Echo issue 9 by SLP Echo

Echo

YUM! HOSTS POETRY JAM

SENIOR PLAYS IN ALASKA

RAP ARTISTS EMERGE

Sponsors emphasize mental health education PAGE 4

Luke Mobley plays hockey with Fairbanks Ice Dogs PAGE 8

Students share their passion for music, rapping PAGE 12

Wednesday, April 11, 2018 Volume 91 Issue 9 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426

SLPECHO.COM

Photo Grace Farley

Winter wonderland: Senior Caleb Mesick scoops the ball out of the snow to toss it to his fellow teammates during boys’ lacrosse practice April 4 at the stadium. Spring sports have had difficulties practicing outdoors because of a reported 9 inches of snow, according to Minnesota CBS.

Cold weather sidelines outdoor practices, games Inclement forecast leaves teams practicing indoors Adam Johnson adamjohnson@slpecho.com

he recent snow, coupled with cold temperatures, has forced most spring sports to use indoor practice facilities as game schedules remain uncertain, according to Athletic Director Andrew Ewald. Ewald said, in his 18 years at Park, he has seldom experienced similar weather conditions interfering with spring sports. Ewald said the inability for spring teams to practice outside proves difficult not only for coaches and players, but also causes wear on the district’s facilities. “It’s not the easiest place to try to simulate what you would be doing outside,” Ewald said. “It’s not the best on the facilities either. It takes a lot of wear and tear on the gym space to do those things.” Park’s baseball team has been using the school

district’s gym spaces in order to prepare for the season, but according to senior baseball captain Shea Pekarek, indoor practices lack the ability to produce game-like situations. “It’s definitely hard because we’re not getting used to how a real game will feel, but we just have to do whatever we can to try to simulate an actual game scenario,” Pekarek said. According to Pekarek, the spring sports season will be more compact because of rescheduled games. “I think games will be delayed and I think it will make the season a bit more challenging because that means more games in a fewer amount of time,” Pekarek said. According to tennis head coach David Breitenbucher, the late snow impacts his ability to conduct tryouts with the team being forced indoors. “Coaches are trying to look at the guys and get an accurate picture of where people are at, but it’s so hard to do with indoor courts,” Breitenbucher said. “The problem is we can’t get the courts because all of these schools are fighting for courts.”

To ensure Park’s athletic teams are prepared for competition Ewald said the athletic office’s budget ensures Park sports teams will have access to the necessary indoor practice facilities. “We’ve got money kind of set aside for things like this because you’ve got to be prepared if something like this happens to be able to give any of our athletes the best opportunity within reason,” Ewald said. Despite the snowy conditions the lacrosse team has been able to practice outside, according to the boys’ lacrosse head coach Chris Bixby. “The kids actually had a great practice. They responded well. We did conditioning, but actually we did a lot of ball work,” Bixby said. “Everyone’s staying focused and I think they’re having fun in the snow.” According to Bixby, when conditions become too extreme outdoors the team uses indoor facilities such as gyms and turf-domes to run drills. “Honestly, inside we had one of our better practices. We are starting the season off well despite the poor conditions,” Bixby said.

IB Hebrew exam potentially canceled Program under review by IB Ndunzi Kunsunga & Alec Pittman ndunzikunsunga@slpecho.com alecpittman@slpecho.com

fter receiving a letter in the mail April 7, sophomore Eitan Weinstein said he was informed of the possible discontinuance of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Hebrew program internationally after May of 2022. “I’m not that upset. I kind of get it. I’m guessing

that a lot of schools also (don’t have) many people taking the class,” Weinstein said. “It makes sense from a numbers perspective.” Principal Scott Meyers said the decision is not one to be made by the Park community, rather it is being made by IB staff. “The number of students registering for IB Hebrew is below a threshold. It is considered at risk,” Meyers said. “That is all we know.” A listening session will be For more content go to slpecho.com April 26.

Photo illustration Caroline Green

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NEWS

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

WEB PREVIEW

Photo Grace Farley

Theater crew faces challenges

s freshman theater crew member Phoebe McKinney worked on the set of the “The Philadelphia Story,” she was disappointed in the numbers of people present. “The small crew makes everything go really, really slow and it takes longer to construct things,” McKinney said. “With a show like this, there’s less hands on deck to help with all those projects.” Abby Intveld abbyintveld@slpecho.com

I would feel safer if we had more security and guards or GLCs that actually know what they’re doing. Charisse Ondara, junior

School plans new safety measures Parkland sparks consideration, protection Annabella Strathman annabellastrathman@slpecho.com

earing of the recent Parkland shooting, history teacher Brad Brubaker said he can’t help but picture himself in that position. “I don’t know that you’re ever going to really be prepared. I think most teachers, you think about your room and you think ‘OK what would I do,’” Brubaker said. Junior Grace Adams-Maas said, despite recent events, she feels administration has promoted safety. “I have still felt safe at our school. I think it also depends on the teacher and the classroom, because some teachers keep their doors locked during the day and others don’t,” Adams-Maas said. According to Assistant Principal Charles Johnson-Nixon, Park recently

Photo illustration Maddie Lund

shifted to the “Run, Hide, Fight” procedure. Johnson-Nixon said the procedure involves determining which of the three action plans is most suitable in the situation. “When something horrible does happen and you have a clear exit for a quick escape, you run,” Johnson-Nixon. “If you don’t know if it’s safe to escape, you hide and stay as quiet as possible. And if that doesn’t help and someone is going to try and come into the space you are, you fight for your life,” Johnson-Nixon said. Brubaker said he noticed an increase in preventing student re-entry to the school following the Parkland shooting. “After Florida, I saw administrators

and GLCs removing pencils from doors,” Brubaker said. “They are unpropping it because students have propped it, to secure it again.” Criminal Justice teacher Jeffrey Cohen said he feels discussing the issue of safety with students provides an important perspective. “We all are here, and spend most of our time here in the school, and we deserve to feel safe, and I think the student’s feelings and input are important to discuss,” Cohen said. “We talked about one of the main topics that I always hear about: whether schools should have more armed adults, whether that be teachers or administrators, or more police.”

Photo Maliaka Bigirindavyi

Boys’ tennis holds indoor tryouts

oach David Breitenbucher said the team has faced limited court availability because of the snow, and other schools’ tennis teams are in a similar predicament. Breitenbucher said he expects a slower season takeoff. “Everybody is in the same boat. I’ve run into a couple other coaches and everyone is saying the same thing,” Breitenbucher said.

Eli Curran-Moore & Tenzin Gyaldatsang elicurranmoore@slpecho.com tenzingyaldatsang@slpecho.com

Multicultural show displays diverse community Photo Josh Halper

Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

‘Staying at Tamara’s’ espouses positivism

lready topping the charts at number one in the United Kingdom, British singer-songwriter George Ezra’s new album “Staying at Tamara’s” is inspired by Ezra’s world voyages, titled from his recent stay at an Airbnb in Barcelona owned by said Tamara. It’s no surprise then the 11 track album is described by the artist as “a collection of songs about escapism, dreaming, anxieties and love.”

