabel says that one of her lowest cross-country moments occurred when she contracted a stress reaction in her shin, pulling her out of running for five weeks. However, she did

not let this setback intrude on her pursuit of achieving big. “While I was injured, I aqua-jogged every morning before school and slowly worked my way up to running again,” Isabel said. “I was back racing in time for Conference, Sections, State and NXR and finished my season out with a PR [personal-record] of 19:17 in the 5K.” With this new sense of strength, Isabel’s refusal to submit to the strenuous injuries of a runner allowed her to be recognized among her peers and coaches as a valuable and deserving recipient of the All-Conference Award. In addition, her coach, Jimmy McArthur, has realized that although All-Conference athletes, like Isabel, experience tremendous success in their individual events, their contributions as team members have made a significantly stronger impact on themselves as athletes. “Each one provides and brings their own special ability to make us a true team,” McArthur said.

With many student athletes at Mounds View giving every ounce of their grit during intense games and meets, the unwavering quest of a few athletes to achieve large goals allows them to receive an All-Conference Award. These All-Conference athletes, with their hard work, ensure their effort and countless hours of training support their journey to become better athletes and contributors to Mounds View High School’s prominent athletic legacy.

go to weights and do what they’re supposed to.” Typically, their practices will start with a quick warmup and stretch, but the workouts depend on the day and whether they do a kick, distance or sprint set. The routine tends to vary between various dryland workouts, which are out of pool physical activities, and weight training on other days. Transferring training from outside of the pool to the water is essential for swimming stronger and racing faster.

Last season, Quackenbush’s most impressive accomplishment was breaking the school record in the 200 freestyle relay with four other teammates. “Going into state, especially for the seniors, it was really nerveracking because they wanted to get a record before they left,” Quackenbush said. “In the finals, we got the record. It was more relief than excitement. He swam as the anchor in the record-breaking time of 1:26.09.

Quackenbush suddenly found himself at the helm of a much younger group than last year. “We lost a lot of seniors; last year we had a record-setting relay, but half that relay graduated,” Quackenbush said. Even with this loss, Quackenbush still has confidence in his team for the year. “I think we will be able to put together a few decent relays,” Quackenbush said. In addition, Quackenbush has been someone to look up to for many of the younger swimmers. “He’s been a role model for people of all speeds by always working hard,” said Matthew Shen, 10.

As with all teams, Mounds View Swim and Dive looks forward to racing against some of their biggest rivals. “The best meets are always against East Ridge and Park: Those have been my favorite meets,” Quackenbush said. “The obvious impact is he helped score

a lot of points and played a big part in helping us beat some of our biggest rivals,” Shen said regarding Quackenbush’s integral role on the team.

In addition to swimming for Mounds View, Quackenbush trains in the off-season for his club team. He mentioned that there are some noticeable differences between swimming for high school and club. “It’s a lot more individual,” Quackenbush said. “Meets aren’t really scored by teams.” This makes club swimming more ideal for athletes wishing to get recruited; however; Quackenbush prefers to spend time with his friends on the team. “There’s a lot of people who just stick to club swimming instead of high school swimming, just because the high school team isn’t as good,” Quackenbush said. “I like high school swimming more, just because hanging out with the boys.” Outside of the pool, the boys swim and dive team has led to many cherished memories for Quackenbush. In order to build connections among the swimmers, the team hosts breakfasts and potlucks, in addition to several other events aspiring to create camaraderie.

Looking to continue his swimming career following high school, Quackenbush has some options to consider. “I’m looking at swimming in college. I’m looking at the University of South Dakota, St. Thomas and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire,” Quackenbush said. While Quackenbush will continue to chase records for the time being, he can rest assured that colleges will also be chasing after him.

Quack attack

by Darah Ostrom and Lucie Henrich staff reporters

Breaking records is undoubtedly a significant feat that every athlete aspires to reach, but for co-captain of the Boys Swim and Dive team, Will Quackenbush, 12, it almost looks easy. Quackenbush plays a key role in racing against some of the team’s toughest competitors, and his performance sets a precedent for the rest of the team. He currently ranks 13th overall in the state, according to CollegeSwimming, and is looking to add on to his already impressive resume as the winter progresses.

This season, Quackenbush continues to demonstrate his exceptional talent. He finished only a half second behind his best time in the 200 individual medley (IM) at the Bengal Invite with a time of 1:59.02 and secured first place. Quackenbush aspires for one main goal this season — a school record. “I want to get a record on the board,” Quackenbush said. “I have one for relay, but it’s not the same as a personal one.” While relays have always been a team-oriented event, Quackenbush also shines individually. “Historically, 200 free has been my best event,” Quackenbush said. “My favorite one right now is either 200 IM or 100 breast; I’m improving the most in those. Although these are his best events, he still prefers to swim breaststroke.”

In addition to the normal practices in the pool, the team has implemented new exercises that will increase their athleticism in and out of the water. “We are doing a lot more weight lifting this year,” Quackenbush said.

“We did some last year, but it wasn’t really structured.

This year we are doing a good job making sure people

Mystery Athlete???

HINT 1: The athlete is a senior that is on the track and field team.

HINT 2:The athlete’s main event is the 800m dash.

HINT 3: The athlete’s nickname is “Vi” and he has cats named Linus and Snoopy.

Trivia

Who is the new all-

time leader in points scored for Mounds View Girls Basketball?

Answer: Lindsey Becher

by Johhny Yue and Ellis Maloney staff reporters

11

Answer: Levi Christopherson.

12

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

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