Echo issue 9, April 17 by SLP Echo

Echo

INNOVATION

TRACK PROGRESSES

NEW EXHIBIT

Orioles Robotics competes at tournament PAGE 4

Team works around tough weather conditions PAGE 9

Walker Art Center opens interactive chalk space PAGE 12

Wednesday, April 17, 2019 Volume 92 Issue 9 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Prom scheduling mistake ignites reactions

Support, concern among upperclass Yonit Krebs & Megan Raatz yonitkrebs@slpecho.com meganraatz@slpecho.com

hen the administration announced a change to Prom’s date to accommodate Muslim students’ celebration of Ramadan, junior Ayan Ali was overjoyed. “I’m more than excited. I have been wanting this since January,” Ali said. “I ran out of class, almost having an asthma attack because of how happy and surprised I was.” Principal Scott Meyers, Student Council president senior Alexis Machoka and Thespian president senior Nietzsche Deuel made the announcement April 10 that Prom will be moved to 9 p.m.-midnight May 4 at the Swedish Institute. The spring play was changed to 7 p.m. May 2-3 and 2 p.m. May 4 in the Auditorium. Prom was originally scheduled for May 11 and the spring play’s Saturday show for the evening of May 4. Moving Prom back to accommodate for Ramadan, which begins May 5, put the dance in conflict with the original evening performance. According to Meyers, the administration decided to announce its final decision to quell rumors. “We just realized people were having conversations individually that included a lot of assumption and uncertainty. We wanted to make sure that once we made our final decision, we had the information out there,” Meyers said.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES

How do you feel about Prom’s date changing?

Mohammad Azem, sophomore

“I think it’s a good thing because that allows for Muslims to be able to attend it because otherwise they would have missed out, especially for the seniors.”

Sam McGurgan, junior

“I’m glad it got changed because it’s good that it’s not on the holiday anymore, but for me it was a bummer. Now I can’t go to Prom because I’m already committed to a soccer tournament.”

Bryan Huynh, senior

“The school made a huge mistake. They should have seen that coming. It’s on a huge Muslim holiday, and there’s a lot of Muslim people at our school.”

Cole Kanne, sophomore

“I think it was a smart decision on the school’s part to move Prom away from Ramadan, but in return it pushed the play (time) up. It was just an unfortunate mistake.”

SLPECHO.COM

Junior Margaret Klein said she supports the date change. “I think it’s super exciting, and I’m really glad the administration listened to the students and quickly made the change so that everybody could come to Prom,” Klein said. Senior Marian Mohamud, one of the students who met with Meyers to advocate for a change, said she felt disappointed in the way Park chose to announce the adjustment. “I do not think the correct people were chosen to speak about the changes in dates. I do understand that Alexis is the co-president of the class of 2019, but the way the speech was phrased was shocking and frustrating because it made it seem as if the ‘incident’ wasn’t important enough to mention,” Mohamud said. “During the announcement they never mentioned Ramadan and the Muslim community.” According to Meyers, Machoka and Deuel were chosen to speak as they represented the two groups — Student Council and the Theater program — that changed their events to solve the conflict. “When we were approached by both groups saying, ‘I think we have a solution,’ that’s when I wanted to have them as part of the messaging,” Meyers said. “In terms of excluding a voice, there definitely was no intention behind that and in fact much of our conversation centered around our friends and fellow students that were sharing.” According to Meyers, the absence of the words Muslim or Ramadan in the April 10 announcement over the loudspeaker was not aimed at exclusion. “There was not an intentional, ‘let’s not use Muslim or Ramadan,’ but there was an intentionality behind saying our students are with us, they are who we are, they are St. Louis Park High School,” Meyers said. Meyers said he believes attempting to assign blame for the conflict is an ineffective strategy. “I rely on the awareness of our students, our staff and our individual groups to help ensure that we keep our school a safe place,” Meyers said. “I am trying to explain that we need to collectively own this. At any point somebody could say, ‘I noticed this in the calendar, and I’d like it changed.’” According to Meyers, the administration will begin a process of, in the spring, putting all student and performance groups’s major events on a calendar with religious holiday dates. “We also are going to include the conversation about being respectful of observances. The complete avoidance is not something we’ve been able to do,” Meyers said. “I’m learning more and more about how those events can and can’t happen within the expectations of groups.” Art Maggie Klaers

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NEWS Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

I thought it was really cool. It was nice to see a lot of diﬀerent traditions and cultures and lots of diﬀerent clothing and dancing. Daniel Goldenberg, sophomore

WEB PREVIEW

Photo Emily Ziessman

Instagram account made for AP teacher

s sophomore Luci Jensen was talking with friends in the hallway, history teacher Jeffrey Cohen approached them and asked one of them to nominate him for a free Norwegian cruise given to teachers. “I didn’t know what he was showing us at first but then I was excited,” Jensen said. “I wanted to try to help him win a cruise.”

Strut your stuﬀ: Sophomore Maryam Abdirahman dances with her partner in the fashion show portion of the multicultural performance. Photo Carissa Prestholdt

Speaking out: Senior Muna Ahmed smiles while the crowd applauds her after reading a poem during the multicultural show, April 12. During the show, students performed in a variety of diﬀerent mediums such as song, rap, dance and spoken word.

Maria Perez Barriga mariaperezbarriga@slpecho.com

Photo Ruby Stillman

Photo Carissa Prestholdt

Let’s dance: Junior Aisha Abdi and sophomore Grace Kanyinku celebrate after the ﬁnal performance.

Boys’ golf suffers ﬁrst loss fter losing to Robbinsdale Armstrong in the first match of the season, freshman golfer Tommy Tight said he wishes he had played better, but is able to look ahead to the next match. “I don’t think anyone was super happy with how they played yesterday, but our coach said he liked the way none of us got really too upset about it,” Tight said. “We forgot about the loss quick.”

Sing aloud: Senior Andreina Rodriguez sings “Vivir Mi Vida” by Marc Anthony. The song represents Venezuelan culture at the show.