Eli Curran-Moore elicurranmoore@slpecho.com For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho

Tip your hat: Alumni Lukas Garcia Oppriecht and senior Maria Duarte Garcia pose during the fashion show as part of last year’s Multicultural show. The two wore outﬁts traditionally worn in Colombia. Auditions will be April 12.

Performance to celebrate various cultures Sophie Yarosh sophieyarosh@slpecho.com

unior Soubane Abdi said after dancing in the multicultural show last year, her passion for dance has driven her to audition for this year’s show. “(Participating) probably shows more color to our school, more diversity where everyone comes together embraces their culture, embraces their heritage,” Abdi said. According to adviser Lindsey Meyer, students organize the multicultural show while she volunteers to oversee the performance. “Last year I had students come and talk to me sometimes about how there used to be a cultural day and now there wasn’t,

and they felt like it was a big missing piece in the school,” Meyer said. “They wanted something that would be really positive and celebrate all the diversity at (Park).” Meyer said she hopes various cultures are well-represented throughout the performance. “We want to show every possible cultural group that’s willing to participate and there’s a lot of definitions of culture,” Meyer said. “So I’m hoping that lots of students think very widely about the definition of culture and are able to represent some part of themselves.” Meyer said she thinks the multicultural show is important due to it’s display of various cultures at Park. “I just think it’s positive to show the incredible diversity at (Park) and the power of it, the talent of it, the beauty of it,” Meyer said. Abdi said the Multicultural show allows students to learn about other cultures while appreciating their own.

Show details Event

Multicultural show

Time 4th & 6th hour, May 1

Location

High school Auditorium Infographic Isabel Kjaer Source Lindsey Meyer

“I feel like with this, it gives people a chance to embrace how their culture works and also for other people who are not part of the culture to learn more about it,” Abdi said. Auditions for the multicultural show take place before and after school April 12 in B322. The multicultural performance will take place hours 4 and 6 May 1 in the Auditorium.

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I would not go to a coﬀee shop (with cats). I do not think it’s a good idea to have cats in a coﬀee shop because their hair would be everywhere.

STUDENT LIFE

Ruth Admassu, freshman

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Cattitude: Customers play with a tabby cat named Orange Juice April 5. The Cafe Meow allows customers to reserve hour-long time slots in the cat lounge.

Photo Caroline Green

Cats claw way into coffee-lover’s hearts Shop serves coﬀee, purr-vides adoption services Photo Devin Raynor

Purr-fect: A customer pets a domestic shorthair named Tammy April 7. Cats can be adopted by customers.

Emma Kempf emmakempf@slpecho.com

Photo Devin Raynor

Zzzzz: Cats nap on shelf-beds in the cat lounge. The Cafe Meow features a separate room to serve coﬀee.

or Minneapolis citygoers who enjoy cats and a cup of coffee, The Cafe Meow offers both. The Cafe Meow on Hennepin and 24th Street occupies two separate rooms, one for coffee and one for cats. Customers can pay an additional $10 to sit inside of the cat room for an hour. According to The Cafe Meow website, this fee helps feed the cats and maintain a relaxing and safe environment. Co-owner of the cafe Danielle Rasmussen said the cafe created a social media presence before officially opening Feb. 16. “People were long overdue for a cat cafe,” Rasmussen said. “They were all so glad it was finally opening.” Sophomore Anna Wert said she was intrigued by the cafe’s

What to know Reservations Time slots in the cat lounge should be reserved online but same day tickets are available Cost $10 per hour per person Address 2323 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, 55405 Hours vary See thecafemeow. com for hours. Infographic Devin Raynor Source The Cafe Meow

twist on the traditional coffeedrinking experience. “Cats are fairly mellow and make great company for anyone looking to grab a quick bite or read a good book,” Wert said. “I think the cat cafe is an interesting concept, and I’m excited to check it out.” All cats at The Cafe Meow are available for adoption. According to Rasmussen, the cats at the cafe come from local shelters like Ruff Start Rescue, Minnesota Animal Rescue and No Kitten Left Behind MN. “The rescues that we work with are small, so they care and they pay attention and put effort into who they decide their cats can go live with,” Rasmussen said. According to The Cafe Meow website hall of fame, a total of 19 cats have been adopted by cafe customers since it was opened in February 2018.

Photo Devin Raynor

Cat nap: A domestic shorthair named Cisco sleeps in the cat lounge April 7. Spice it up: The Cafe Meow features catthemed knickknacks. Are you kitten me: Domestic medium shorthair Bella sits atop wicker baskets. Photo Devin Raynor

Photo Sam St. Clair

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FEATURES

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

I’m planning on going to Prom because it's something I’ve never experienced before, and I don't usually hang out with the older classmen. Jakayla Ellis, junior

For what it’s WORTH Sumaya Mohamed sumayamohamed@ slpecho.com

Misinterpretations regarding Islam

slam — the root word means peace. Now, don’t get me wrong, I may think my religion is perfect but the people in it are not. So when one person makes a mistake, don’t blame it on the whole religion. Islam is often accused of oppressing when in reality Muslims are the ones being oppressed. In 2017, Trump signed papers banning people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Not even a year after the travel ban was put in place, more Americans have been killed by white men than by so-called Muslim terrorists, according to Vox. This shows how the war against Islam is nothing more than a war of political ideology. Don’t tell me that my religion is oppressing others when it’s still OK for the KKK to fully operate. It is frustrating when I leave my house, my parents take it upon themselves to make sure I get where I need to be safely. Yes, it is their duty to do so, but it’s ridiculous that I, as a near adult, need to call my parents when I get to the grocery store, to school or even to the What’s the parking lot. Fearing for POINT? my safety in a Don't judge country that advocates anyone for freedom because of their religion makes no sense. Do not tell me that this country treats all people with equality and fairness because if there was equality and fairness, I would not be here writing this column. Why is it Muslims are the ones constantly fearing for their lives and the lives of their loved ones? This fear comes mainly from the fact that I wear a hijab. I wear the hijab to preserve my modesty. With my hijab, I am a queen, and my hijab brings peace. The hijab resembles my devotion to Allah, god. The hijab is part of my identity, so whether you like it or would rather rip it off, I’ll still wear it. Who said you could choose my life? Telling me that my hijab is oppressing me shows how little knowledge you have of my religion. It baffles me that it is OK for people to wear hats to cover their heads but when I wear my hijab to cover my modesty it’s as if I am abnormal. What gives people the right to judge me for what I wear when all I am doing is following the beliefs of my religion? I am not here to convert you but to clear up some misconceptions. My religion is Islam and everything goes back to the root word salaam — peace.

Photo Grace Farley

All smiles: Members of Roots and Shoots Lukas Wrede and Katie Christenson smile while talking about their plans for the Climate Action Plan launch party as well as their expectations April 3.

