www.mvviewer.org Friday, October 26, 2012 Volume 60, Issue 3

Mounds View

VIEWER

At the last School Board meeting, the most recent set of student evaluation scores were presented. Mounds View schools were meeting or exceeding the expectations set by state and federal guidelines. However, there was one place where district students fell behind: the growth targets, as scored by the NWEA test, for students moving from fifth to sixth grade.

Most likely, this was caused by the difficult transition from elementary school to middle school. A similar trend may be occurring at the other “jump”—from middle school into high school--though this problem can’t be detected using NWEA scores, as the test is only administered through eighth grade.

Students have named a number of problems they faced with the transition. Tyler Fairchild, 9, said that “[In high school], the tests are harder and you get more of them.”

Many students said that the harder classes they took in middle school helped them adapt to the rigor of high school classes. For example, Fairchild found that Brent Crooks, a Chippewa science teacher, adequately prepared him for high school by giving many quizzes, which reflects the high school setting to some degree.

It isn’t just homework and tests that are challenging for students. Tommy Oswood, 9, is having problems adjusting to the earlier school-start times. “I’m still getting used to it,” said Oswood.

The only objective way school administrators found to evaluate student growth in the district during the transition from middle school to high school is by comparing results from the EXPLORE test, taken fall of eighth grade, with that of the practice PLAN test, taken spring of ninth grade.

As analyzed by Mary Roden, the district’s coordinator of assessment and evaluation, 74 percent of

students saw growth over this two year time period. This is still not the same measure as the NWEA test, which establishes targets for growth among students, but it does give some indication of satisfactory student growth during this transition.

A study done by Guido Schwerdt of the Ifo Institute and Martin R. West of the Harvard Graduate School of Education found that in Florida schools, students moving from middle school to high school “suffer a small but statistically significant drop in relative achievement.”

In order to safeguard against any problems with this transition, the district has introduced new measures to address the problem. Each student in the district now has an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP), a “living, breathing blueprint of a student’s education plan through high school,” as Rick Spicuzza, the district’s deputy superintendent, described it.

Spicuzza, who is spearheading the effort to ease transitions between schools, has also helped organize Pathway Alignment meetings for the math curriculum, which will include school principals, math teachers, and the instructional strategy facilitator (ISF) from every building. The meetings are organized into two groups, depending on which high school students from that school will later attend (for example, Chippewa Middle School and Turtle Lake Elementary School faculty would belong to the Mounds View High School Pathway Alignment meeting). As Mounds View Principal Jeff Erickson said, “The primary purpose [of these meetings] is to look at key transition points in the district.”

Mounds View High School Principal Jeff Erickson is holding his first Pathway Alignment meeting with building math teachers on Oct. 24, after Viewer goes to press. Erickson said that this was an “informational meeting, focusing on just the math teacher’s worries.” Full meetings with representatives from every school in the Mounds View High School pathway will be occurring in November, February, and May. Erickson hopes that these meetings will result in easier student transitions. As he said, “the proof will be at the end.

When Jeff Erickson took over as principal this year, one of his first challenges was dealing with a five percent budget cut from the building’s supply budget—the budget that pays for everything from copying and postage to renting the Roy Wilkins Auditorium for graduation.

“As the principal, it is my responsibility to ensure that we live within our means within the supply budget. As this is my first year, we are working to determine the exact need for each department,” said Erickson.

The cut was made by the district early on because district officials predicted low enrollment. According to Carole Nielsen, the Director of Finance, the school received about $205,000 last year for supply allocations. This year, the initial supply budget was $195,000.

One strategy Erickson is using to cope with the cut is to cut back on printing by encouraging teachers to print only what they need.

“I’d prefer not to spend significant resources on consumables (i.e. paper), but I recognize that currently it is a major way we do business in high school,” said Erickson. “We are always looking for ways to conserve resources.”

Erickson stresses the importance of wasting little. “We need to be more conservative in the beginning and adjust as we go,” said Erickson.

Students, however, took the supply budget cuts as evidence that the school is running out of money.

“We no longer have [new] calc. textbooks; the ones we have now are outdated,” said Ben Schugel, 10.

Other students also have misconceptions about what the budget affects. Some believe that the budget cuts are the reason why lunches portions are smaller. The real reason is due to Michelle Obama’s Healthy Lunches Plan.

The rumors are dispelled even further as the budget was readjusted in October to meet the actual number of students; it is now $203,000. Erickson plans to review each department’s budget and reallocate. However, do not expect any changes to the printing policy.

“I still think we need to be careful [with printing materials],” said Erickson.

No matter what budget changes there are, Erickson assures the student body that this cut will not interfere with the classrooms.

“The last place I want to cut is in our classrooms,” he said.

Cushioning the jump

Budget cuts create rumors among students

photo by Anders NygaardMichael Kauls teaches his ninth grade Economics class, which is required for all freshmen.

MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

Prepared and paid for by Minnesota for Marriage, 2355 Fairview Ave N, Box 301, Roseville, MN 55113, in support of the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment.

Text “VoteYes (insert your email address)” to 63566 and start receiving campaign updates today!

IN EDITORIALS 2

MUSTANG CUPREVAMPED

IN FEATURES 5

POLITICALLY AWARE

IN SPREAD 6-7

BYE BYE, BIG BIRD

IN EDITORIALS 3

Why Mitt Romney is right about cutting funding to PBS...

by PETER OLSON and ALISTAIR TANGnews editor and staff reporter

The transition from middle school to high school is difficultby MAXIMILLIAN WANG and TRISTAN ASCHITTINOeditor-in-chief and business manager

2editorials

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2012-2013Viewer EditorsEditor-in-Chief

Max WangManaging Editors

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NewsPeter Olson

EditorialsDavid Gonzalez-Dysinger

Allison HareFeatures

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Matt VogesSports

David LiuAdam Toninato

GalleryYoungjun Park

Photographers/ArtistsJoy Xie, Ben Kaiser,

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Staff Samantha Baschky, Josephine Berg-mann, Nina Bertelsen, James Birr, Nolan Carlson-Stevermer, Alec Edgett, Kobi En-drizzi, Namrata Gadela, Molly Hancuh, John Hingos, Jospeh Janey, Phoebe Ke, Monica Kemp, Jonathan Kim, Mitchell LeMay, Kyoka Millard, Matthew Montgomery, Angela Nan, Rebecca Nara, Ntonobari Ollor, Kyler Roberts, Madeline Rosenow, Neha Sethi, Mark Sheldon, Thomas Sletten, Alistair Tang, Nicole Wahlin, Ryan Yoch

The Viewer is published by the student editors at:

Mounds View High School1900 Lake Valentine RdArden Hills, Minnesota

Sauk Centre Publishing

October 26, 2012

Viewer Mission Statement1. To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about student, faculty and administration activities, interests and policies. 2. To maintain high ethical standards with regard to fairness, personal and legal rights, responsibilities and accuracy.3. To provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced, locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest.4. To strive for a high level of competency in the technical aspect of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity, and precision.5. To welcome diversity and increase the scope and depth of our coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness throughout our entire school community.

Articles and letters to the editor appearing on the editorials pages represent solely the opinions of the writers and do not represent in any way the viewpoint of Viewer, our advertisers, Mounds View High School or its staff.