Photo Grace Farley

Evening show cancelation frustrates

Ethan Meisler & Soﬁa Seewald ethanmeisler@slpecho.com soﬁaseewald@slpecho.com

Administration cites safety concern as reason for change

REVIEW

Dani Orloff & Noah Orloff daniorloff@slpecho.com noahorloff@slpecho.com Photo Noah Orloff

Local pad thai ﬂavors vary

tasted vegetarian pad thai at five different restaurants, reviewing the components that make up a pad thai. The reviews are not based off authenticity or traditionality — subjects I am not qualified for — instead it is simply how much I enjoyed each dish. Spice can change the flavor of a meal, so I tried the basic pad thai each restaurant had. Noah Orloﬀ noahorloﬀ@slpecho.com For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho

Photo Grace Farley

s senior multicultural show host Sabnyyah Bilal fought to maintain the scheduled evening performance, she said she felt disrespected having to constantly stand up for her beliefs. “We shouldn’t have to be fighting for our religion and our culture two times in one month, the same week,” Bilal said. “We weren’t consulted about anything that was happening with Prom, We shouldn’t and we didn’t know about how Prom was have to be during our holiday — ﬁghting for our religious holiday — our religion and then they ended up and our canceling the show.” According to Princulture two cipal Scott Meyers, the times in one evening show was canmonth, the celed be it might have same week. jeopardized student safety. Sabnyyah Bilal, “As a building prinsenior

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cipal, if there is something that’s perceived to compromise students’ safety, it’s my job to make sure that we don’t take a chance on that. And so we really didn’t have an option of having the show that evening,” Meyers said. According to Meyers, on the snow day April 11, one day before the performance, the administration received information regarding unease of an occurrence at the evening multicultural show. “There were concerns among students that were performing, people in St. Louis Park that were concerned, and people from outside of St. Louis Park,” Meyers said. According to Grade Level Coordinator and show supervisor Donielle Singer, the student leaders planned to have students perform as well as guests at the evening show, which was not fully communicated. “There were some acts that I wasn’t aware that they were scheduled, and I’m not going to say that the students tried to put it past me or what. We just missed that communication and ultimately that is what canceled the show,” Singer said. Junior show leader Zahra Mohamud said she felt she wasted her time preparing for the evening show. “It was offensive. The performance you see during school is half of it,” Mohamud said. “We’ve been stressing over something

that wasn’t happening anymore, and that’s not fair.” Mohamud said she planned the evening show to share the event with the community. “It was always during school and people didn’t like that because friends and family weren’t able to attend,”Mohamud said. She added that while the administration recognized the show’s success at a meeting seventh hour April 12, there was no compromise. “I just felt like for them having the during school one was enough and for us, it wasn’t enough. That wasn’t what we wanted,” Mohamud said. “Everyone felt what they were saying wasn’t being heard.” Meyers said the performance couldn’t be rescheduled because of the widespread use of the Auditorium as the school year ends. “In terms of not rescheduling, it was my understanding when people were planning it, that there’s not availability for our Auditorium in the future,” Meyers said. According to Mohamud, the third show’s cancelation made her question whether she wanted to continue to lead next year. “Not only me, but so many people have been working hard, so many people were looking forward to the after-school performance. So, in the future I don’t really want to take that responsibility anymore. I even told the principal this, too,” Mohamud said.

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I don’t care whether students like coﬀee. If they drink coﬀee, they can. It does not really matter.

STUDENT LIFE

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Juan Russy, freshman

Access elicits concern for student dependence Evie Nelson evienelson@slpecho.com

he American Academy of Pediatrics recommends teens not to exceed a maximum of 100 mg of caffeine a day, the standard amount in a cup of coffee. Mary Peterson, child nutrition specialist in the Minnesota Department of Education, said high schoolers are the only age group allowed to have access to caffeinated and zero calorie level beverages in school. According to Peterson, the Department of Education follows the Smart Snack standard guide, a criteria that uses food labels to determine what can be provided in schools. The criteria states teens are allowed up to 12 ounces of caffeinated beverages daily.

coffee shop beverage selections to satisfy student demands. “We just rolled out iced drinks, so iced coffee and iced tea. Students seem to like iced coffee better than hot coffee, so it will be interesting to see if what we sell changes,” Pajor said. According to junior Isaac Wahl, a barista at Caribou Coffee, consuming coffee was not a part of his daily routine. “I didn’t drink coffee because I did not like the taste, and I also didn’t like the effects caffeine has on me,” Wahl said. Pajor said the student leaders of the SLP Nest select menu items based on community feedback and local sources. “For the iced coffee, I asked, ‘What syrup should we get?’ and I sent out a poll to our student leaders and a poll on Instagram so I seek feedback that way. We source as locally as we can, so our coffee is from local roaster Driven Coffee,” Pajor said. Wahl said he believes that since becoming a barista, he is much more susceptible to drinking coffee and other sugary drinks. “I started in July and it’s been six or seven months, and I have slowly been intaking more levels of caffeine,” Wahl said. “I’m not losing my morals, but it’s easily accessible so I just think about it less.” Wahl said he hopes to regulate his coffee intake, yet worries for customers who order caffeinated food and drinks. “I see the customers that come in and how they need it so much in the morning,” Wahl said. “With being in the environment of a coffee shop and working there, I still don’t want to drink it.”

Caffeine’s unhealthy impact

Peterson said the Smart Snacks standards also apply to any items sold to students during the school day, including fundraisers, vending machines and school stores. However, teens often get their caffeine fix in other places. SLP Nest coordinator Ellen Pajor said she strives to provide items that are applicable to the needs of the community. “To me that is the most important thing. As far as caffeine intake, I don’t necessarily see it as my job to have an opinion on what people intake,” Pajor said. “Unless there was a pretty big health consensus that there was going to be a problem with something we serve.” Pajor said she tries to tailor

Caﬀeine by the numbers

Caribou Iced Coﬀee

Mountain Dew Kickstart energy

16 oz 165 mg

16 oz 92 mg

Diet Coke 12 oz 46 mg

Infographic Creston Halstead Source Sandbox Networks, Inc., Fox News & Coca-Cola prduct facts

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

WHAT'S THE POINT

Unconventional break creates perspective Jenna Cook jennacook@ slpecho.com

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FEATURES

s a freshman, I would have told anyone that I couldn’t see myself travelling south of the equator anytime soon. Now, as a senior, I am excited and grateful to have been able to experience Latin America in a completely individualized way. I travelled with a close friend to her hometown in Medellin, Colombia and stayed with her family, who basically adopted me for two weeks. Her mother became my own, and I served as a second big sister to her younger siblings. Exploring a different country with locals rather than as a tourist opened What’s the my eyes to so POINT? many Educate things I wouldn’t through international have seen otherwise. travel As an added bonus, I was able to practice and hone my Spanish skills, picking up on sayings and region-specific slang I was previously unfamiliar with. My temporary family was very patient with me, explaining the meaning behind each foreign phrase. Having spoken Spanish from a young age, I came to realize the version of the language I spoke lacked depth and was oversimplified. I learned that I can’t really know the language before being able to apply it with native Spanish speakers. Almost every meal I ate was fresh and home-cooked, which helped me taste even more of the culture in the country. All the food was served with overwhelming Colombian hospitality, and everyone I met welcomed me with open arms and incredible manners. I hadn’t thought of too much of the stigma around Colombia before departing for the supposedly dangerous country. While there, I learned about Pablo Escobar’s history, who got rich by selling cocaine internationally. While I had heard of him before, I never fully comprehended the negative lens of Columbia showed the rest of the world. I was able to hear firsthand about some struggles endured by locals, which helped me disband the idea that Colombia was a dangerous country rather than a place full of people with hopes and dreams. My experience has inspired me to continue travelling the world.