Roots and Shoots promotes Climate Action Plan Launch party hopes to attract attention

Launch party basics

Jenna Cook & Emma Yarger jennacook@slpecho.com emmayarger@slpecho.com

What Launch event for Roots and Shoots' Climate Action Plan

oots and Shoots president senior Lukas Wrede said the club’s Climate Action Plan launch event serves to unite the community in a common vision for the future of the city. “The point of the launch is to create awareness and community engagement and to get all of St. Louis Park together with the same vision and help everyone understand how they can play a personal role in activating this Climate Action Plan and fulfilling the city’s goals,” Wrede said. According to Roots and Shoots member ju-

When 2-5 p.m., Earth Day, April 22 Where St. Louis Park Rec Center

nior Anna Kasper, the Climate Action Plan launch will focus on unifying members of the community in favor of environmental change. “The Climate Action Plan launch is going to be a big community event, and we want people from all walks of life to come and talk about how we are going to take action,” Kasper said. Roots and Shoots adviser Al Wachutka said the launch will hopefully allow the Climate Action Plan to become a more prevalent part of future city plans. Kasper said the club wants government officials, as well as the Climate Action plan sponsor, to speak at the event. “We are being sponsored by Nature Valley bars, and we are going to have people come and talk at the launch, like Keith Ellison, Peggy Flanagan,” Kasper said.

Infographic Soﬁa Seewald Source Lukas Wrede

For more content go to slpecho.com

Student Council begins Prom planning Excitement builds as dance approaches Avia Kaner-Roth aviakanerroth@slpecho.com

tudent council member Lilly Strathman said as a freshman on Student Council, it is part of her responsibilities to plan the Prom-related details. “As an underclassman who is a part of Student Council, I get to plan prom decorations and the general things that go into planning the event,” Strathman said. Strathman said she was enthusiastic to proceed in the planning process and excited to gain new leadership experience. “It has been really exciting so far to take more of a leadership role in the planning process, especially as a freshman,” Strathman said. “I really want to help make this dance successful.” Student Council adviser Sarah Lindenberg said Student Council’s first meeting concerning Prom determined some basics surrounding the event. “We’re having our first meeting this week to establish the theme, as well as the food order,” Lindenberg said. Strathman said the decorations will be

Photo Josh Halper

Decisions: Sophomore Anna Wert talks about her Prom theme ideas with Sarah Lindenberg as well as the rest of the Prom committee. Prom will take place May 5.

Prom fast facts Date May 5 Time 9 p.m.-midnight Ticket sales in the lunchroom during all lunches starting April 25 Infographic Soﬁa Seewald Source Sarah Lindenberg

planned according to the theme, which has yet to be announced. “We haven’t done a ton of planning since we don’t have an official theme yet, but as it’s going to be on a boat this year, we’re planning on having a lot of beautiful lights, fun foods and things like that,” Strathman said. “Definitely expect a lot of really fun and cute decorations.” According to Strathman, Student

Council will advertise concerning Prom. “We are going to be making a lot of posters, and when we decide the theme we’re definitely going push that pretty hard.” Strathman said. “We will also be promoting the activities that we do as a school before the dance, to help hype it up, like Spirit Week, what we did before Homecoming.” Strathman said she believes the dance’s location will encourage participation among students. “The fact that it’s on a boat will definitely help encourage participation. I think the location will make the dance seem more exciting, especially since it’s not at the school,” Strathman said. “It’ll be more fancy and push it apart from the other dances.”

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(The poetry jam is) a way for students to share how they really feel about certain topics in a way that makes them feel comfortable.

FEATURES Echo Wednesday April 11, 2018

Karie Chula, sophomore

In the SPOTLIGHT

Senior aspires to make change through art Aramis Nolen creates spray paint, sketching work

Photo illustration Sam St. Clair

Aramis Nolen, senior Why do you spray paint? I spray paint because it is a different way of expressing different feelings that you can’t really show in certain places when you spray paint, and some of the works are there for either a couple of years, or a couple of months. People drive by it and see it and it could affect the mood and people say ‘oh that’s cool’ and can make them happy or make them sad. It can be powerful. When did you start? I‘ve been doing it for five to six years. I started in middle school. I was doing these classes, and then they kind of just took me in, and I just adapted to it. What inﬂuenced you to spray paint? I was always a busy person. I was always doing sports and during the time I wasn’t playing sports I was just bored and I was like ‘might as well start doing something,’ so I got into art. What kinds of art do you usually do? I started with random sketches, moved to spray painting and eventually did more design and working with SketchUp. Then I started doing 3-D models for architecture. I am doing visual arts for myself, so I can get into animation and have the whole visual arts field in my tool box.

Photo Grace Farley

Sketching: Senior Aramis Nolen flips through his sketchbook to find an empty page to begin his next sketch. Nolen has been creating art through various mediums for five to six years. Do you plan to continue with this in the future? Yeah, I like to change people’s lives somehow someway. Do you see yourself making a career out of this? Yes, that’s my purpose. I don’t have a clear plan yet but I just feel like if I get enough tools I’d be pretty set. It would be easy. Is spray painting a popular form of art? Spray painting is kind of dying down low key because it’s illegal. When we did it, we had a wall where there was a factory, they let us spray paint every year so we just roll over it. Where do you typically do it? I spray paint (with permission) in North Minneapolis — it’s right by Hooks, right by U.S. Bank and Broadway. It’s a little shop and people could drive by and see it.

How often do you do it? I usually just do it every summer, and the whole summer we just go down there everyday and do projects and stuff, but now I'm starting to do visual arts stuff, so I don’t really do it that much. Why do you think it is important for students to pursue something they are passionate about? Because I feel like you can fail on something you’re not passionate about and then at the end you probably won’t be as happy. So if you are going to do something just do what you love and what comes naturally to you. Be happy, that’s the end goal you are trying to get to. That’s why I feel like everybody should follow their dreams.

Sumaya Mohamed sumayamohamed@slpecho.com

Poetry jam to focus on mental health Co-sponsors raise awareness through spoken word Marta Hill martahill@slpecho.com

s the poetry jam at yum! kitchen and bakery rapidly approaches SLP Nest board member Lara Cleveland said she hopes it will attract a diverse group. “I think (the poetry jam) will be a fun time to hear about other people’s experiences and share words,” Cleveland said. “I would love to see people of all different ages and from all walks of life.” According to executive director of SLP Friends of the Arts (SLP FOTA) Jamie Marshall, the April 18 poetry jam will be a chance for people to share their work. “The poetry jam is an open-mic style poetry jam at the yum! kitchen and bakery. It is an opSt. Louis Park portunity for the SLP Poetry Jam community to come out and read their What An opportunity to original poems or, if share poetry surrounding time allows, favorite the theme of mental health poems from other When 6-8 p.m. April 18 authors,” Marshall said. Sponsored by SLP Nest, Marshall said the SLP FOTA and Health in the poetry jam is an opPark portunity for varied Where yum! kitchen and people to share their bakery on Minnetonka Blvd work. “It is a chance for people to come Infographic Soﬁa Seewald Source Lara Cleveland together who are in-

terested in poetry, people of all ages and abilities, from first time writers to more active and have been writing for many years,” Marshall said. Cleveland said the poetry jam focuses on raising awareness to eradicate the stigma around mental health. “The theme is around mental health and so the first poetry or spoken word accepted to go up and read or recite or share their words will be those that have themes around mental health,” Cleveland said. Sophomore SLP Nest board member Cole Nugteren said this event is a way for people to express themselves and learn about mental illness. “It is a great outlet for people who have a lot to say about mental health,” Nugteren said. “I think it is good if you have a friend who is presenting to come and listen to help you understand.” According to Cleveland, SLP Nest hopes this event draws attention to mental health and how it affects Park. “I think we wanted to have this particular event highlight mental health, mental well-being, so this was one way to raise awareness,” Cleveland said. Nugteren said listening to poetry about mental health can help people understand what others are experiencing. “Learning about other people’s lives and other people’s perspectives is key to being a balanced person,” Nugteren said. “It is better for communities with mental health issues to talk about this stuff so everyone can understand.” Marshall said people should come to the poetry jam to experience poetry in a way that makes it more accessible. “I think that poetry is a really intimate art form and that when you study it, it kind of has a barrier to it — it seems a little obscure. What our event shows is that it is a really accessible art form” Marshall said. Nugteren said he thinks mental health problems can be helped by communication.