The editors of the Viewer welcome and encourage the publication of all viewpoints.

2 Playdough

Stale Nutri-Grain bars

Razorblades

Fig Newtons

Tickets to Nickelback

Toothbrushes

Attacked by an actual zombie

Getting hit on by Robbie He

13 Editors Agree 2 Editors Agree

Article XII: Section 13.

Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota.

Viewer Staff on the Marriage Amendment

On Nov. 6, Minnesotans will vote on an amendment that takes the unprecedented step of enshrining in the state constitution the denial of civil rights to an entire group of people. No matter which presidential candidate you plan on voting for, it is imperative that on the the issue of banning same-sex marriage, you Vote No.

Same-sex marriage is first and foremost a civil rights issue. Laws trying to deny a homosexual person the right to marry the one they love are no different from the anti-miscegenation laws that banned interracial marriage prior to 1967. The gender of the parties involved should have no bearing on whether they are allowed to marry. Discriminating against gays is no different than discriminating against any other minority, and discrimination is wrong.

For those who believe in small government,Voting No is the obvious decision. Government has no right to interfere with two loving, consenting adults spending the rest of their lives together in marriage. Saying that government should not be allowed to regulate businesses and control the possession of firearms, but can control the intimate personal lives of citizens, is pure hypocrisy.

Supporters of the amendment cite religious

texts like the Bible as evidence that same-sex marriage is immoral and unnatural. But religion has no place forcing itself into our laws in such a way. Just because some people believe that the Bible rejects same-sex marriage as wrong does not mean that they have the right to impose this belief on others who may not share their religious beliefs.

Even if you don’t agree with same-sex marriage, an amendment is not the way to decide the issue. Same-sex marriage is already illegal in Minnesota, and all the amendment would do is make it exceedingly difficult to change that in the future, even if the opinions of the electorate change drastically. This runs counter to the ideals of democracy that make this nation great.

Voting No is vital in order to protect the civil rights of LGBT persons, fight big government, and maintain the separation of church and state.

The issue of same-sex marriage has divided our country during these past years, creating misconceptions and false information. One false statement is that Voting Yes means one hates gays. Instead, amendment supporters wish to support a form of marriage that has worked, is currently working, and will work: a marriage between man and woman.

Voting Yes on the marriage amendment will help solidify the importance of traditional marriages in today’s world.

A misconception to the marriage amendment is that it is a government regulation that will forever prohibit same-sex unions; this is not true. The main purpose of the marriage amendment, according to Minnesota for Marriage, is to “preserve marriage from future judicial or legislative activism” and give “the sole authority to determine the definition of marriage” in the voter’s hands. This amendment is supposed to protect marriage, not discriminate against others. If the people wish, the definition of marriage can be altered; it is more of a failsafe from any politicians wishing to exercise their power against the consent of the people.

For those unaware, our government has banned certain marriages before. Take the outlaw of polygamy. Polygamists would argue that they should marry whomever

they love. However, it wouldn’t be a truly stable family.

The most important reason why the existing form of marriage should be kept is because it creates a stable family. Today’s society has lost focus of what a marriage should be. Some believe it is the next step if they experience attraction towards another. The main purpose of a marriage is to make and raise children in a loving and healthy environment, which a marriage between one man and one woman accomplishes best.

A child needs both the nurturing of the mother and the love of the father. Despite their differences, when a man and woman are joined together in matrimony, they can accomplish things no one gender could do alone. A mother’s caring instinct for a child could not be replaced by two fathers. Also, according to a study done by the National Institute of Health in 2009, without the father, a daughter is more likely to become more sexually active during her teen years.

Our current definition of marriage is the best way to build a stable community and allow the future generation. It isn’t broken, so why fix it? By Voting Yes, people will acknowledge how vital our current definition of marriage is and why its fate should be left in the hands of the people.

VOTE NO VOTE YES

TOP10

Worst Things To Get While Trick-or-treating

A rock

Prunes

Editor opinionsWhat your Viewer editors think of various issues.

“Students should learn to think for themselves. Don’t attach yourself to a certain political belief just because the rest of your friends do.” - Allison Hare editorials editor

3editorials

“More adults should be ap-preciative of high schoolers trick-or-treating and not give them the cold glare.”

- Youngjun Park gallery editor

“It’s unreasonable to make students take a vegetable that they are just going to throw away when lunch is over.”

- Cammie Kelly

features editor

“Applying to college is like playing QWOP—you either get lucky and win, or fall on your face.” - David Liu sports editor

October 26, 2012

Embrace science: Go Pro-GMO

During the first presidential debate on Oct. 3, Mitt Romney stated that among other programs, he would cut the federal subsidy to the Public Broadcasting Service network (PBS), despite his love for Big Bird.

“I’m sorry, Jim. I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS,” Romney said to Jim Lehrer, the moderator of the debate (ironically, an employee of PBS himself). “I’m going to stop other things. I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you, too. But I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for it.”

Finally, someone has recognized what a problem Big Bird has been to the United States for the last 43 years, since he was first featured on Sesame Street. Big Bird is clearly a freeloader who is corrupting our future generations with his questionable morals.

It could not be more apparent that Big Bird is part of the “one percent” those Occupy Wall Street people keep talking about. For 43 years, he has

been mooching off of the American public’s hard-earned money. Just look at his nest, it’s huge! A nest that large and luxurious could not be cheap. He has an enormous section of the street at his disposal; couldn’t he just live in a more economically and spatially efficient home like a box?

And who is this Snuffleupagus he is always hanging around? Big Bird and Snuffleupagus are clearly working together to pull one over on the public. By using Snuffleupagus’s very long eyelashes, Big Bird could smuggle the 0.0857 percent of the federal budget delegated to PBS all the way to his bank account in the Cayman Islands, next to Romney’s secret, offshore vault, or who knows where else.

Aside from the matter of money, just think of the 81 percent of children between the ages of two and eight who watch PBS. Who is Big Bird, really? Is he just a big, bumbling, fluffy bird like PBS wants us to believe? Or, is he the network’s attempt to corrupt America’s children?

In every episode of Sesame Street, Big Bird and his fuzzy friends teach children lessons such as sharing, counting, and how to be kind to others. Are these really the messages we want to be sending our children? Sesame Street should be covering more important topics, like how to overcome China economically or how to get a perfect score on the all-important ACT.

America cannot get ahead in the world if its citizens are taught to value caring and sharing from a young age rather than economic progress. After all, it’s a cutthroat world

out there—if Big Bird truly valued America’s future, he would be training children to be ruthless and to only look

out for themselves, much like the way Romney is looking out for

America by cutting programs Americans have valued for years.

Big Bird’s reign of terror must come to an end; we can

no longer afford his corrupting and thieving ways. Cutting the

federal subsidy for PBS is the only way to pull the United States back from the fiscal cliff it is

currently hanging over. Let us hope the

government will continue to cut every expenditure not absolutely critical to the country’s survival, like the census, scholarships to students, and, heck, while they’re at it, why

not get rid of Medicare too.