I think (Robotics) is a good club. I have a friend in it, so I know that she's been having fun and that it's been a bit of a struggle, but they've been getting through it, and they have fun. Chris Schons, senior

Robotics reﬂects on tournament Team plans for future involvement, funding Tennam Gyaldatsang tennamgyaldatsang@slpecho.com

ccording to senior Anthony David, the Robotics team worked well together at the tournament and made improvements from last year. “Last year we only had one driver for the robot,” David said. “Compared to this year when we had two to three drivers at a time, and they could be switched out.” David said the team did well, save a few avoidable mishaps, such as the robot dropping balls. “Overall I think the team did well, but we did mess up a couple times,” David said. “If we had a second chance, I’m sure we would do much better.” According to the Blue Alliance, the team met all of the qualification scores in order to enter the next round. Senior Alessandro Giannetti

Photos Carissa Prestholdt

Beep bop: Robotics coach Trevor Paulson strategizes with junior Will Schwietering for next game in the ﬁrst Robotics competition tournament March 29. Orioles Robotics placed 56 out of 63 in the tournament overall, according to First Robotics. said the team could also work on getting recruits. “If we could get more people from the school involved that would be great,” Giannetti said. “Just getting more people interested in robotics and what we are doing would be nice.” David said one of the major points the team is going to work on during the rest of the school year and the summer is getting more funding. “I hope the team is able to get more sponsors and just more

funding in general,” David said. “With more funding the team would be able to go to a second tournament, which would be good.” Giannetti said the team wants to focus on strengthening its bond to better its transiton when the seniors graduate. “With all the seniors on the team, we just need to be able to work together as a team,” Giannetti said. “Everyone just needs to step up and fit their role for the team to do well.”

Robotics competition • • •

Teams scored points by loading cargo ships and rockets Teams worked in an alliance to prepare the ships and rockets for takeoﬀ Orioles Robotics placed 56 out of 63 teams Infographic Neb Bekele Source FRC

Knitting inspires sophomores to start club Yarn Club creates tight-knit community Marta Hill, Emma Leff & Noah Orloff martahill@slpecho.com, emmaleff@slpecho.com & noahorlloff@slpecho.com

fter sophomores Gaby Beilke and Evelyn Chlebek discovered their love of knitting, Beilke said they felt inspired to start the Yarn Club. “We realized how much we love (knitting) over winter break, and thought ‘what if other people at school love doing this kind of stuff too?’” Beilke said. Chlebeck said the club provides a place and time dedicated to yarn crafts. “We used to search around to find a place before school on Tuesday and Thursdays, to sit and knit. So we made a place to do that,” Chlebeck said. According to Beilke, the club’s goal is to educate students about yarn and give students a way to give unused yarn a purpose. “Our goal is to teach everyone who wants to know how to do stuff with yarn. Everybody has yarn just sitting in their house, so we thought why not put it to use?” Beilke said. According to Chlebeck, knitting is a productive and rewarding activity. “You can learn how to knit something useful, like hats,” Chlebeck said. “It's just a relaxing thing to spend your time doing.” Chlebeck said Yarn Club is a calm way to start the day, and all students are welcome. “It is just a fun place to hang out in the

Photo Noah Orloﬀ

Knit-together: Sophomore Gaby Beilke knits during a Yarn Club meeting March 21. According to Beilke, this was the club's fourth meeting of the year.

Photo Noah Orloﬀ

Knit-together: Sophomore Gaby Beilke ﬁnger knits a scarf during a Yarn Club meeting March 21.

Why yarn? • • •

Looming can be used for blankets or hats Finger knitting requires thick yarn Use thin yarn to crochet Infographic Kaia Myers Source Gaby Beilke

morning and just chill. We will teach you how to knit if you want,” Chlebeck said. Sophomore club leader Oliver MacDonald, who is learning how to knit, said everyone in the group respects each other. “I think my favorite part about the club is, sorry to be throwing a pun in here, but it’s kind of knitted tightly together,” MacDonald said. “I think all of us get along well, and that’s fun.” According to MacDonald, those who are inexperienced with yarn will still be able to enjoy Yarn Club. “I would like to tell (students) they should join or at least try to knit, and if they can’t do that, there are other things to do with yarn than just knitting,” MacDonald said. “There’s crocheting, and all these other fun things that you can do with the yarn that I think people should start trying.” MacDonald said the future of Yarn Club is bright. “I thought (Yarn Club) was a cool idea, and then I got involved in it,” MacDonald said. “It has grown quite a bit, and I think that we have the potential to grow more.”

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I feel like since (teachers) do work here, they do have the obligation to wear (Park apparel) and represent their city.

FEATURES

Selena Johnson, junior

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Junior shares passion through performing Victoria Contreras plays acoustic guitar, sings at church services

Victoria Contreras, junior What do you perform at your church? I sing and play the acoustic guitar. When did you start playing the guitar and how did you learn? I started playing the acoustic guitar when I was in middle school. I started taking guitar lessons, and over time I just self-taught myself. What kind of songs do you sing? We sing contemporary Christian songs, like worships songs. It’s not like hymns or anything. Why did you start performing at your church? It all started on a mission trip, and some of my friends and I — we played a few songs for the mission trip, and then it just became an idea, and then people wanted to make that a consistent thing, so then we got a band together. We perform once or twice a month. How do you prepare for a performance? We just meet up Mondays for practices, and we go over the set list. We pick out the songs that we want to perform, and then we just practice them. We fix whatever needs to be fixed. What have you learned from your experience performing? (I started performing) freshman year. I have learned how

Photo Ruby Stillman

Sing it out: Junior Victoria Contreras plays guitar and sings during worship at Edebrook Church March 20. Contreras performs “Amazing Grace” along with two other songs for her youth group every few Wednesdays. to work in teams and just be a team member. (The hardest part is) making sure we are all on top of our own tasks and making sure we are all responsible — just making sure all of the things get done so we can perform and be successful. What is your favorite part about performing? We have two other people singing (with me). Just being able to work in a team and learning how to be a cohesive group and work together. (I like) playing the guitar because

there are many ways to learn, and it’s just more enjoyable for me. How has performing at your church impacted your life? It has been a good experience because I get to grow musically and that is something I don’t learn in a classroom. I think it is cool to do some- Emma Leﬀ emmaleﬀ@slpecho.com thing else that is different.