Photo Isaac Wahl

Trivial pursuits: Parkway Pizza hosts trivia April 6 in partnership with the SLP Nest. The SLP Nest is also sponsoring the poetry jam April 18. “I think a lot of mental health problems arise because people don't have a good outlet or don't have a lot of good people to talk to about it. If you are able to talk about it, it is a good step toward recovering,” Nugteren said. According to Marshall, SLP FOTA hopes to reach more high school students with this event. “By partnering with SLP Nest for this event we are hoping to reach more high school students and create some more intergenerational events and opportunities,” Marshall said. Marshall said he thinks the poetry jam is a way to bring the Park community closer together. “It is a way to connect with your community in a creative way,” Marshall said. “Right now our community needs to come together in ways that are positive and supportive.” The poetry jam will be from 6-8 p.m. April 18 at yum! kitchen and bakery. For more information visit SLP FOTA or SLP Nest's Facebook.

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IN-DEPTH

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

I just don’t think it’s really appropriate or something that I would do. I feel like they’re kind of taking it as a joke. Gabby Williams, sophomore

Assa

Assassins Rules • Game starts April 15 • Cost to enter: $8 for upperclassmen and sophomores $16 for freshmen • Objective: get most eliminations to win reward • Teams can have six players • No play on school grounds, including ongoing sports • All Nerf brand guns usable • Players cannot enter houses without permission • Must register by April 13 Infographic Creston Halstead and Brooklyn Donelson Source SLP Assassins 2018 rulebook

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I’ll speak as a parent ﬁrst, as a parent of 3 black boys I’ve never allowed my children to own guns, Nerf guns, and granted Nerf guns don’t look real, but we have African American males getting shot by the police all the time carrying a phone, a toy gun, so for me it’s never a risk I want to take with my children’s lives.

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Wit sho sur dec righ I’m nev just wou par it en

Charles Johnson-Nixon, Assistant Principal

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It seems like fun and a lot of my friends are doing it so I wanted to do it with them. I can see why people wouldn’t want to (play). (Gun violence) is a big deal that’s happening around the country. Aaron Ellingson sophomore

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(I’m blow guns pers viole thing

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It seems like a lot of fun, just a good time. Cons (are) gas, it costs money to drive around and for some people they have to purchase Nerf guns.

IN-DEPTH

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Niko Pantazides, sophomore

assins elicits new concerns Safety, gun violence points of debate Atticus Raasch atticusraasch@slpecho.com

urrounded by fake guns, fake hit-lists and fake kills, senior Carly Livingston, who has been personally affected by gun violence, said there’s a reason she won’t be playing Nerf assassins this year. “(The players’) intention is not to mock gun violence, so I don’t have anything against anyone who plays it,” Livingston said. “But I do think it’s a sensitive subject and people who have never experienced gun violence don’t realize how serious and how scary it actually is to be involved.”

What is Nerf assassins?

Photo Illustration Grace Farley

th all of the recent school ootings and conversations rrounding gun control I just cided it’s a sensitive subject ht now. My personal beliefs are: m pretty pro-gun control, and I’ve ver been a fan of guns or even t Nerf guns, so I just personally uldn’t feel comfortable rticipating in that because I think ncourages aggressive behavior. Lillie Albright, senior

playing) so I can have fun and w some stuﬀ down with Nerf s. I think it depends on the son. No (it’s not promoting gun ence), it’s just a high school g. Everyone’s trying to have fun.

Stanley Jackson, sophomore

asked with designing the rule book and running the game, senior Jonny Sorenson said he is excited to organize the Nerf assassins game with fellow senior Ryan Klaers. “I’m pretty excited,” Sorenson said. “People have been asking me all year if it was going to happen and saying I should do it. I’m also pretty conscientious of the fact that it’s supposed to be fun but obviously safety is number one.” Klaers said assassins is a student-run competition with the objective of using spongy Nerf darts to eliminate (known commonly as “kill”) other game participants. A set amount of money is required to participate in the event, and the winning team splits the pool along with the event organizers at the end of the competition, according to Klaers. According to Klaers, there are several rule changes this year making the game different from previous years. “A primary rule change is that the scoring is all based on ‘kills’ instead of last year where there was an incentive to be the last team standing,” Klaers said. “Along with that, this year the ‘hit lists,’ which are the list of names you’re supposed to (eliminate), and the amount of time which (the list) is relevant will be shorter.” Klaers said new rules were implemented in order to make the game quicker. “The game seemed to drag on last year,” Klaers said. “So we wanted it to be quicker and more efficient so it doesn’t take over everyone’s lives.” According to Klaers, he and Sorenson implemented a new rule requiring participants in the freshman class to pay double the normal cost in order to play. “For freshmen, it’s generally harder to get them involved in the game because they can’t drive,” Klaers said. “So if they’re willing to pay that price then we want them to be able to be involved.”

Safety concerns and precautions

lthough assassins is played nearly every year, teacher Erik Ahlquist said the game is more detrimental than beneficial. “I know it happens every year, but I think it has the potential to be dangerous and disruptive,” Ahlquist said. “I know it consumes the life of some kids to the point where they won’t do anything because they’re worried about losing and so they will give up other things.” According to Sorenson, he and Klaers feel safety is the most important factor when organizing the competition. “Priority number one is safety and protection,” Sorenson said. “We want everyone to be safe and understand that it will be fun, but safety is the most important thing so if anyone has concerns, they should let us know.” Assistant Principal Charles Johnson-Nixon said, though the game cannot be played on school grounds, he would not like to see the game being played within the community. “It may be fun, but there is a time and place for everything,” Johnson-Nixon said. “I’d much rather see students rent out a nice warehouse space and do it there instead of on school grounds or in surrounding areas.” Science teacher Patrick Hartman said as long as students are keeping safety in mind, the game can be enjoyable. “I think as long as people are being safe, like (not) jumping

out of cars and on top of cars and as long as it’s not coming in and affecting the school day, I think that it’s some good, clean fun,” Hartman said. Ahlquist said he is concerned the game may lead to misunderstanding and real danger. “When is somebody going to take it too far, when is somebody going to do a drive by ‘kill’ for assassins and suddenly it’s mistaken for a real thing and there’s a pretty serious consequence,” Ahlquist said. “Or what happens if somebody does something really stupid and that game creates an accident or gets somebody else hurt?” Livingston said because of incidents with the game in the past, players must follow rules closely in order to keep themselves and others safe and respected. “My only concern with it is that people need to respect property because our property was not respected last year — that’s why my uncle made Violet and I quit,” Livingston said. “Our property wasn’t respected and obviously (players must) be very careful about driving.”