Norman Borlaug has saved millions of lives. He developed a genetically modified “dwarf wheat” capable of generating three times the amount of wheat of unmodified crops and that was more resistant to disease and invasive plants. For his work, and his passionate advocacy of genetically modified, high-yield crops, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Honor, and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), like the ones Borlaug developed, are responsible for saving millions, and are not something to be feared. Unfortunately, heavy-handed restrictions on GMOs have limited their spread and development, and could be limiting food supply to poor countries where food is scarce.

Sadly, Ireland has banned all genetically modified foods. Many other European nations have restrictions in place, limiting GMOs in some way. California has taken actions against genetic engineering in agriculture, the “tool” used to save people from starvation.

Some say GMOs are unnatural

and therefore bad. But in reality, GMOs have improved crops in a similar way that cross breeding has done for thousands of years—by picking the most desired traits.

Some anti-GMO advocates took their outrageous views to YouTube. The Alex Jones Channel, a channel receiving well over 200,000 views, claimed that the use of GMOs was a government conspiracy to make the American population sterile. Alex Jones described the mixing of genes as “a nightmare” and used the word “mixture” with a loathing tone.

GMO critics have managed to make the term “GMO” derogatory, with connotations of toxicity and danger. According to Michael Eisen, a biologist at UC Berkeley, both scientists that work for the U.S. government and for the European Union have found GMOs to be safe, though the adversaries of GMOs are still scrambling to find a way to prove their adverse effects. An anti-GMO organization based in Britain announced the results of a controversial French study stating that GMO corn made by agricultural giant Monsanto caused tumors in rats; ironically, the rat species used often naturally develops tumors. The

data pool was also very small and the scientist who conducted the study was a strong anti-GMO advocate.

The USDA supports GMOs and has no reason to believe they have adverse effects. GM foods should still have to pass some sort of safety test prior to their release to the public because, like all technologies, it’s not absolutely perfect.

To prevent the rise of “superpests” (insects and weeds that have developed an immunity to insect or weed killing traits spliced into crops), the Environmental Protection Agency requires farmers that use GM crops to have a small non-GMO field to draw insects away from the GM crops and reduce the likelihood of insects developing a resistance to a GM toxin. It is only natural for this to fail eventually, but when it does, a new, safe GMO strain of a crop can be engineered to replace the obsolete strain in many cases. This can be seen in the multiple strains of genetically engineered Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn, including the corn engineered with the CRY3bB1 gene, and another strain, with an inserted Cry34/35 gene, which both are effective in killing rootworms. Therefore, the failure of one strain of a GMO means that

another strain can often be developed to solve the same problem.

Because the genomes of crossed organisms are often completely different, a gene that codes for a protein found in peanuts, for example, could be spliced into the DNA of a lemon tree for some hypothetical benefit. A person that is highly allergic to peanuts would not know of this upon eating a lemon, and would have an allergic reaction. To overcome this, a label should be placed on GMOs similar to the small allergy information section found on nearly all foods. A skull-and-crossbones label or the equivalent would only scare those that do not know the facts when it comes to genetic modification.

There are no limits to what genetic engineering can accomplish. In one instance, scientists were able to splice Arctic flounder genes into tomatoes in order to give them high resistance to cold temperatures.

As the technology for genetic engineering becomes more developed, safety will no longer be a significant issue and more will be possible as a result of delving further into the science of genetics. We must not be so quick to reject such an incredible technology.

Eradicate Big Bird

fair use from thedailybeast.com

SATIRE by NINA BERTELSENstaff reporter

by TRISTAN ASCHITTINObusiness manager

Alemán

Many wonder whether school would be easier or harder elsewhere, whether teachers would be more fun, or school lunches tastier.

Foreign exchange students are brave enough to leave their homes and countries and come to the United States to practice English, experience a different culture and come up with their own conclusions.

This year, Mounds View High School has nine exchange students from six different countries.

The typical Mounds View student complains about getting up so early to have a long day, often with extended hours of activities and sports. Many schools abroad have a very different approach.

Compared to some schools, like in France, Mounds View hours are quite short. French exchange student Antoine Vaxelaire, 12 , said, “The school day there is longer, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a big break at noon.”

In Germany, on the other hand, the school days are shorter.

Native German, Lea Tullymn, 12, said her day went from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., making our days seem long to her. Most schools in the States do not have

this flexibility of hours to go past 5 p.m. or to have noonday breaks as time for sports and activities must be set aside.

When it comes to teachers here, many foreign exchange students believe that we are very fortunate. Bahkmal Odibekova, 12, from Tajikistan mentioned how “the relationship between students and teachers is completely different.”

The students were pleasantly surprised that Mounds View teachers seem to care for their students.

Tullmyn was not the only one to mention how “nice and friendly the teachers are, actually caring about you. There [in Germany] they are there just there to teach you.”

School pride seems to be another American novelty, as many schools abroad don’t view school as an integrated part of their social life. Vaxelaire said there are “no school colors and clubs. Sports teams were not through school.”

European schools are alike in this. Oystein Skogvold, 12, also mentioned, “There is no school spirit and no such thing as after school sports [in Norway].”

Beauge, who is involved in cross country running in France, and Tullmyn, who is involved in soccer in Germany, mentioned how sports in their native countries remain completely separate from their

school days. “Practices are only held a couple times a week,

and there aren’t nearly as many people there compared to here,” says Beauge.

Being involved in Mounds View sports teams with such a large turnout of committed athletes is a change for Tullymn as well. The priorities of their schools remain focused on academic progress and less on team activities.

Becoming an exchange student and living in another country may seem daunting at first, but talking to the visiting exchange students made it seem enticing.

“More people should try it. It’s a great experience. If you’re afraid of being homesick become a host family,” Tullmyn said.

Skogvold described it as way to “experience another life - new people.”

When faced with two completely different cultures and ways of life it doesn’t always mean picking which one is “better.” Instead, looking at the similarities and differences and being grateful of what we a culture offers is key to the whole experience.

Vevgeniy Pozdeyev, 12, of Russia stated it simply. It is “not better. Not worse. Just different.”

4features October 26, 2012

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Life through the lens of Mounds View’s foriegn exchange students

by MONICA KEMPstaff reporter

Vincent Belsito, 11, and his team, the John O’Dotty’s, were off to a strong start in last year’s Mustang Cup. They were in the lead after the first two events and were looking to win the Cup. And then, to their surprise, it was over.

Students like Belsito ended last year wondering what had become of the Mustang Cup. A lack of sup-port and organization for the program led to only two events, a sharp contrast to the two events per month held in the 2010-11 school year.

“We got the early lead, which was exciting. I was really disappointed when it didn’t finish out,” said Belsito.

Mustang Cup is a program at Mounds View where students can put together a team of three or more to compete in events throughout the year. Student leaders and staff are supposed to work together to support the Cup. However, the staff members involved receive no extra pay for the time they put in to help run the events. The commitment became too much for many of the teachers and students last year, causing the Cup to fall apart.

Post Secondary Education Advisor Colleen Junker, along with Therese McKenzie an ASL teacher, was a leader of Mustang Cup last year.

“It started out strong. But it was tremendous work, and it was all volunteer. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out,” said Junker.

On top of the tremendous commitment, both Junker and McKenzie suffered from health problems last year

and had to leave work. To the disappointment of the 12 teams entered last year, another staff member did not take over the responsibilities.