Apparel business looks to expand to Storiole

ACTIVITIES & AWARDS

Park Prints gives back through raﬀﬂe

Photo Emily Ziessman

Yoga Club gains popularity

Carissa Prestholdt carissaprestholdt@slpecho.com

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fter winning the Park Prints raffle, teacher Jenny Magdal said she is looking forward to more Park apparel coming to the Storiole. “I love school spirit and wish we would do Park Pride Fridays for everybody in the school,” Magdal said. “If there are more places that make school apparel, then hopefully more people will be wearing apparel on Fridays.” Park Prints founder Stacy Atlas said the business took off because of the There were enthusiasm of some really elementary school awesome parents. designs that “(Park Prints) aren't the had a little flyer with just five normal things that you see in items that went out to parents. Park apparel. There were no pictures; it just Jenny Magdal, staﬀ (showed it) would

Photo used with permission by Stacy Atlas

Sew Park: Kari Martinez operates the embroidery machine at the Park Prints work space. The company sells hats, blankets, clothing and pet sweaters. you see in Park apparel,” Magdal said. be accessible to elementary schools,” According to Atlas, the teacher raffle Atlas said. was intended to bring awareness about According to Atlas, the expansion Park Prints to Park as well as to thank of her business started with an online the teachers. webpage, and from there it will expand “(Park Prints) thought it would be to the Storiole. really fun to reach out to staff, and it was “People would rather order online,” a way to give back,” Atlas said. Atlas said. “Now we have an online Magdal said the raffle was a hit store. We took feedback and did market because of all the options provided and research so that we could reach out to original products displayed. the community.” “I am super excited (about the new Magdal said there is a lot of anticipation for the new apparel business because apparel). It was nice of them to give us so many options of different items that we of the many unique styles. could get,” Magdal said. “I was able to “There were some really awesome designs that aren't the normal things that get this really cool Park hoodie.”

ophomore Keely Berntsen said Yoga Club has been a comforting and centering addition to her daily routine. “I like how it’s calming and a good start to the day. It gets me in a good place for the rest of the day,” Berntsen said. “I feel better throughout the day and less stressed.”

Echo wins Silver Crown

hen senior Abby Intveld found out the Echo was awarded one of 30 hybrid category Silver Crowns by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, she said it is nice to have the staff’s hard work the staff does acknowledged. “People don’t really know how hard the staff works and how trying it is to get print out and to publish online everyday. It is nice that (the Silver Crown) can showcase that,” Intveld said. For more content go to slpecho.com

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

OPINION Maddie Schutte maddieschutte@ slpecho.com

Admissions scandal adds to upper class advantages Fraud, bribery aﬀects all students

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IN-DEPTH

he recent college admissions cheating scandal proves how corrupted and elitist America’s collegiate system has become. Knowing a spot at a college I continuously work for can be taken by a student who paid their way in, invalidates all of my hard work. According to CNN, 16 wealthy parents who got their children into elite schools are currently facing charges of fraud and money laundering. Several parents are also being accused of paying for people to take standardized tests in place of their children as well as bribing athletics coaches. In contrast, where I will go to college What’s the has been POINT? narrowed down to Hard working where I can students have get the hightheir spot ﬁlled est scholarship. I have by kids who pushed already have myself in an advantage extracurriculars and schoolwork. Unless I want to drown in debt for years after college, an academic scholarship is the only way I can afford a degree. According to Cornerstone University, college graduates on average make $1 million more throughout their lifetime than those without a college education. Getting a college degree is the only guaranteed way I can support myself as an adult. The families involved in this scandal would already be able to support their children if they chose not to continue their education after high school. As frustrating as this scandal has been, at least I know that I was raised with a hard work ethic and can take pride in my own work and accomplishments.

ften, for seniors receiving college acceptance letters, they are equally as eager to understand the ﬁnancial aid oﬀer. Yonah Davis, Samiya Mohamed & Emma Yarger yonahdavis@slpecho.com samiyamohamed@slpecho.com emmayarger@slpecho.com

Calling the foul Opportunities hang in the balance inside each college financial aid package, according to senior Bella Birkeland. She said her first priority upon receiving mail from schools is to see how much money they can offer. “All of us were just afraid of getting those student loans and not being able to pay for it because all of us have come to the point that we can’t rely on our parents to help us pay for this. This is essentially all on us, and we just don’t have those extra supports,” Birkeland said. According to Birkeland, a cohort captain of College Possible, the biggest determining factor in her college decision making process is the price. She said prices for college add up, making it difficult for low-income students. “Typically, for someone of color, you usually have a lower economic status and in some cases, like a lot of our families, our parents are immigrants,” I’m not ﬁnancially Birkeland said. stable to go to “The main thing we’re concentrated college and go to on is how much medical school. I money we’re spending and how chose to go to the many loans we have Army for them to to take out.” pay for my college Birkeland said College Possible tuition and pay offers ACT prep, for my medical payment for tests and help with each school. student’s individual college search, but Aisha Abdi, senior

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Parents are taking away opportunities for people that actually deserve it. College needs to be more available to everyone. Matthew Powell, sophomore

When the

Considering cost in not all students have access to these resources. “I think if I didn’t even have College Possible or my college coaches to support me, I don’t even think I could be where I am now,” Birkeland said. Suzy Ferguson runs a tutoring company for high school students that includes individualized tutoring and ACT prep work. She said although she has a comfortable lifestyle, she can’t afford her own services because of their high cost. “It absolutely is an industry that is geared toward the upper middle class,” Ferguson said. “(People) in the Twin Cities, it’s the western suburbs and it’s families (with) means.” Birkeland said she feels students of lower socioeconomic status, especially first generation students, don’t get guidance from their parents, but need support because the admissions process is confusing and ever-changing. “I really wanted to take it on and receive that higher education and make my family proud,” Birkeland said. “But if I can’t pay for it, I can’t essentially do it.” Julie Sweitzer, the director of the College Readiness Consortium at the University of Minnesota, said her job aims to increase the number and diversity of students who graduate high school ready for success in post-secondary institutions. She said one of the biggest challenges for students in the application process is a lack of information, which can be overcome by reaching out and asking questions. “The barriers are not roadblocks that prevent you from going down that road,” Sweitzer said. “They may make it a little more complicated, but a student should never be afraid of advocating for themselves on getting the information and then doing the same once they get to college and making sure they’re finding the resources there.”