Implication of current events

ohnson-Nixon said the game is occurring at a poor time because of recent incidents of gun violence within schools around the nation. “When you look at today’s society the last thing I think anyone wants to do is do something that promotes some type of violence,” Johnson-Nixon said. “Even if it’s a Nerf game.” According to Klaers, many students expressed interest in participating in the competition despite recent events. “We thought it was acceptable because we kind of tested the waters to see if people were even interested in playing this year because we know that everything has been going on and it’s a serious matter,” Klaers said. “It seemed the general consensus was that (players) understood that it’s a light hearted game and that it was somewhat of a tradition and they wanted to keep it going.” According to Livingston, the violent nature of Nerf assassins may misrepresent the reality of gun violence, despite player intent. “(The players’) intention is not to mock gun violence, so I don’t have anything against anyone who plays it,” Livingston said. “But I do think it’s a sensitive subject and people who have never experienced gun violence don’t realize how serious and how scary it actually is to be involved.” Senior Elliot Schochet said Nerf assassins is a direct representation of an American cultural view on guns. “When you play assassins, I’m not sure if the game is played in the rest of the world, but I think it’s a reflection of the culture that exists in this country around guns and how normal they are,” Schochet said. Klaers said he encourages players to have open conversations on the issue. “This game is just that, it’s a game and it’s not worth anyone being harmed or feeling uncomfortable over,” Klaers said. “We attached means to contact us, and if anyone feels uncomfortable with how the game is being played or carried out, we want them to come to us so we can fix it. It’s a sensitive matter that we don’t want to toy with.” Sophomore Sam Sietsema said Nerf assassins seems counterintuitive following the schools’ recent #Enough Walkout against gun violence. “I don’t think a lot of others should participate (in Nerf assassins) because, while its not doing anyone damage, it’s still is sort of hypocritical against what we all marched for,” Sietsema said. Livingston said law enforcement may also pose issues for players participating in the competition. “(Players) need to watch out for (themselves). If you’re standing in someone’s yard and there happens to be a cop driving by and they see you holding a gun or look like you’re holding a gun, your life could immediately be in danger,” Livingston said. Schochet said he feels participants should pay attention to the implication that the game has. “I wouldn’t discourage people participating, but I would encourage people to take a step back and realize that this probably does have a lot to do with how we celebrate guns in our country,” Schochet said.

“

SPORTS

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Out of the PARK Alec Pittman alecpittman@slpecho. com

Fuﬁlling a sense of achievement

imes mean a lot in swimming. I used to base my achievements based solely on them, and by comparing my times with some of the most talented swimmers in the country. In early December, when I began my senior year of high school swimming, I approached the season with the same mindset that my times defined my level of success. I had only one thing I could base the success or failure of my season on — competing at State Finals (reaching the top 16 swimmers in my events). Driven to reach State — the most prestigious meet at the high school level — I swam each meet as though I needed to prove something. I What’s the worked hard each day with POINT? my teammates in the pool and in the weight room. Training before and after school, as well as on weekends, I spent more time with my teammates than anyone other friends. Through this extended time with my teammates, I began to realize my happiest moments throughout the season weren’t based off my times, but rather on the effect my swim had on the team. Understanding then that I had a much deeper impact on my teammates other than my actual physical swimming ability, I began to enjoy each day and each swim meet more and more. Swimming throughout the end of the dual meet season, Sections and eventually State with this newfound mindset, I actually swam some of my best times and set multiple career bests. But still, when I look back on the incredible successes of my teammates and team as a whole, I find a deeper and more contentful happiness than on the accomplishments of myself alone. While I may have achieved my goal to reach State Finals, I see my most significant accomplishment as much more personal than physical. I view my most significant accomplishments based on the performance of the team collectively, identifying each member and all they did to contribute to the team both in the water and out. Skipping squat jumps during warmup, cheering on Tommy Guddal at the end of practice as he swam a 25 underwater and bestowing Hayden Zheng with the nickname “frosted tips” — these are the moments and stories that will stick with me forever, not the times I raced.

Success is selfdeﬁned

It’s better to be informed about (concussions) so you don’t Accidentally end up impaired.

Brahim Bouzrara, junior

WCCO covers leadership program Sports captains learn new skills during training Abby Intveld abbyintveld@slpecho.com

ccording to Park’s leadership development consultant Kevin King, media outlet WCCO approached him about covering Park’s unique leadership program. “There is not another school in the Metro that has invested this much time, resources and space into this proactive captain training,” King said. “WCCO really wanted to showcase what the athletes and the school are doing.” King said the leadership development training, which is a requirement for all captains, runs for 14 weeks every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. for the spring sports season, teaching captains to be productive leaders. “We focus on introducing them to certain leadership principles such as coaching, discipline and group cooperation that help them lead their teams the best they can,” King said. Senior varsity softball captain Megan Perkins said the training focuses on selfless aspects of being a leader. “We’ve talked about what it means to be a servant leader and being more of a listener, not actually always being in that direct leadership role but playing off of

Photo Grace Farley

Follow the leader: Senior captain Kyle Hedblom conditions during an indoor practice. Hedblom, like the other spring captains, participates in captains training. other people and understanding how your teammates feel,” Perkins said. According to senior varsity boys’ track captain Skyler Rudelius-Palmer, the leadership training helps in addressing conflicts that may arise throughout the season. “If there’s ever an issue with certain players or other problems, this training gives us skills to compromise and try to resolve the problem,” Rudelius-Palmer said. King said the leadership development program prepares the captains with skills that will help them excel beyond high school. “The captain’s leadership training is designed to really help them prepare for the 20th century not only in the classroom or on their field of play but also when they graduate and go onto college and compete for jobs,” King said. Rudelius-Palmer said WCCO’s coverage of the training could prompt other

metro area schools to follow suit and start leadership development programs of their own. “It’ll show people what we’ve been accomplishing and how effective it is and also will hopefully give ideas to other schools on what they can do to improve their team and leadership,” RudeliusPalmer said. Perkins said Park does not receive a lot of attention for its sports, and said she thinks the coverage will highlight the depth of leadership within the athletic community. “This training is deeper than sports, so it’ll show that we’re more than athletes, and we care about what we’re doing as captains,” Perkins said. “It’s important to show that Park, as a community, is good with teamwork.” According to King, WCCO will film sports practices and training sessions in the following weeks and will air the story mid-April.