Tori Van Sickle on team Victorious Secret, 10, felt the loss. “I was pretty bummed out. It was going to be a ton of fun,” said Van Sickle.

This year, however, a large number of staff have stepped up to support the beloved Mustang Cup. Staff joining the ranks include deans Ryan Poepard and An-dra Storla, Student Council Advisor Shannon Belland, and FACS teacher Julie Coopet.

“I’m excited about the opportunity for a large num-ber of students to get involved and participate on a team without having to be on an official school sports team,” said Storla.

In addition to supporting the events, staff members can participate on their own staff team against students for added drama. Poepard is ready to compete against students during the Gamers’ Night event.

“Nintendo 64 is where my real talent lies. I’m gonna run away with it,” said Poepard.

Along with increased staff support and partici-pation, there are some exciting changes this year. A program has been created for teachers to sponsor a Mustang Cup team for bragging rights against fellow staff members.

New events have been added as well. Additions to the games include Winter Olympics and an obstacle course along with Mini-Golf and a Photo Scavenger Hunt.

These events are joining old favorites like Trash’n Fashion, Gamers’ Night, and Pumpkin Toss. William

Eggers on J’Odottys, 11, can’t wait for the Pumpkin Toss. “I did that event as a freshman and it was sick,” said Eggers.

The first event, the Photo Scavenger Hunt, took place on Oct. 15. The staff team got the win, followed closely by Victorious Secret.

Despite last year, students like Teresa Sturre on Green Lantern, 10, are enthusiastic about the Cup.

“Mustang Cup is an awesome opportunity to do something wacky and fun after school,” said Sturre.

For more information about how to “Live it Up, Join the Cup,” visit Colleen Junker’s staff page, check out the Mustang Cup Facebook group or follow @MustangCup1 on Twitter.

Gettin’ Jazzy

What’s up with Mustang Cup?

Peter Goggin, 10, and Sam Worthington, 11, don’t just play jazz. They coax music from their instruments with an intensely personal style. Worthington waltzes with the bass when he plays; Goggin goes wild, carried to vertical heights by a barely-tamed sax. It’s a clear sign that they are intimately connected with their music. Small wonder that these two are newly inducted members of the Dakota Combo, a local ensemble for talented young jazz musicians.

Along with six other high school musicians, Goggin and Worthington will have the chance to play at the St. Paul Artists’ Quarter Jazz Club (Nov. 29), the MacPhail Antonello Hall, and the 2013 Twin Cities Jazz Festival, among other places.

“There were 30 or so applicants, and it’s kind of the best young jazz musicians in the metro area,” said Worthington. “It’s pretty competitive because it’s backed

by the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education. It’s their prize horse. There’s money behind it, there’s prestige.” Aside from the performances, they get to take lessons from a professional jazz bassist, Adam

Linz, who both students have worked with in the past.

Worthington’s advance into the realm of jazz began when he played bass in middle school. “I kinda just stumbled upon a John Coltrane record and I became infatuated with the sound. I had never heard anything that free or boundless. I continued to listen and as I continued to listen I tried to figure out the nuances. I had this epiphany that it was all about the rhythm. It was all technique and theory.”

Goggin’s journey began in sixth grade, when his teacher played Charlie Parker for his class. “I thought it was pretty cool for some reason. I read through this book of Charlie Parker and then like a year later I started to improvise more and found the music of Charlie Parker had manifested itself in my playing.”

Like all symphonies, jazz is about relationships. These two students have been playing together for about two years. “We really feel comfortable with one another. It’s become a telepathic sort of relationship

when we’re playing together,” said Worthington.

In addition to the interpersonal relationships in jazz, there is a relationship between the musician and his instrument. “One of the aspects

[of jazz] that I love the most is my relationship with my bass. And just trying to find the perfect balance of how much I give to the instrument and how much the instrument will give back,” said Worthington.

Ultimately, jazz--and everything these boys have accomplished--is about the music. It’s about making art. “It really grants you the room to be creative. You’re granted more freedom than in other types of music. In other types, the melody is very defined. In jazz you can create more on the spot,” said Goggin.

“It takes a certain amount of listening to really appreciate the music. But once that threshold is broken it becomes the most impossibly beautiful types of music,” said Worthington. “I believe its one of the hardest art forms, but it can be one of the most beautiful. What’s beautiful about it is that there is infinite space for your own creativity and your own interpretation.”

5features

You’re granted more freedom [with jazz] than other types of music.”

-Peter Goggin

“Jazz is extremely trying technically and mentally.”

-Sam Worthington

“

October 26, 2012

by RYAN YOCHstaff reporter

Mustang Cup members take part in the first challenge of the year, a scavenger hunt.

photo by Ben Kaiser

by MATT VOGESreviews editor

Get Learned

Too young to vote, but not to have an impactThe United States is experiencing a time of

heated political division like no other. However, both parties realize that young people have assumed an important role in the 2012 presidential election. Although the majority of Mounds View High School students are below the voting age, that hasn’t stopped many from becoming politically active.

Robbie He, 12, recently interned for the Obama Campaign—also referred to by its slogan, “Forward”—over the summer, despite the fact that he was only 17.

“I think that even though I’m not of voting age, the work I’ve done to help persuade others to vote for Obama counts as a vote in itself,” said He.

A Speech Team captain and National Honors Society President, He put the same amount of dedication into his internship as he does in school and was given the honor of meeting both Senator Amy Klobuchar and Vice President Joe Biden.

He was inspired to take part because he felt that he could identify with the president, since they are both minorities.

Despite having a different political viewpoint, Sean Hinnenkamp, 12, shares the same belief that high school students can impact the election to an extent.

“I believe that every person should have some form of involvement in either learning about the candidate that they are leaning towards or by taking the steps to aid in that particular election of a candidate,” said Hinnenkamp.

In a time of economic downturns and overall uncertainty, Hinnenkamp feels that Governor Mitt Romney “could bring back some much needed stability to our nation.” Impressed by ideas such as his five-point plan, Hinnenkamp believes that by simply fortifying his political beliefs, he can make an impact.

Sophie Gorham, 12, has been participating

in Young Democrats, a newly established school activity. Despite the group’s liberal affiliation, Gorham said, “We are hoping to encourage voting on both sides, in a very nonpartisan manner to encourage kids to be more involved in their community.”

The organization’s activities include volunteering at Democratic booths at the Minnesota State Fair and phone banking on weekends.

“Just because you’re in high school doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and try to make a difference,” she said.

After President Obama affirmed his support of same-sex marriage in May 2012 (becoming the first U.S. president to do so), the efforts to legalize the action in every state have become more vocal. Although it is currently legal in seven U.S. states, Minnesota is not one of them; in fact, a firestorm has erupted over a state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.

In an effort to rebuke this possible outcome, Nathan Aastuen, 12, has been participating in “Vote No” phone banking with other fellow Gay-Straight Alliance members.

“Gay marriage was a term not even uttered 20 years ago, and now we’re becoming more and more open as the generations progress,” said Aastuen. Because of this, he believes that his generation will be the one to legalize gay marriage.

Asa Carlson, 10, agrees with Hinnenkamp that students should do their best to be educated in politics. “It’s important to care about who is going to be leading your country, and it’s important to start off young and self-advocate and learn the parties for yourself,” said Carlson. “It’s important not to just vote Republican or Democrat, just on that basis.”