Going into overtime According to Ferguson, the competitive atmosphere of the college admissions industry can be demotivating to many students. “Adults have forgotten and students have never known a time when it wasn’t so cutthroat and it wasn’t so expensive,” Ferguson said. “The

Our team stats: student pathways after Park Data taken from Echo’s class of 2018 post-secondary plan survey published June 2018

Gap year

Sport program or military

Workforce

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People with the same intelligence level should have the same opportunities regardless of how much money they have.

IN-DEPTH

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Audrey Long, sophomore

e shot falls short

n college admissions whole process of college admissions is overwhelming. It’s time consuming, it’s stressful, and I feel a lot of people feel like they’ve failed before they’ve even started.” Birkeland said, like many other students in College Possible, she would be the first in her family to go to college. She said she worries about how her college decisions might affect her mom, who is a single parent. “There’s certain types of loans that are taken out of your parents’ paycheck, and I’m absolutely not doing that because this is the choice I made, and I don’t want to burden anyone else,” Birkeland said. Sweitzer explained post-secondary planning dialogue is a critical component to helping students think about college as an option available to them. “Some kids grow up knowing they’re always going to go to college. They know that before they have any idea what college means,” Sweitzer said. “Other students don’t have that conversation, so developing that college-going identity, which we do know from research matters. Thinking that people like me go to college — that’s an important piece.” Senior Aisha Abdi said she plans to join the U.S. Army as a nurse to help pay for her post-secondary education, which she plans to pursue at Augsburg University. “I’m not financially stable to go to college and go to medical school, so I am not trying to live a life where I have to pay-off some kind of government,” Abdi said. “I chose to go to the Army for them to pay for my college tuition and pay for my medical school.”

Other post secondary pathway

Making the basket According to Birkeland, College Possible would be helpful for all students but only 50 students can be a part of the organization at Park. “I wish it could be something almost everyone could take because the college admissions process and everything leading up to college is something that’s very important and very difficult for people to navigate,” Birkeland said. “I would totally take College Possible over advisory.” Abdi said the ability of Park’s counseling team to effectively help students navigate the college process is limited by the large numbers of students they serve. “If there was other college counselors and other people that could actually help the other seniors, the college process would’ve been quick for me,” Abdi said. “If there was other counselors available to help you, that could send your transcript and talk to you about the college process it would’ve been way better than just one person getting pressured.” Sweitzer said many students have subconsciously subscribed to a specific college pathway, even though this is not the best option for all students. “This pressure that’s out there — to find the perfect college, the right college, the best college — there is really no perfect or best college for all students. There are a number of colleges that are probably going to be a great fit and if we’d look at it with that attitude, it becomes less pressure and there are reasonable options out there,” Sweitzer said.

24%

Two year/ technical community college

58% Four year college

Art Maggie Klaers

“

SPORTS Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

I think track will do very good because everybody is well conditioned and there are a lot of fast people on our team so I think we could go far. Stanley Jackson, junior

OUT OF THE PARK

Sports journalism opportunity educates, amazes Noah Orloﬀ noahorloﬀ@ slpecho.com

hen I first heard the Final Four was coming to Minneapolis, I thought it would just be another event that was so close, yet so far; Super Bowl LII being in Minneapolis had no drastic impact on me. I soon found out that I was far from the truth. When the opportunity to attend Full Court Press, an annual student journalist event at the Final Four, came my way, I thought it would be wise to apply. I was under the impression that we would only be able to watch events from a distance. After I walked in to U.S. Bank Stadium, experienced journalists stressed the importance of connections on a panel regarding sports journalism. Following the discussion, I was able to begin what was arguably even more useful: the experience of What’s covering the POINT? the Final Four. I was able to speak with key players and coaches. I felt as though I belonged while asking questions in a mob of reporters. Watching team practices provided insight into what it is like preparing for such important games. The Oscar Robertson Award and Associated Press Award presentations were the final event. Zion Williamson, the impressive freshman from Duke University, received both awards. I was able to ask Williamson a question, which was special given the high level he plays at. Seeing Robertson in person also was exciting. Attending Full Court Press made watching the Final Four on television more personal. I felt a connection to every team after seeing the passion of their players and fans. This made watching three of the teams lose harder, but also allowed me to be enthusiastic about Virginia winning. With any opportunity like Full Court Press, there is always potential for failure. But in many instances the pros outweigh the cons, and for me it ended up being a memory I will hold on to and cherish forever.

Don’t be afraid to take a chance

Photo Ben Sanford

Watch out: Sophomore Sam Hunt throws a baseball back to the pitcher. Park baseball won the game against Bloomington Jeﬀerson 1-0 in extra innings. The team will face Bloomington Kennedy 4:30 p.m. April 18 at Red Haddox Field.

Weather affects baseball game schedule Team wins home opener Talia Lissauer & Maddie Schutte talialissauer@slpecho.com maddieschutte@slpecho.com

ccording to baseball coach Brian Kelly, a close tie made the game stressful for players, but the team persevered and went home with a 1-0 win in an extra inning against Bloomington-Jefferson. “I think last year’s team got a little nervous with the tight score, but (this year’s) team stayed really loose,” Kelly said. Junior Aaron Ellingson said the team struggled more with

the psychological side of the game. “There were instances where it wasn’t necessarily physical errors, but things that we could control just based on talking through it and knowing what to do in different plays,” Ellingson said. According to Ellingson the weather problems made it hard for certain positions to practice but they did some batting inside. “Apart from Arizona, we’ve only been outside three or four times. (It’s been hard) especially for outfielders not being able to see the balls off the bat,” Ellingson said. “We’ve really been focusing on hitting, because it’s easier with the batting cage.”

“

I think last year’s team got a little nervous with the tight score, but (this year’s) team stayed really loose. Brian Kelly, coach

Sophomore Ethan Schmitz said the team will put more focus on their hitting performance for the next game against Edina. “We’re going in the (batting) cage and hopefully perform better offensively (next game),” Schmitz said. According to Ellingson, the team’s trip to Arizona allowed players to get outdoor playing time before the season started. “Especially for the outfielders, we were able to finally see balls coming off that bat. We’ve

been inside (and) haven’t been able to do that much,” Ellingson said. Ellingson said several of the upcoming games have been cancelled due to the weather. “We were supposed to have two (games) this week and both of them (are not) happening. With the snow going away now, we may have a game at the end of this week, and if not, next week,” Ellingson said. “I know (our coach) is working hard, trying to get games scheduled.”