Athletes participate in concussion tests Girls’ lacrosse works to identify head injuries Izzy Leviton izzyleviton@slpecho.com

unior lacrosse captain Grace Lynch said she believes Park has invested more into athletic programs this year, especially with the new captains training and concussion testing. “It feels like our school is trying a lot harder this year to be aware of what is going on in sports, with the captains training that is going on before school and the concussion testing,” Lynch said. According to girls lacrosse coach Katie Gliske, the girls lacrosse team took a computerized baseline concussion test April 7. She said in the event of a head injury an athlete would retake the test to assess the severity of the injury and determine if the player has a concussion. “It is a test to see where their function is before any injury, and then, if they get injured during the season, the trainer will have them retake the test to see if they do worse on it, which would be a sign they could have a concussion,” Gliske said. Sophomore Anna Nicholls said because of athlete concussions in past seasons,

Photo Grace Farley

Knock out: Freshman Katie Casey logs into the online site for concussion training while being assisted by a Tria employee April 6.

Quick facts about concussions • 33 percent of sports concussions happen at practice

• 20 percent of high school

athletes will get a concussion due to a sport during the season

• 33 percent of high school

athletes who have a sports concussion report two or more in the same year Infographic Izzy Leviton Source headcasecompany.com

more attention is being brought to the severity of head injuries in sports such as lacrosse. “I think because a lot of people got concussions last year and they are more aware how it would affect you in the future and we don’t want a ton of concussions on our team,” Nicholls said. Gliske said the concussion testing is an effective way to keep athletes participating safely in contact sports by making sure they are not playing with a concussion throughout the season. “In any sport that has any contact there is always a risk of concussions and even though it is less in lacrosse than in other sports, it happens every year,” Gliske said. “This is another tool to help us ensure that we are not putting athletes back out on the field before they are ready.”

“

I think that (Mobley) playing in Alaska is extremely cool and is showing how much work he has put in.

SPORTS

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Aidan Henry, junior

Meet the ATHLETE

Senior travels to Alaska to play hockey

Who Alex Peterson Grade Senior Sport Track & Field

Luke Mobley plays for the NAHL’s Ice Dogs

How long have you been running track? I ran all through middle school and then the winter of freshman year, school of freshman year and winter of sophomore year. In the winter it was with a different organization, and then I just got back into it this spring.

Ndunzi Kunsunga ndunzikunsunga@slpecho.com

enior Hockey player Luke Mobley said playing hockey in Alaska has been a worthwhile experience. “I’m very excited (to be here). It’s an opportunity I’ve been looking forward to,” Mobley said. “I just want to improve and make the best of it.” According to Mobley, he is spending his second semester of senior year playing hockey for an Alaskan team in the North American Hockey League. “I came up here to play for the Fairbank Ice Dogs and it’s pretty much for development,” Mobley said. “We skate everyday, we train every day and then on the weekends we usually have a two-game set or a three-game-series. We just finished up our regular season last weekend so now we’re preparing for playoffs.” Park Athletic Director Andy Ewald said junior hockey is a stepping stone between high school and college hockey. “So typically from what I know that if you’re going to go play college hockey, most schools want you to go play a year of junior hockey before you go play hockey in college.” Ewald said. “So it’s kind of like a gap-year where you’re not taking any

Photo Josh Halper

Ice Dawg: Senior Luke Mobley scans the ice during Park’s game against Benilde-St. Margaret’s Feb. 22. Mobley’s Fairbanks Ice Dogs are the number one seed in the Midwest division of the NAHL entering the playoﬀs. classes and you’re putting off college for a year or so and playing hockey.” Mobley said he hopes his season as a member of the Ice Dogs will help him earn a scholarship and garner attention for colleges. “My goal for a while has been to pursue a D1 scholarship somewhere and a lot of those hockey teams want you to play a bit of juniors to grow up a bit and develop. So that’s a plan: to grow up a bit, to develop and then hopefully get a scholarship and go to school,” Mobley said. According to Ewald, playing juniors as a high schooler is a rare opportunity reserved for experienced players. “They have to want you,” Ewald said. “So they send scouts to watch kids and then they make offers and so they can decide which school works best for them.” Senior Park hockey teammate Shea Pekarek said Mobley proved himself many times on and off the ice to be a strong player.

“He’s always looking to improve he’s always going to be the first one to the puck, he’s always working even when there’s off time,” Pekarek said. “I mean when there’s an off day or something he’s always working to get better. He’s always just a huge competitor always trying to be the best.” Mobley said he’ll be playing with the Ice Dogs until May and Shea Pekarek, senior then will return to Park to graduate. “I think the season goes until about mid-May, so I’ll be able to come back for graduation and walk with my class and that’s pretty special. It’s pretty cool,” Mobley said.

“

I think he really worked a lot on the oﬀseason and had a great season so I think you really deserve this.

What do you like the most about track? I like that there is competition. I like that if you want to perform your best you need to be in really good shape, and just running in general is a relaxing activity for sure. What events are you planning on running this year? My main event was the 400, so I am going to go back to running that. Then probably, as I have been working out with the distance crew, run the 800 and maybe the mile. What is your favorite track memory? (At PSI, Christopher) Watkins, our gym teacher would only have a select four or five people, if one could not come for whatever reason, to come run in these track meets I was one of the people selected. What are you looking forward to the most this track season? Well since the last time I ran track was during sophomore year during the winter, I am looking to smash some (personal records). Do you have a role model? Steve Prefontaine Jacob Stillman jacobstillman@slpecho.com

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“

10 OPINIONS

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Echo

Editors-in-chief: *Mimi Fhima, *Dani Orloff & *Annabella Strathman Managing editors: *Alex Balfour, *Anna duSaire, Alec Pittman, & *Atticus Raasch Web editors: Josh Halper & Marta Hill Photo editors: Malaika Bigirindavyi, Caroline Green, *Grace Farley & Adam Johnson Design editors: Devin Raynor & Sam St. Clair Copy editors: Yonit Krebs, Nicole Sanford, Hanna Schechter & Sophie Yarosh Video editors: Evelyn Nelson & Mara Zapata Social media editors: Yonah Davis, Avia KanerRoth & Bre Thompson Assistant copy editors: Jenna Cook, Abby Intveld & Emma Yarger Assistant design editors: Creston Halstead & Brooklyn Donelson Infographic editor: Katie Hardie & Isabel Kjaer News editor: Sumaya Mohamed Features editors: Amaia Barajas & *Ruby Stillman In-Depth editors: Emma Kempf & Isabel Leviton Sports editors: Sam Birnberg & Jacob Stillman Opinions editors: *Hannah Leff & *Lukas Levin Entertainment editor: *Isaac Wert Proﬁles editors: *Ndunzi Kunsunga & Maddie Lund Staﬀ: Aisha Abdi, Amira Ali, Muna Ali, Tjessa Arradondo, Kiyonna Brooks, David Bryant, Culver Carden, Noah Deetz, Nietzsche Deuel, Sofia Geretz, Tenzin Gyaldatsang, Ella Hammerstrand, Fahmo Jama, Claire Kaiserman, Samantha Klepfer, Sophie Olmen,

It is important that everyone puts in their voice (by registering to vote) so there is (correct) representation. Maddy Kapel, senior