Carlson believes that Romney represents a chance for a fresh start, as the nation is currently experiencing many economic downturns. In order to aid Romney’s campaign, Carlson said that high school students can fundraise or simply get their

voices out there, which can be a huge help. Aside from different economic policies, Trevor

McDonald, 12, appreciates Governor Romney’s experience in business. After earning an MBA from Harvard University in 1975, Romney began a successful career that included the co-founding of Bain Capital, an investment firm. “[His business experience] would translate to a more efficient government, and I also really like his policies on the rights of individuals,” said McDonald.

Though McDonald said that he isn’t sure of the importance of campaigning for a specific person, he believes it is very important to have political awareness. “Eventually, it’s a civic duty at some point, even if you’re not 18 yet, and going into that process entirely uninvolved is not a good thing for the country in the long run,” he said.

However, McDonald said that he does think high school students can have an impact on the presidential election, recalling times at Highview Middle School where they would take election polls among students. These polls were impressively close to what the actual results were, and shows that Mounds View is “a good indicator of what the voting population will be.”

Regardless of whether a student supports a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, there is common ground that many can agree to: being below the voting age doesn’t necessarily diminish the effect a student can have on any election. With polls showing a nearly fifty-fifty split between President Obama and Governor Romney, aiding the politician one sees best fit for the title of Commander-in-Chief can have a lasting result.

information compiled by Sasha Safonov, Neha Sethi, and Nathaniel Nikoi

by KYOKA MILLARDstaff reporter

Youth in Government’s (YIG) basic belief is that, “Democracy must be learned by each generation.” This aim is achieved by having students run their own model government, where they debate legislation, hear court cases, and run a radio station, among other jobs. Nearly 1800 students participate in this three-day program at the Minnesota Capitol every year.

Andrew Wang, 11, participated in the judicial branch the last two years. He faced a variety of situations, such as a compensation case on a man who was shocked by electrical wires or the distribution of tribal lands.

“My favorite case was about nude photos being placed on the internet. My partner and I kept objecting each one of prosecutions points with our own, angering them,” said Wang.

YIG helps students better understand the invisible strings that run this country. As Sola Olateju, 11, Attorney General in YIG, said, “The government is constantly making decisions for you and as you get older it becomes a bigger part of your life. It is better to understand the government now and where you stand, so that later when it comes to making decisions you know what you are doing.” Junior State of America (JSA) offers students

the opportunity to talk about government-related topics. For each biweekly meeting there are set topics, picked by the students collectively, for students to discuss and debate. Past topics have included marijuana legalization, gay marriage, and involvement in Libya.

Once every fall and spring, JSA students also travel to a statewide conference where JSA students listen to members of Congress give speeches and debate with other JSA students.

“Fall conference was a cool environment to be in, with students from all across the midwest. I learned about viewpoints that I would never have thought of before, and learned to debate in a formal setting,” said William Spector, 12.

JSA aims to address the most controversial topics, where polarized opinions are encouraged. John Knopf, 12, said that JSA “has helped me talk about controversial subjects while acknowledging differing opinions.”

AP U.S. Government students learn the ins and outs of the government that go beyond preparing for a simple exam at the end of the year.

“I look for comprehension of the concept being taught,” said Justin Benolkin, AP U.S. Government teacher. “A lot of what people think they know about political issues are misconceptions.”

For example, students get a chance to organize parties, create platforms, and convince others of their own viewpoint -- much like politicians do in real life.

“It is interesting to see how parties form, and how parties have to change the views they stand for in order to attract people,” said Christopher Atkinson, 11.

Other class activities let students find out about their own political opinions. Students took an online poll in to determine their own political leanings. “The

majority of the class got democratic. I was 8% Nazi!” Atkinson said.

Students also analyze biases in the media that may affect their political viewpoint. “

Today we examined how SNL satirized Mitt Romney’s stance on clean energy,” said Andrew Wang, 11.

Overall, AP U.S. government leaves a lasting impression.

“AP Gov[ernment] has really opened my eyes to both sides of most topics in politics and has made me more informed on today’s issues with the country,” said Jon Remus, 11.

Atkinson felt similarly about U.S. Government. “My views on topics we’ve discussed haven’t changed, but I am more open and better understand other viewpoints than I had before.”

Many strive to do absolutely everything they can to avoid politics. Clubs and classes such as Youth in Government (YIG), Junior State of America (JSA), and AP Government aim to overcome this apathy.

Ever since 1996, when Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, same sex marriages have been

outlawed at the federal level. Minnesota’s proposed Marriage Amendment will not be on the legalization of marriage, but

the definition of marriage. Voting Yes means defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman; Voting No means

that no such definition will be in the state constitution. If the proposed amendment does not pass, same sex marriage will remain illegal in the state.

The issue has divided Minnesotans. According to a recent StarTribune.com poll, 49 percent of Americans are for marriage equality while 47 percent would like to keep marriage restricted to between a male and female.

Similar amendments will also appear on the ballots of Maine, Maryland, North Carolina, and Washington voters. They have

already been proposed and passed in 30 states. Never has a proposed amendment of this kind been defeated.

21

61

No Yes

How would you vote on the marriage amendment?

Though the number of convicted fraud cases in voting has been minimal, the debate over

requiring Minnesota citizens to present state issued voter ID is very controversial.

The Minnesota Voter Identification Amendment, if passed, would require voters to present photo identification before they

are allowed to vote.Thirty states have already passed laws requiring a voter to

present identification. There are two different types of state voter ID laws: photo vs. non-photo. Seventeen states require a picture in the ID. Other states accept different forms of identification such as a birth certificates, bank statements within the last 90 days, utility bills, or property tax statements.

Many argue that the burden of accessing ID offices in rural areas and the cost of obtaining identification put many poor,

elderly, and minority groups at a disadvantage and may keep them from voting. Advocates of photo ID laws

believe that they minimize the number of voting fraud cases, even those that would not result

in conviction.

No Yes

51

31

How would you vote on voter ID?

The Viewer surveyed 100 students selected at random from the guidance office enrollment list. 82 surveys were returned.The questions were phrased exactly as they will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Coming back for a chance at reelection, Barack Obama goes up against

Republican candidate Mitt Romney in November. The campaign is hotly contested. A recent Gallup poll

showed that 48% of registered voters supported Romney, while 47% supported Obama.

The economy is the most important issue this election. Romney’s five-point plan outlines his goals of making the United States less

dependent on foreign countries, cutting federal spending, lowering taxes on small businesses, and improving education. Obama pitches his goals of creating new manufacturing jobs, also cutting dependency on foreign oil, and spending billions of dollars to create more jobs for teachers, public workers, and other middle class employees.

The candidates differ on many other issues as well. While Obama believes in the restriction of ammunition, freedom of choice for abortions, and universal health care, Romney would like to give

Americans the option to store ammunition without registration, cut abortion funding, and get rid of Obama’s plan for health care,

which he says is an attack on our Constitution.With two candidates that contradict one another

at every turn, every vote for either candidate could sway the country toward liberal or

conservative management.

3839

RomneyObama

Who would you vote for in the presidential election?