Snow delays track Team recently ventures outside David Bryant davidbryant@slpecho.com

reshman Renee McSherry said because of the April snow, pole vaulting practice is only allowed limited amounts of time indoors as they can’t practice outside and other sports also occupy the gym. “I pole vault so we are normally inside, but they were expecting us to be outside by Upcoming Meets now, so now we can’t be 3:30 p.m. April 23 inside for as long because at Chanhassen softball and 5:30 p.m. April 26 baseball come in,” McSherry at Hamline said. Senior DaInfographic Maggie Klaers Source gopark.org vid Benjamin

said some areas of track have to push through and others have to hold back. “Snow effects certain events more than others, distance sometimes has to tough it out but for events such as sprinting you don’t want to run indoors too much as it can lead to shin splints,” Benjamin said. McSherry said because of the conflict the team meets on Saturdays for extra practice time to prepare for meets. “We were expected to be outside this time of year. We meet on Saturdays,” McSherry said. Boys’ track head coach Kelson Mackenzie said the bad weather has been only a minor setback to the track team season. “Snow hasn’t affected practice too much, we just had to cancel last Wednesdays meet and then practice on Thursday,” Mackenzie said.

Photo Grace Farley

Working hard: Senior Donovan Hill practices with his fellow track teammates by walking over hurdles before running. The recent snowstorm April 11 caused the team to again be indoors. Benjamin said the whole team is grinding to improve and work toward conference. “It’s the point in the season where everyone is trying to improve their strengths and refine it and work past maintaining their skill,” Benjamin said. Mackenzie said the team works though the snow to the best of its ability as everyone in

the state has the same problem. “(Snow) makes things a little less entertaining than spring but for the most part we get through it as everyone is dealing with the same thing around the state,” Mackenzie said. Park’s track team will compete at a Varsity invitational at 3 p.m April 18 at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School.

“

It wouldn’t be good for the middle schoolers a lot, especially for the programs that have a lot of middle schoolers involved.

SPORTS

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Kendall Coley, sophomore

MEET THE ATHLETE

Girl, focus: Eighth grader Sophie Earle performs her ﬂoor routine at a meet against Hopkins. The middle school will now be getting out 3:52 p.m., which will aﬀect sports practices and after-school events. Photo Abby Prestholdt

2020 start time may impact sports teams Middle school athletes to be aﬀected Sophie Olmen sophieolmen@slpecho.com

ith the new change in school district start times, sophomore Ryan Barnett said he feels a range of emotions. “I have mixed feelings about it. I think it’ll be good for the middle schoolers so they don’t have to wake up too early but I feel like it’ll create a lot of conflicts for sports and after school activities,” Barnett said. According to athletic director Andrew Ewald, the middle school students participating in high school sports will be impacted the most. “It’s going to force us as a high school athletic department to become creative and maybe start some practices

later,” Ewald said. “I think the biggest impact is going to be the amount of class time that middle schoolers are going to miss.” Freshman Victoria Schmelzle said she agrees a change needed to take place but a different option should have been chosen. “The time changes are necessary, but I think the board should have gone with a different option that helps accommodate athletes,” Schmelzle said. “I think the middle school needs to get out before the high school so that sports can run smoothly, gym space does not get limited and (they) don’t have to miss school for games or meets.” Barnett said the changes may impact practice times. “It would be harder to participate in sports if they’re on the ninth grade or freshman team because those start pretty early after school,” Barnett said. “If they’re getting out after those games start it’ll be hard.” According to Schmelzle, gym

Who Gavin Charpentier Grade Senior Sport Ultimate How long have you been playing ultimate for? This will be my first year playing. Why did you decide to start playing? I have a lot of friends that play ultimate and they all mention how much fun it is and how it’s a good team. What are your favorite things about ultimate? Everybody just has fun playing it together as a team. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s a great group of people so I have fun.

Photo Ruby Stillman

Hole in one: Eighth grader Kendall Kreifels practices his swing during golf practice April 15. Middle schoolers will face diﬃculties arriving to their sports on time because of the new times.

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It would be harder to participate in sports if they’re on the ninth grade or freshman team because those start pretty early after school.

Ryan Barnett, sophomore

space will affect practices. “This change will affect gym space. If practices get pushed back then there will be less time to practice,” Schmelzle said. Ewald said the athletic department’s job is to make sure everything runs smoothly. “A decision was made and now it’s our responsibility to find the best solutions to some of the problems and roadblocks and that’s what we’ll do,” Ewald said.

What is your position on the team going to be? I’m not exactly sure yet, but I think I will most likely be a cutter. How have you been preparing for the season? Just working out, training. I’ve been practicing during gym time in school. What do you think you will bring to the team? I think honestly just another body on the field. I know the team has grown a lot this year, just in sheer size. What is your goal for this season? Just to have fun and get better. Do you wish you began earlier? Why? Yeah I do, I find it to be really fun and I wish I’d done it in previous years.

A theatre community for young people.

On Stage April 26-May 5

Coming Soon . . .

Class of 2019

Buy your ticket for the Graduation Party immediately following graduation on Thursday, June 6! NO tickets will be sold after May 10!

Auditions May 6 & 9 Performances July 12-21

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What do you think the hardest thing will be for you this season? The hardest thing will probably be getting a better understanding of the game flow, because it still seems a little bit awkward to me in games. How will you adapt to playing a new sport? Work hard and get the basics down as well as I can, throwing and other very basic things. How do you think ultimate will help you in the future? I used to do football, but it’s been a few years since I’ve done a team sport. So I think it will help with cooperation with others and building a team and making friends. Kate Schneider kateschneider@slpecho.com

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10 OPINIONS

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Echo Editor-in-chiefs: *Marta Hill, *Dani Orloff Managing editors: *Amaia Barajas, *Grace Farley, *Abby Intveld, *Yonit Krebs, *Sam St. Clair Photo editors: Claire Bargman, Abby Prestholdt, Carissa Prestholdt Design editors: Creston Halstead, *Isabel Kjaer, *Maggie Klaers Copy editors: *Jenna Cook, Emma Leff, *Noah Orloff, *Emma Yarger Assistant copy editor: Ruthie Posada News editor: *Sofia Seewald Features editor: *Kaia Myers In-depth editor: *Evelyn Nelson Special projects & profiles editor: Talia Lissauer Sports editors: Sophie Olmen, Sadie Yarosh Opinions editor: *Gabriel Kaplan Entertainment editor: David Bryant Social media editors: Ruby Stillman, Breanna Thompson, Hayley Westwood Broadcast editor: Yonah Davis Business managers: Anika Hanson, Rachel Salzer Video editor: Izzy Kanne Staff: Neb Bekele, Henry Brettingen, Tamar Gewirtz, Tenzin Gyaldatsang, Katie Hardie, Carly Joseph, Nolan Kelly, Samantha Klepfer, Sophia Livingston, Alejandro ManzanoGomez, Ethan Meisler, Samiya Mohamed, Maria Perez-Barriga, Megan Raatz, Ben Sanford, Kate Schneider, Maddie Schutte, Jade Shionoya, Isaac Wahl, Emily Ziessman, Lucy zumBrunnen, Adin Zweigbaum