Our Perspective

Assassins game appears insensitive

very year, two seniors organize a game of assassins — an activity centered around students hunting other students with Nerf guns. The current educational and political climate brings new layers to the context of the game that cannot be ignored, including increased awareness of gun violence. Every year there are concerrns around safety, especially this year, surrounding police brutality. Some have expressed concerns about police reacting to a students with a Nerf gun, worried they might confuse it with an actual weapon and open fire on the student. There have been multiple cases of police officers mistakenly shooting and fatally wounding citizens with handheld items that do not remotely resemble a gun. Such as in March with the shooting of Stephon Clark holding a cellphone in his grandmother’s backyard. This is an increased concern for students of color. According to CNN, 17 gun related incidents have occurred in schools in the United States since January 2018. Be-

Photo Illustration Grace Farley

cause of this, there should be a hightened concern regarding the overall message of the game. Students have taken a stand against gun violence, recently raising their voices in walkouts, Park included. To clarify, the Echo does not believe that participating in Nerf assassins directly reflects the students disposition toward gun control and violence. The Echo is aware students who participate are not oblivious to the tragedies of this year. The editorial board believes the game of assassins this year may be insensitive. However, in a vote of 8 to 3, the majority of the editorial board concluded that students are not personally responsible for

perpetuating gun violence if they participate. Alternatives around the gun aspect of assassins are used at other schools. Some schools use decorated spoons and socks to avoid using guns, however, the editorial board agreed it be would be extremely difficult to avoid the use of Nerf guns in the game. Students cannot dismiss the implications of the game of assassins. We suggest that students should continue conversing about the political issues surrounding gun control and gun violence. Editorial members expressed it may be a good idea for a portion of the profit being made from the game to be donated to gun violence prevention.

was no security breach, as hackers only probed defense systems currently in place. Minnesota must take steps to ensure the same security holds in the future. In the 21st century, ways of managing technology must increase in sophistication as exponentially fast as technology does, a goal that should transcend political or monetary roadblocks. Ensuring our constitutional republic remains protected should be an overtly bipartisan goal. One should stop at nothing to make sure citizens remain protected and ensure one’s vote matters. With a resurgence of political initiatives, a surge of voting registration has occurred. 4,800 new voters registered at 30 different March for Our Lives events

nationwide in a single day. According to HeadCount, a nonpartisan organization that promotes participation in democracy, that number does not even include online registration. The new surge of voters means it’s more important than ever to make sure their vote, and everyone’s vote matters and is protected. Studies show better voting systems increase voter turnout, which is essential, considering the United States has a relatively low voter turnout. Only 50 percent of eligible youth voted in the 2016 presidential election, a slight increase from the 49 percent in the 2012 election. Any voter shouldn’t just be told to vote, they should be shown the importance a safe, informed vote can have in a democracy.

William Phelan, Carissa Prestholdt, Hadeal Rizeq, Sofia Seewald, Isaac Wahl & Hayley Westwood Business manager: *Eli Curran-Moore Principal: Scott Meyers Printer: ECM Inc. Adviser: Lori Keekley *Denotes editorial board member

MEDIA POLICIES The Echo is the official student-produced 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 All-American and Hall of Fame member; 2011, 2016, 2017 NSPA Print Pacemaker Finalist; 2013, 2014, 2015 National Print Pacemaker Award Recipient; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Online Pacemaker Finalist; CSPA Gold Medalist; 2017 CSPA Hybrid Crown Finalist; 2013 CSPA Gold Crown; 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown; 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 CSPA Silver Crown; JEM All-State.

Updates to Minnesota voter registration urgent Small price to pay for secure, functioning democracy Eli Curran-Moore elicurran-moore@slpecho.com

any in Minnesota have called for a 1.4 million dollar budget to upgrade the current 14 year-old voter registration system for increased security, including Minnesota’s chief election officer, Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon. The improvements would consist of cybersecurity updates, meaning writing new code to improve the system’s ability to detect and repel intruders. Minnesota needs this update to ensure security from foreign influences and security threats such as voter fraud after a legislative auditor said the system is “showing signs of strain,” according to the Star Tribune. Democracy is the core of American ideals and constant updates to voter registration preserves this right. According to MPR News, Minnesota was one of the 21 states targeted by Russian hackers in the 2016 election. There

Photo Illustration Noah Deetz

Up to Cafe Meow: I need this place, school stresses me-out. Art Devin Raynor

Down to rappers at Park: I wish I had a Chance at being a rapper.

Up to Roots and Shoots: B.Y.O.B. — Bring your own berries.

A.S., H.L., E.N.

“

I think assassins is a good idea if people play it right, because it is fun and it is another thing for kids to do and bond over.

OPINIONS

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Ethan Deetz, sophomore

Comedy delegitimizes struggles of domestic violence victims Snapchat pays for insensitive advertisement William Phelan williamphelan@slpecho.com

ast month, an advertisement for a “Would You Rather” mobile app was displayed on Snapchat asking if users would rather “punch Chris Brown” or “slap Rihanna.” Users were understandably disturbed by the advertisement, prompting Snapchat to remove it. However, this was not before significant damage was done. In response, Rihanna posted a Snapchat Story voicing her disappointment with Snapchat’s acceptance of the advertisement. Her message was not one of self-pity, however. The singer used the situation to talk about how Snapchat took the issue of domestic violence as a matter to be joked about and the way in which our society as a whole is unwilling to take domestic violence seriously. According to Vanity Fair, Rihanna’s public shaming of Snapchat caused the corporation’s stock to drop nearly $800 million. However, the corporation’s financial loss is inconsequential compared to the irreparable damage they

Why should domestic violence be taken seriously?

have done to users who have been victims of domestic violence. By choosing to publish this advertisement, Snapchat has contributed to the spread of domestic violence in the United States and proclaimed that they see no great danger in making comedic remarks regarding such criminal behavior. According to CNN, 10 million people fall victim to domestic violence in the United States each year, a number that has been steadily climbing with each passing year. One aspect of our culture that helps to perpetuate the occurrence of domestic crimes is our inability to see domestic violence as a serious crime. In Minnesota, in 2013, 80 percent of domestic violence cases went unreported to law enforcement. Undoubtedly, things like the aforementioned advertisement as well as the countless Twitter memes making light of Chris Brown and Rihanna’s domestic abuse case help domestic violence be seen as less criminal and less serious. Thus, in order to reduce the number of domestic violence cases each year as well as legitimize the struggles of victims of domestic violence, we must cease to joke about it. A simple laugh or double tap is meaningless compared to the serious emotional trauma domestic violence inflict upon its victims.

“

Because people can get killed. Little kids, like our age, can be involved in it, and it is not a good environment to be in. Daejanae Frelix, junior

“

At the end of the day, no matter what strings are attached, it is still a crime. Also, someone put their trust in that person, and they are still beating them Thomas Pelowitz, junior

“

Because a lot of kids don’t get to speak their voice because they are scared. It should be more important because people die from physical abuse. Jenica Howard, sophomore

Debates arise concering student responsibility in assassins game Every year, an organized game of assassins occurs, where players use Nerf weapons to eliminate one another. The team who eliminates the most players wins a cash prize determined by the organizers of the game.