Other

5

Top 3 issues this election

information compiled by Molly Hancuh and Samantha Baschky

Junior State of America (JSA) offers students the opportunity to talk about government-related topics. For each biweekly meeting there are set topics, picked by the students collectively, for students to discuss and debate. Past topics have included marijuana legalization, gay marriage, and involvement in Libya.

Once every fall and spring, JSA students also travel to a statewide conference where JSA students listen to members of Congress give speeches and debate with other JSA students.

“Fall conference was a cool environment to be in, with students from all across the midwest. I learned about viewpoints that I would never have thought of before, and learned to debate in a formal setting,” said William Spector, 12.

JSA aims to address the most controversial topics, where polarized opinions are encouraged. John Knopf, 12, said that JSA “has helped me talk about controversial subjects while acknowledging differing opinions.”

AP U.S. Government students learn the ins and outs of the government that go beyond preparing for a simple exam at the end of the year.

“I look for comprehension of the concept being taught,” said Justin Benolkin, AP U.S. Government teacher. “A lot of what people think they know about political issues are misconceptions.”

For example, students get a chance to organize parties, create platforms, and convince others of their own viewpoint -- much like politicians do in real life.

“It is interesting to see how parties form, and how parties have to change the views they stand for in order to attract people,” said Christopher Atkinson, 11.

Other class activities let students find out about their own political opinions. Students took an online poll in to determine their own political leanings. “The

majority of the class got democratic. I was 8% Nazi!” Atkinson said.

Students also analyze biases in the media that may affect their political viewpoint. “

Today we examined how SNL satirized Mitt Romney’s stance on clean energy,” said Andrew Wang, 11.

Overall, AP U.S. government leaves a lasting impression.

“AP Gov[ernment] has really opened my eyes to both sides of most topics in politics and has made me more informed on today’s issues with the country,” said Jon Remus, 11.

Atkinson felt similarly about U.S. Government. “My views on topics we’ve discussed haven’t changed, but I am more open and better understand other viewpoints than I had before.”

8variety October 26, 2012

October is considered a month of scary things, but it can also be dedicated to all things fall. As the season comes to a close and the frosty nip of November starts to threaten, all eyes turn to Halloween for entertainment. Well, no more! Twin Cities Harvest Festival has all the treats, with almost none of the trick.

Located in Brooklyn Park, the Twin Cities Harvest Festival offers a variety of things to do. The main event is the famous corn maze. Upon entering the start,

maze-goers are greeted with a towering wall of corn stalks. After the first turn sits a ticket booth, tempting brave souls to venture deeper into the winding maze

This year, the Twin Cities Harvest Festival has decided to donate a portion of every ticket sold to the Minnesota Military Family Founda-tion (MMFF). According to the Harvest Festival website, MMFF is “a community-supported fund that distributes money through grants and loans to Minnesota military families of deployed soldiers that need a little help.”

Keeping with the military theme, the Harvest Festival is holding a contest that tests maze-goer’s knowledge of the U.S. Military. In the maze there are 20 posted questions about different branches of our mili-tary. Every person is given a map in at the beginning of the maze; on the back there are spaces to write the answers to each question. Whoever answers all the answers correctly, and finds their way out of the maze, is entered into a drawing to win a 2013 Twins season ticket package.

But that’s not all. There is a petting zoo which exclusively holds small, cute goats which can be fed and pet, and miniature horses which children can ride. For those tired of walking, they can sit on a hay stack and enjoy live band music, such as the childhood favorite, “Hokey Pokey.” The most fun thing to do is to play in a huge pit filled with corn kernels. Adults and children alike can just lounge or roll around in it. All around are children screaming for joy as they play. It was like a mini state fair in the middle of the fall.

The Festival offers a small but yummy selection of snacks. The delicious smell from the freshly popped kettle corn can be smelled from a mile away. Since it’s a bit chilly outside there are sweet mini donuts and coffee for the parents. But the most filling were the hamburgers with fries and drinks for fami-lies out to lunch.

Not everything needs to be spooky to be enjoyable. The Twin Cities Harvest Festival is fun place to go to with family or friends. It’s wrapping up on the week-end of Oct. 28, so get there while you can!

Harvest fun at Harvest Fest

By SELIN KURTOGLU and NTONOBARI OLLORvariety editor and staff reporter

photos by Anders Nygaard

A live band plays traditional children’s music.

An open area of the grounds where kids can play.

Entrance to the the famous Harvest Fest corn maze

Visitors can take a romp in the corn pit.

reviewsOctober 26, 2012

After the impressive achievements Mumford &

Sons made with their debut album, Sigh No More, no one could help

but anticipate their sophomore album. The album, Babel, was released on September 21, 2012 and debuted at number one in the U.S. and in their native country, England. The album also has the biggest opening album sales, besting Justin Bieber’s Believe by almost 300,000 units.

The album starts with the title track, “Babel,” an ear-catching upbeat song with the essential banjo. The lyrics are touching and real, not cheesy like most of today’s music.

Next up is “I Will Wait,” which is the lead single from this album. The song is a very mediocre attempt to attract the mainstream audience. The style is average and predictable. “I Will Wait” was not an impressive lead single.

After the first couple upbeat tracks it’s refreshing to hear “Ghosts That We Knew,” a slow ballad. The song lyrics describe a couple going through hard times, a prayer out to God for help. This track is a touching and emotional song which was one of the highlights of the album, a song not to be missed.

“Reminder” is a short, fun song. It was noteworthy how Mumford &

Sons could portray a whole story of searching for love in such a small amount of time.

The flaw of the album would be that the style was very similar if not identical to their previous work, which is a contradiction to what Mumford & Sons said about their “new” sound. The style might have been a little more modern, but it didn’t take their music to a new direction. It was an insignificant step in their career, musically.

Mumford & Sons’ Babel was, overall, an impressive sophomore album. The lyrics were well written and seemed to tell stories. There was the occasional filler song, but the lyrics for each individual song were very deep and thought provoking. The group suffered a very insignificant sophomore slump in terms of quality, but it would be very hard to follow in the footsteps of their debut album.

Almost two years after Muse won their first Grammy for their album The Resistance, they have returned with their sixth studio album.

What makes Muse stand out is their successful combination of several music genres including space rock, progressive metal, electronic, and even classical. And their lyrics take on large issues such as catastrophic war, apocalypse, and new world order.

Muse’s new release, The Second Law, ultimately delivers on what makes a Muse album a Muse album: combinations of several genres, epic rock anthems, stunning vocal performances from lead singer Matt Bellamy, and dramatic, thought-provoking lyrics.

The album opens with “Supremacy,” a classic Muse song that combines space rock with orchestral elements like strings and timpani drums. This combined with dark lyrics and Bellamy’s striking performance provides a dramatic opening to the album. A similar musical style also shows up in the track “Survival.”

“Madness,” the second single, lays down a mellow electronic beat and bass, covered by Bellamy’s apologetic lyrics and elaborate harmonies. The band infuses rock elements later in the song, including a soulful guitar solo.

It’s perhaps the only slower song on the album

that

isn’t boring.Bellamy ventures

into glam rock with “Panic Station,” which recalls David Bowie. It puts its own modern, electronic twist on the genre. The liveliness of this song makes it one of the most memorable on the album.