(Changing start times) is a good idea especially for (students) in middle school (because) they need more time to wake up. Ashley Mbong, junior

OUR PERSPECTIVE

Park’s Prom timing error inexcusable

ow can we call ourselves a “caring, diverse community” — as the district does in its mission statement — if we are an exclusive one? By originally scheduling Prom on Ramadan, the administration isolated Muslim students and failed to act in the best interest of the entire community. Although this was a mistake and has since been corrected, it is inexcusable that it was allowed to happen in the first place. According to Principal Scott Meyers, the dance was originally planned for May 11 at the Swedish Institute — a week into the month of Ramadan. After several students raised concerns, the administration announced last week Prom will be moved to May 4. Although Prom has been rescheduled, the initial mistake is a symptom of a much larger problem within Park. This issue is not a one-time occurrence and highlights the ignorance we hold as a community toward Islam and other less common religions and cultures. In the past, important school events have coincided with major religious holidays such as when finals fell on the

While students aﬀected felt locked out of Prom, their voices brought change. Art Maggie Klaers & Lucy zumBrunnen

Jewish holiday of Shavuot; but precedent does not have to dictate how we act today. It is ridiculous that the administration hides behind excuses, such as time constraints, in response to their mistakes. They must always make a legitimate effort to prevent, discuss and resolve problems. Before scheduling any significant school events, administration must check if it coincides with any cultural events or holidays. If holding an event on a holiday is unavoidable, the school must seek the advice and support of external religious leaders, rather than coming up

with half-baked solutions on its own. In addition, the Editorial Board applauds those students who took the time to meet with the administration. They had to persevere through inconvenience to fight for their rights as students. Their success proves that youth voices do matter and do make a difference, and so we encourage all students to stand up for what they believe is right. As a progressive, diverse community, we need to accommodate for that diversity. We cannot allow this to happen again. We must ensure that no group is left behind in the future.

Principal: Scott Meyers Printer: North Star Media Adviser: Lori Keekley *Denotes editorial board member MEDIA POLICIES The Echo is the official studentproduced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published triweekly for the school’s students, staff and community. The Echo is a designated forum for student expression in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials. The adviser will not act as a censor, but will advise students. Students have the final decision on all content. The Echo will work to avoid bias and/ or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Echo staff or administration as a whole. The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words and may be emailed to slpecho@gmail.com or submitted in room C275. Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to ask the writer to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous letters wherein the Echo does not know the identity of the writer will not be printed. Advertisements will be sought from local businesses and school clubs and sports. We maintain the right to reject any ads we believe to be false, misleading, inappropriate or harmful. The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements. NSPA Hall of Fame member; 2011, 2016, 2017 NSPA Print Pacemaker Finalist; 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 National Print Pacemaker Award Recipient; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 Online Pacemaker Finalist; 2018 NSPA Online Pacemaker, CSPA; 2013 CSPA Gold Crown; 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown; 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 CSPA Silver Crown; JEM All-State.

Change in start times improves health, safety New times helpful for students Maddie Schutte maddieshutte@slpecho.com

he city of St. Louis Park School Board’s vote on updating the school start times will accommodate for all student’s health and overall well-being in the district. Previously, the middle school began at 7:33 a.m., which is too early. Middle schoolers have more homework than elementary schoolers as well as strict sports schedules. Students are currently lacking a sufficient amount of sleep. The 9:10 a.m. start time will allow students to get more sleep and be more prepared to learn. Elementary school students starting school the earliest makes the most sense. Younger kids have earlier bedtimes in most households and less homework. Having school start at 7:45 a.m. is much less of a problem for them. Additionally, for parents who live outside the district and have to drive their kids to school, an earlier start time would allow them to drop off their kids while still making it to work on time.

Photo Abby Prestholdt

Sometimes the early bird needs to sleep in: Students prepare to enter school on the morning of March 22. The start and end time decision will first go into affect for the 2020-2021 school year. The High School will begin five minutes later. Elementary students who participate in child care programs after school may have to remain at school longer, but there is more availability for youth development. Students who attend after-school child care will have more time to be creative. This plan is the most effective way to insure that students are developing properly, because of improved sleep schedules and transportation options. For more information regarding the impact of future start and end times on athletes, see Page 9.

To college scam: I guess I’ll get into Harvard if I donate a building.

New start, end times passed New school hours will go into eﬀect for the 2020-2021 school year Elementary schools 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Middle school 9:10 a.m. to 3:52 p.m. High School 8:25 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

To caffeine intake: I haven’t had my coffee and I’m shaky — is that bad?

Infographic Gabe Kaplan Source St. Louis Park Schools

To Yarn Club: Can I bring my grandma to a meeting?

Art Maggie Klaers

Y.D, A.I, A.B.

“

The (Muslim concentration camps) should be stopped because everyone deserves to be treated like a human being. Marty Kelley, freshman

OPINIONS

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Human rights violation against Muslims ignored

China imposes on Muslim minority freedoms Samiya Mohamed samiyamohamed@slpecho.com

I am a Muslim who lives in America — a country where we are feared. I can’t be myself in public. I am seen as threat to society, and my hijab is the weapon.

uring the last couple of years, China has been taking Uighur Muslims into concentration camps. The government has tortured them, forced them to do labor work and “taught” them life skills. Putting the Uighur Muslims in camps to reform them does not change the fact that it’s still cruel. It wasn’t until China began to force Muslims to leave their religion, eat pork and drink alcohol — according to The New York Times — that I began to pay

more attention. This is a violation of human rights, and it’s disgusting to see this after so many years of repeated history. Even after tragedies, like the Holocaust, and the genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur, nothing seems to change. I am a Muslim who lives in America — a country where we are feared. I can’t be myself in public. I am seen as a threat to society, and my hijab is the weapon. When it comes to the freedom of minorities, people don’t seem to care. Just because there aren’t many Muslims in China doesn’t mean the situation should be overlooked. I was shocked to hear that nobody — not even the United States or the United Nations — is helping them. At this point, it isn’t just discrimination toward a culture or a religion — it’s religous and cultural genocide.