Recent events makes participation hypocritical

Don’t hate the player, hate the game Players are not perpetuating violence Ndunzi kunsunga ndunzikunsunga@slpecho.com

hether you support gun control or oppose it, people agree about the severity of the issue of gun violence due to the obscene recurrence of recent events. A question arises of whether or not the game of assassins plays a role in perpetuating gun violence. It’s perfectly fine to play a game, like assassins, that’s so ingrained into our school’s identity, as long as you do it safely. People should be able to separate the player from the game and playing this game is not an active form of provoking gun violence. These students enjoy just playing a game and there’s no other motive behind it.

PARK TRAIL

Being a player in a game that may further gun violence does not make a student who is fully aware of the recent tragedies an antagonizer to anyone who has suffered from gun violence. Being a player in this game does not make you a proponent of gun violence. Things are not always so black and white in issues such as gun violence. Students should have the freedoms to be activists and teens having fun. According to Griffords Law Center, 38 percent of firearm deaths and non-fatal injuries happen to young adults (age 24 and under), which includes kids at Park, some of which will probably be participating in the game. While I do wonder why such a game is so ingrained in our culture, students should be seen as separate from the game. In the case of assassins ‘don’t hate the player hate the game.’

Nietzsche Deuel nietzscheduel@slpecho.com

Assassins 2018

Assassins devalues student voice Annabella Strathman annabellastrathman@slpecho.com

Objective Hit all the people on your hit list with a Nerf bullet, and then hit as many other players as possible. Weapon Rules All Nerf brand guns, bows and arrows and swords are eligible. “Killing” Times No “killing” at school, work, school events or places of worship. Infographic Marta Hill Source SLP Assassins 2018 Rulebook

cross the nation, students have made their voices heard on the topic of gun violence, whether it be in the form of rallies, walkouts or written postcards. Park is not excluded from this activism, with approximately 500 students participating in the #Enough walkout March 14. With assassins starting up, this context cannot be ignored. It makes a game out of gun violence, the exact issue many walked out of the school in attempts to combat. While assassins has always perpetuated gun violence, students participating this year must be held responsible more than ever for the message the game sends.

Participation in a game such as assassins not only passively normalizes violence with guns, but also undercuts the entire student-led movement against gun violence. Taking part in a game with gun violence sends mixed signals. Students can no longer hide under the idea of ‘don’t hate the player, hate the game’ because we have demanded to be heard and, in doing so, need to show that we mean what we say. We cannot demand to be heard and taken seriously by the leaders of our nation if we do not take a stand on the issue in every way possible. We can no longer make the argument that assassins is a ‘fun tradition’ at Park because participation not only promotes gun violence as a game but diminishes the voice students have worked so hard to achieve. It’s time for the tradition to change.

“

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Echo Wednesday, April 11, 2018

“(Student rappers) are creating a career for themselves. I feel like they are young entrepreneurs. Jonathan Reese, junior

Rough Draft: Sophomore Nebyu Bekele writes lyrics for his upcoming songs. Turn It Up: Junior Aidan Henry records in his personal studio for his next album.

PPERS

Emma Yarger emmayarger@slpecho.com

DREAM

Local artists set their eyes to the sky, hoping to break into the entertainment industry. By taking what they’ve learned from growing up in St. Louis Park, these students aim to inspire through their art.

Photos Cul ver Carde

BIG

STUDENT RA

Henry aspires to help young musicians

Bekele focuses on inspiring listeners

Armstrong dreams of a career in rap

unior Aidan Henry grew up listening to hiphop and rap with his sister. Now, according to Henry, she motivates him to pursue a career in music. “I have a pretty tight-knit family, and we’ve been through a decent amount of things in our life together,” Aidan Henry said. “I’d say (my sister) is my biggest inspiration for writing music.” Henry’s sister Olivia said music helped her bond with her younger brother. “I love the kid, and I’m super proud of him, and I’m glad that he’s passionate about something, and I’m really happy for him,” Olivia Henry said. Junior musician Marco Giovanelli, who performed with Henry for two performances, said Henry strives for perfection, but is still easy to work with. “He’s easy going, but also picky to a certain extent to make sure the quality is good,” Giovanelli said. “I think he has improved greatly, and I want him to keep trying to put out new music.” According to Aidan Henry, one of his main goals is to make enough money with his music career to help others. “I want to start a nonprofit for people (that) aren’t as fortunate as I am,” Aidan Henry said. “I want to start a recording studio where they can come in and make music for free.”

ophomore Neb Bekele said he wakes up every morning thinking about winning a Grammy someday. “(Rapping) is my passion. I mean (winning a Grammy) is unrealistic right now, but that is my dream,” Bekele said. “I think music is something I’m going to be pursuing for a long time.” Bekele said he feels the current rap scene includes lots of entertainers but not enough artists who focus on real content. “If you go on the radio, it’s really talking about having sex with a girl this guy likes or doing cocaine or (other) drugs,” Bekele said. “That’s not really helping people cope with a lot of things. (It’s) not really inspiring people.” Sophomore Lola Ruff said she likes Bekele’s song “Valentine” the most because it sounds professional. “A really popular (song) is his new one ‘Valentine,’” Ruff said. “That’s the best one. It sounds like a real song that you would hear on the radio.” Bekele said his listeners encourage him even if he makes a mistake. “My fanbase is not big right now, I can say that, but I love my fans,” Bekele said. “They love to support me through thick and thin, whether it’s a bad song I dropped or whatever, they support me.”

ccording to senior Darrell Armstrong, the best rap song he’s written so far is called “Colors,” in which he discusses his perspective on race and society. “It was just about a whole bunch of races and the things that can happen and what’s going on in society. (I wrote it) when I was younger, so it was just a lot of talking and me just expressing a lot of things,” Armstrong said. Senior Joe Holloway, a student DJ, said he respects those who make their own music and enjoys Armstrong’s freestyles and rhythms. “I appreciate anybody who is young, black and doing student art outside of school. I appreciate (Armstrong) for putting his stuff out there and making a name for himself,” Holloway said. Armstrong said he uses rap as a creative outlet for his daily life. He said he would like to incorporate it into his future career. “(I like rap) because I can express myself easily through rapping, and that’s what I wanted to do as a dream going forward in life,” Armstrong said. “I think I have the potential (to do) it.” Armstrong said making new rap songs is his number one priority in life. “I want to see where it takes me. I want to just make as much music as I can put as much out as I can and see where it goes,” Armstrong said.

METRO AT A GLANCE Isaac Wert isaacwert@slpecho.com

Photos used with permission from RCA Records, Voltage Pictures, Atlantic Records, Xcel Energy Center

April 13

April 20

April 27

April 28

Following years of anticipation, Tinashe Kachingwe is finally releasing her sophomore album, “Joyride.” The album is avaliable for preorder and pre-save on all media platforms.

Amy Schumer returns to the silver screen with her new film, “I Feel Pretty,” a story about the power of self-confidence. Tickets for the film are currently for sale in theaters around the metro area.

Prince’s former prodigy, Janelle Monáe, is releasing her third studio album, called “Dirty Computer.” The album is available for preorder and pre-save on all media platforms.

American rock band Bon Jovi hits the Xcel Energy Center this April, touring its latest album, along with some of their greatest hits. Tickets for the concert are currently for sale and start at $46.