In a collaboration with dubstep heavyweight Nero, “Follow Me” maximizes the band’s flirtation with dance. Bellamy’s powerful voice combined with Nero’s explosive bass-drops make up for the lack of lyrical depth.

At this point in the album, the quality starts to drop significantly. The tracks “Animals,” “Explorers,” and “Big Freeze” all have occasional bright spots that hint to a coming climax, but that climax never arrives.

Muse attempts two ballads on this album. Not only do these ballads fail to progress, they’re lifeless to begin with. The band has had brilliant slower-tempo songs in the past, but these are just lullabies.

The Second Law ends with a two-part mini-opera. The first part contains dubstep elements and the second ends the album on a rather boring note.

Overall, The Second Law doesn’t disappoint. With a few exceptions, it meets the standards Muse has set for its sixth studio album and takes its musical style a step further into new territory.

7/10

by MATTHEW MONTGOMERYstaff reporter

Tim Burton, the world’s leading connoisseur in the art of all things creepy and gothic, makes the ultimate horror sendup with his new film, Frankenweenie. The title alone elicits ideas of 1930s horror and pure popcorn puffery. The film is a claymation remake of his first triumph as an artist, and his first failure as a director. He produced the live action Frankenweenie in 1984 for Disney, which declared it too creepy for young audiences; ironically, Disney decided to release this creepier

version 28 years later.

The film tells the tale of young scientist Victor Frankenstein and his dog, Sparky. When Sparky dies in a car accident, Victor uses his brain to outsmart death itself, only to lead to some monstrous outcomes--both human and bestial.

Like any Burton film, Frankenweenie rides along on visuals--the film’s wildly stylized characters are beautifully imagined, particularly the “Weird Girl.” The town the characters inhabit, called “New Holland,” is lifted from the

town in Burton’s best film, Edward Scissorhands. Unfortunately, the highly suburbanized town used in Edward is a great satire; here, it is little more than a memorial to a classic.

The film itself is pure homage to other works--most of the gags are lifted from such films as Nosferatu and Freaks. While these homages are great to keep the long exposition from being droll, by the end we are left with nothing but empty stares at yet another Dracula gag.

As Burton has always been focused on the visuals, the story comes second to his crazy sensibilities. While films such as Dark Shadows or Alice In

Wonderland can get by on such ideals, Frankenweenie cannot. The work has such a limited scope that we need to be kept alive through both dialogue and visual. Lines such as “I can fix this” are so bland in both writing and delivery that there is no flair to it all. Along with this, the first 30 minutes of the film are pure exposition, preceding a 40 minute drag of nothing but gags. Then, at the last minute, Burton jars us with a climax that is ridden with plot holes that could leave Victor himself stumped.

The film does reinvigorate a new sense of warmth into

Burton’s palette; not since Sweeney Todd have I felt so connected to the characters. Underneath the illogical exterior, there is the time-worn but still sweet idea of a boy and his pet that anyone can relate to. The film bleeds love from every single frame, but it is a shame that there is no hard work behind the love to make us revel in it.

by JAMES BIRRstaff reporter

6/10

Tim Burton fails to raise the dead

Soph

omore

slide

8.5/10

by JONATHAN KIMstaff reporter

Amendment

fair use f

rom m

umfordandsons.com

fair use from npr.org

fair use from media.theiapolis.com

9

10sports October 26, 2012

New coach takes the reinsAt the end of the 2011-

2012 season, Coach Joe Voller left his job as the Mounds View Boys Soccer Head Coach, leav-ing a gaping hole in the center of the program. In desperation, the school asked the long time Freshman Coach Chris Scanlon to take over as head coach. Scanlon had been offered the head coach position many times before but had always turned it down.

This season, however, is a different story. Scanlon decided this was the year for him to step up and take charge. Al-though this solved the varsity coach dilemma, there was a new opening in the freshman coach position.

Ben Northrop, a 2011 graduate of Mounds View was offered the spot. Then an excess of players showed up to tryouts, and Scanlon decided to make a brand new team.

Northrop stepped up to coach the JV-B team, leaving the freshman team to Dane Ostermeyer.

Coach Scanlon’s plan to make a whole new team was risky and was very hard to do

on such short notice, but he called in numerous favors and made it happen. The response to his actions had an over-whelmingly positive response by players and parents alike.

According to many soccer players, this new no-cut policy has been a needed addition to a

program that has recently been declining in enrollment.

“It really helped people that were worried about getting cut make the decision to just play the sport for fun,” said Sam Maccani, 12.

Due to this change of pace, boys soccer has seen more

players this year than in the past five. After having great seasons for all the boys soccer teams the program is sure to experience even greater num-bers in the future.

“I think its a nice touch, it gave everyone the chance to play,” said Jake Dingman 10.

Scanlon has always been revered as one of the best coaches in the program by numerous amounts of parents and players.

“Scanlon has always made my soccer experience here at Mounds View fun and worthwhile, he combines good coaching with fun games and makes us want to show up to practice,” said Dingman, 10.

Many players refer to their freshman year with Coach Scanlon with high regard.

“Freshman season with Scanlon will forever be my favorite season,“ said Aaron Zerfas, 10.

Now with Scanlon lead-ing, the varsity team has an outstanding record of 12-1-1 in the regular season and first in their sections for the first time in many years. Scanlon’s leadership has benefited not only the varsity team, but the

whole program as well.So far reaction to all of the

new coaches has been pre-dominantly positive, “Scanlon has always made soccer fun, at the freshman level and now at the varsity level. I’m sure the program will improve under his lead and we will only get bet-ter,” said Adam Kessler, 12.

Concussions have really hit home lately, especially in football. The main cause of football concussions is helmet-to-helmet contact. A concussion occurs when a person gets hit in the head and suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which permanently affects brain function.

Concussions used to be diagnosed by opinion—a doctor looked at the person and judged based on symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light, or difficulty thinking clearly.

But doctors have now developed objective methods, such as the baseline test, to help diagnose TBIs.

At Mounds View, football players now take a baseline concussion test prior to any contact in practice. The test looks at basic memory skills, as well as reflexes. Players observe a series of random words, memorize patterns of lines, then press keys on a keyboard that correspond to different

shapes and colors. Afterwards, they redo the first section from memory.

A player who is suspected of having suffered a TBI is given the test again. If scores drastically differ from those pre-injury, then the patient is diagnosed with a concussion.

Dr. Frank Rimmel, a Mounds View parent and physician, has paid for the testing of football, hockey and lacrosse players.

“He helped create parts of the test and he sponsors it to help with concussion awareness and recoveries,” said Connor Rimmel, 11.

The test was first available last year, and it already has helped several students.

“I had a concussion, but since I took the [baseline] test, I got cleared when I was ready,” said Walker Emmert, 10, a football player, who took a shot to the head during a passing drill.

Some said the test was weird to take.

“Ridiculous. All those questions, making you remember, it felt like a waste of time because I didn’t think

I was going to use this at all,” said Alex Sederberg, 10, a former football player.

Later, when it was revealed that Sederberg had suffered a concussion in the fall of 2011 when he got tackled by other players, he said the test proved to not “be as ridiculous as I thought. It actually really helped.”

Not only did the test help football players, it has helped people in other sports, too.

Karl Keeler, 10, a wrestler, got a concussion during practice last year.