Although we are allies with China, we have to save the Uighur Muslims. This situation is a mass murder, and nobody is helping them. It is disappointing that this heartbreaking situation is not even making news headlines. China is a country where Muslims are hated, just like Muslim Americans. If it’s happening in China, it could happen anywhere else. We have to change how we react to these problems, and we must take action. Our school has a large Muslim population, and Minnesota also has the largest population of Somali Muslims in the United States. Because of that we are all affected by this issue. It’s our own people who are getting hurt, and there’s no one to prevent it. This is my community. So if we don’t help them, who will? Art Sophie Livingston

POINT COUNTERPOINT

Augsburg professor uses N-word during discussion, incites debate According to the StarTribune, the discussion was prompted by the use of the slur in ‘The Fire Next Time,’ which led to uproar among the community, the professor’s suspension. Professor endures undeserved outrage, suspension Academic speech questioned by entitled students Henry Brettingen henrybrettingen@slpecho.com

ccording to The Chronicle of Higher Education, many students in the class claimed they had been shocked, offended and hurt by the use of the N-word in their classroom. Although it may be one of the most loaded words, that does not mean it should be completely taboo in an academic setting. It is not the responsibility of educational institutions to protect students from controversial material and rhetoric that might offend them. Rather it is the duty of students to pursue a rigorous education that challenges their beliefs. The purpose of college is twofold: to prepare students for the real world and to expose students to a variety of ideas and principles.

PARK TRAIL

The attitudes of these students have shown they are not prepared for either. They forget they are no longer children whose innocence needs to be protected. Perhaps they should give up their spots at the college to candidates who are prepared to wholeheartedly give themselves to the pursuit of education. It should be completely permissible to use the N-word in such context, where exploration of the thoughts and mindset of an African American writer, James Baldwin, who used the word to challenge rampant racism, is occurring. Augsburg has undermined its credibility as a university by pandering to those who labor under the delusion they have an inherent right to be sheltered from anything they deem offensive. In doing so, Augsburg has failed to protect the essential academic freedom of its professors, as well as destroying any claim they might have for being a prestigious educational institution.

Professor’s suspension in Augsburg’s best interest STUDENT VOICES

Sentence proves N-word intolerable even in classroom Jenna Cook jennacook@slpecho.com

“I am ﬁne with the use of the N-word as long as it is within literature or reading of literature.” Ben Cantor, sophomore

“If a teacher is quoting something and they say the (N-word), that is still not OK, but it doesn’t mean they are racist.” Hope Kihanya, sophomore

uspending the professor is commendable on the university’s part, considering the reported complaints from multiple students. This action shows beneficial, mutual communication and agreement between the student body and administration, something Park itself has been no stranger to in the past week. Respecting students’ wishes and comfort in the classroom should supercede all other issues. This must remain a priority in educational settings everywhere. The use of the uncensored Nword is a display of hate, tied back to the racist history in the United States between white people and African Americans. The professor’s choice to portray the depth of a text he was

teaching by saying the word was misguided. Especially as a white man, he never should have considered using the word in the first place — even if he had educational intentions. In addition to suspension, the professor was relieved from his responsibilities as director of Augsburg’s honors program, according to the StarTribune. This was a good move on the university’s part, benefiting their reputation, considering the additional complaints they are facing from students regarding their feelings of disrespect and malice. Racism is a real issue, and it’s not going away anytime soon. However, resolutions to issues in such educational settings bring us one step closer to progress. Students voicing their concerns about these problems is the only way to keep bias in check, but real progress can only be made when administrations listen to and understand their student bodies’ respective beliefs.

Isabel Kjaer isabelkjaer@slpecho.com

a.m. 11:00a.m.

I’m going to cut down on my caffeine intake.

7:00 a.m. 7 a.m.

Nevermind.

...yawn.

“

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Echo Wednesday, April 17, 2019

I think it’s a cool way for students to express themselves and interact with art. Semona Robel, freshman

Chalk it up to creativity REVIEW

Walker Art Center highlights community Evie Nelson evienelson@slpecho.com

sually museum exhibits frown upon writing on the walls. However, the Walker Art Center encourages such behavior with human-sized chalk. The exhibit “Allora & Calzadilla: Chalk” tests boundaries and the true meaning of social expressionism for each visitor. Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla have shown their exhibit across the world, bringing this international experience to the Twin Cities. The exhibit began Feb. 14 by providing huge sticks of chalk, with a height of more than five feet and weighing more than 100 pounds. While the immense size of the chalk pieces may seem unrealistic, when playing around in the gallery it was nearly impossible to lift up half of a piece of chalk, let alone an entire stick. Moments like this proInteractive vided a challenge that was exhibit eye-opening, where people like me are able to push our highlighting creative limits. performance art The abnormal size of the chalk instilled many laughs and conversations with Walker Art friends and community Center, members. Gallery 7 With a chalkboard canvas that continues across the entire wall and floor, Present - Feb. the variety of basic sketches 2, 2020 like SpongeBob or intricate designs of mountain landscapes made for great Ages 0-18 free conversation. A twist on public expres- Students $10 Adults $15 sionism establishes new Infographic Isabel Kjaer frontiers for the expectaSource Walker Art Center tions of both museums and the foundations of art itself. Instead of viewing a piece selected by officials to showcase, the Walker put the power into the hands of its community. The messy walls in reality tell stories of each individual who walked through this gallery. The exhibit spreads the message that anyone can be an artist — no matter their skill level. I hope to return to the exhibit as the year unfolds and when they erase the canvas to start a new chapter for artists of any age. “Allora & Calzadilla: Chalk” will run until Feb. 2, 2020 in Gallery 7, with discounted admission for students and free admission for individuals 18 and under.

‘Allora & Calzadilla: Chalk’ What

Where

When Price

METRO METRO AT A GLANCE David Bryant davidbryant@slpecho.com Photos used with permission from MLB, RCA Records, Marvel Studios, Alec Soth

April 17

April 19

April 26

March 15 - May 4

Rasmussen College hosts Student Day at the Toronto Blue Jays vs Minnesota Twins game. Tickets start at $5 on Vividseats.com.

Alternative rock band Cage the Elephant prepares to release its fifth studio album “Social Cues,” available for prerelease on streaming services.

“Avengers: Endgame” picks up right where “Infinity War” left off. The movie will attempt to close all plot holes in the three-hour runtime.

Artist Alec Soth displays his photography in exhibit “I Know How Furiously Your Heart is Beating” at the Weinstein Hammons Gallery.