“If I wanted to continue to wrestle that season, it was required that I take the test. I was having a lot of trouble with the memorization and balance, but when I took the test it was cool to see that I was progressing and watching myself get better,” said Keeler.

Due to cost, the test is not always practical in other sports, such as swimming and golf, where concussion cases are limited.

Baseline Testing

“If i wanted to continue to wrestle that season, it was required that I take the test. I was having a lot of trouble with the memo-rization and balance.”

-Karl Keeler

“All those questions, making you remember, it felt like a waste of time because I didn’t think I was going to use it at all.”

-Alex Sederberg

Varsity head coach Chris Scanlon watches the boys’ game against Champlin Park in the section final game.

Sports at Mounds View are beginning to use baseline testing to help with concussion recovery

“I had a concussion but since I took the (baseline) test, I got cleared right away.”

-Walker Emmert

by NOLAN CARLSON-STEVEMERstaff reporter

photo by Adam Toninato

by ALEC EDGETT staff reporter

photos by Ben Kaiser and Anders Nygaard

11sportsOctober 26, 2012

It was a Little Dribblers game. First and second graders were running the basketball up and down the court. But then chaos broke out in the audience.

“A mom just started yelling and cussing everywhere,” said Keith Kubitschek, 12. “She thought the referees were cheating and making all the wrong calls.”

Soon, all the site managers had to be called in to try and handle the situation. But even that did not work.

“We eventually

had to call the cops,” said

Kubitschek. Ultimately, the

police escorted the woman out of the building, and she was not allowed to watch games for the rest of season.

Even though these situations are rare, referees have to be ready to react appropriately. “It’s not necessarily an easy job,” said Chance Carnahan, 11. “Things can get really intense but you just have to stay confident and work through those moments.”

Many Mounds View students referee at sports games to earn money and keep their sports fair. Referees try to be unbiased judges who make sure

all participants follow the rules. Nevertheless, they often run into problems.

“I hate dealing with rowdy parents or coaches,” said Jesse Bonde, 12. “[It] can be nerve racking--but also lots of fun to order adults around.”

To make sure that student referees are fair, they have to go through a training session to make sure that they are up to date on the rules and able to make the right call.

“An adult referee comes in to teach and reteach everything from

the basics to the specifics, then we test everything out in live games,” said Carnahan.

Rules aren’t easy to enforce. Having to be fair can be heartbreaking. “I hate having to call ‘double dribbling’ or ‘traveling’ over and over again on little girls who just can’t seem to figure it out,” said Carnahan.

At the end of the day, these student referees are essential to ensuring that all the young athletes have a safe and fair game day.

“I would recommend this job to anybody,” said Kubitschek. “You gain so much independence and learn what it’s like to be in charge of a game.”

In the Shoreview/Arden Hills area,

there is a great demand for referees for the many youth sports that are offered, and a majority of those referees are Mounds View students.

Some students referee for economic reasons.

“I decided to start refereeing because my friends were doing it and I needed the money,” said Bonde.

Other students referee because they are familiar with the sport.

“I had just quit basketball the year before, and reffing seemed like it would be easy to pick up,” Carnahan said.

Blowing the WhistleStudents find employment as referees

Mounds View BasketballAssociationInformation at moundsviewbasketball.comContact Pam Kubitschek at info@moundsviewbasketball.comNorth Suburban Soccer AssociationInformation at merryhilger.comContact Merry at mnrefassignor@comcast.net Shoreview BaseballInformation at sayb.hardballsystems.comContact Jim Warnest at (651) 484-0453

Refereeing opportunities

Athlete of the IssueQ: What is it like to be on Varsity Swimming as a freshman?A: It’s really exciting. It feels like a big ac-complishment.

Q: How did you get started swimming?A: I was seven. I would watch my brother swim at practice, and I wanted to be a swimmer.

Q: What is a typical practice like?A: [We] usually have a two hour-40 minute practice, and we just swim.

Q: What are your personal goals?A: I want to break a minute and be a state finalist [for the 100 backstroke]. And I want my relay to go all-state.

Q: Who do you look up to on the team?A: Emmy Jin, because she works hard, and she’s really nice to everyone.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish in swimming during your four years at Mounds View?A: I want to have set a school record in at least one thing. And I want to have moved on to a Division 1 swimming college.

Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?A: I would want to be able to hold my breath forever, because, well, I’m a swim-mer.McLaren Curphy

Freshman Varsity Swimming

by DAVID LIUsports editor

photo by Anders Nygaard

October 26, 201212gallery

Looking to reveal your inner little girl? What better place for that than a haunted house? With creepy creatures and ghastly ghouls at every corner, who wouldn’t be screaming for their lives?

Everyone can go to haunted houses, but not everyone is brave enough to keep from freaking out. Anything can pop out at anytime; the thrill seekers love it.

Reactions of your friends are the funniest to watch. “I have a phobia of clowns and my friends tricked me to go into the clown themed maze, and I started hyperventilating and sprinted out and knocked three people down and at the end a clown dropped down from the roof with a chainsaw and I started crying and peed my pants,” said Tyler Fredlund, 9. That might be an extreme reaction, but be ready to see those at places like ValleyScare. Many haunted houses have a no one 13 and under rule for this obvious reason.

Not only do these houses give people a scare of your lifetime exploring the house, but they also get people screaming for their lives waiting in line. “I went to ValleyScare two years ago and I was standing in line waiting to go into one of the haunted houses, since I was bored waiting I started to text people and a guy working there who was covered in creepy make-up came up next to me and growled in my ear, when I looked over he yelled and it scared the crap out of me,” said Troy Ito, 10. If you decide to check out the local haunted houses listed below, make sure you stay on your toes.

by MITCHELL LEMAYstaff reporter

right Farm is close and convenient, located in Maplewood, right off White Bear Avenue between Highway 36 and I-94. Some say this farm may actually be haunted; during the Great Depression

it was known as the “Poor Farm.” According to legend, the elderly were sent there for harsh manual labor. The conditions were so bad many died of heatstroke or ended their own lives to escape the harshness of it all. Their ghosts are said to still wander the grounds. Whether or not this legend is real, the people and creatures at Fright Farm are bound to make you shriek.

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alleyScare is the iconic Halloween attraction at ValleyFair in Shakopee. ValleyScare has seven different haunted houses, and the “Graveyard,” a strip of the regular ValleyFair walkways filled with fog and frights. Not only

does ValleyScare have ghosts and creatures inside their attractions, but they fill the Graveyard as well.The Graveyard makes getting to the other side of the park quite frightful. The men with chainsaws, clowns, and zombies wait around every corner to pop out and scare just about anyone. ValleyScare is a thrilling amusement park filled with terrifying adventures.

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information compiled by Maddie Rosenow

N ightmare Hallow Scream Park is a haunted hayride and a haunted house in Forest Lake, off Interstate 35 on Zurich Street. Its Doom Wagon will take you through

haunted trails and forests, scary swamps, and thrilling fields. The haunted house with its dark hallways, and frights lingering around every corner, will no doubt give you the thrills.What bet-ter way to release your girly scream than at a Scream Park.

images fair use from www.valleyfair.com

photos by Anders Nygaard

photos by Anders Nygaard