Students who were concerned about the math resource room not being sustained

for next year do not need to worry anymore.

The $1.3 million Small Learning Communities (SLC) grant ends next year. The administration has been working to fi nalize how Park will adjust to lack of funding.

This grant covers math resource room instructional assistant Will Tanberg and counselor Jeremy Rie-hle. Tanberg will stay at the math resource room according to Princi-pal Rob Metz.

“We will have the math resource room next year in some capacity,” Metz said. “Tanberg might be there

for a little less time, but in some form we can keep it going.”

Metz said he has worked out a plan to fund the math resource room by borrowing money from each educational department.

“We will take a little supply money from each department,” Metz said. “But a little more from the math and science departments because most students visit the math resource room for help."

Tanberg said he understands that possibly reducing the hours he will be at the math resource room may limit some students' ability to work with him.

“Even now there are some stu-dents limited by the time frame,” Tanberg said. “Reducing the time might limit opportunities of some students to come, but it is better than not having it.”

Junior Allen Quan said it is very

important to the student body that Tanberg will be back next year.

“I think it will be a benefi cial op-portunity because I see a lot of stu-dents who struggle with math and improve from working with Tan-berg,” Quan said.

While Metz has a solution to keeping Tanberg at Park, the deci-sion for mental health counselor Riehle's future at Park is still being discussed.

“We are still looking at options and have not given up,” Metz said.

www.slpecho.com St. Louis Park High School | 6425 W. 33rd Street, St. Louis Park, MN 55426 | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 | Volume 84 | Issue 10

the echo

Contact | us

News | briefs

Dream Act provides opportunities

Park named fi nalist for LRT

As the construc-tion process for

the Southwest Light Rail Transit (SWLRT) continues, the project committee named a site in St. Louis Park a fi nalist for an opera-tion and maintenance station. The station, located at Excelsior Boulevard and Cedar Lake Trail on the border of St. Louis Park and Hopkins, is one of seven possible sites for the station. The fi nalist will be announced in June or July.

Contact | us

follow us @slpecho

Scan here to visit our website

On May 1, the Minnesota

state Senate passed a bill allowing undocumented Minnesota high school students access to fi nancial aid when applying for college. Those who use the bill for post-secondary education are now eligible to receive money from the State Grant and private scholarships.

In the recent Washington Post

rankings, Park was ranked as the third best school in Min-nesota and the 185th best school nation-wide, out of a pool of 22,000 schools across the country. The Post ranks the top 9 percent of schools in the coun-try based on the num-ber of students taking AP and IB courses. Park did not qualify for US News rankings this year. Newsweek ranked Park as the 31st best school in the state and the 1,389th best school in the country.

Park nationally recognized

boys' track looks to State | 09

drummers to be in diversity show | 04

Metz named superintendent

After nearly 32 years in edu-cation with jobs ranging from teacher to principal, Rob Metz is ready to as-

sume the duties of superintendent.Metz was chosen unanimously by

the School Board May 9. The Board consulted with School Exec Connect, a Chicago fi rm focused on fi nding school administrators.

Freshman Melanie Stiner, who at-tended meetings May 8 and 9 regard-ing the selection of the new superin-tendent, said she thinks Metz should integrate the school district and com-munity.

“The superintendent should bring the community together," Stiner said. "I would like to see more opportuni-ties to know people (in the district)"

Metz said the community-driven aspect of the schools makes it unique compared to other districts.

“(Park) has a long history and that is an advantage for us because so many people from around the community care about the schools,” Metz said. "Only 15 percent of Park residents have kids enrolled in the district, yet the other 85 percent of-ten show strong support."

Sophomore Anline Lezama said Metz’s history in the district will make him a strong superintendent.

“(Metz) is a good choice because he knows what he is doing,” Lezama said. “He has been principal for a while and has experience around the district.”

Metz said he and the board have started outlining a process for select-ing a new principal.

“We will have no trouble fi nding a new principal,” Metz said. “People know this is a good district and have already started applying.”

Metz said a weakness in the dis-trict is the achievement gap between white and minority students.

“We are looking to truly close the achievement gap by aligning all schools and policies toward a com-mon goal,” Metz said.

In addition, Metz said he plans to play an active role.

“What I am going to miss are the students, although I promise to be visible around the schools," Metz said. "I cannot imagine being in school and not seeing students and teachers, because that is what I like about the job."

Learning lab to stay

Unanimous vote concludes three-month search

Math assistant will return to current position

Artis Curiskis | sports editor

Math man: Math resource room instructional assistant Will Tanberg helps sophomore Aedan Foster and freshman Toviya Slager with math problems.

photo | Jonah Resnick

Celebrating superintendent: After the School Board unanimously hired Principal Rob Metz as superintendent May 9, teachers and staff celebrat-ed the selection Friday morning in the Staff Lounge. Some teachers wore ties in support of the School Board's decision to hire Metz.

photo | Conner Wickland

1

45

3

2

Attract new students to enlarge budget

Keep Park unique while maintaining academic successFurther develop community partnerships

Close achievement gap in district

Unify district schools as one seamless K-12 group

Incoming superintendent outlines top fi ve priorities

source | Rob Metz

Isaac Greenwood | entertainment editor

read more |slpecho.com

Smartphones and other devices are now be-ing introduced into classrooms to create a dynamic learning environment.

The Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) pro-gram began April 12, under which students are able to register one personal electronic device to the school’s WiFi system.

Secondary technology trainer Angela Fransen said she is excited about the new program because of all the opportunities it could provide for in-creasing technology.

“I see it as a platform for future technology programs at St. Louis Park,” Fransen said. “It’s a small step toward incorporating more devices into the classroom.”

Fransen said in the future, the school may even move to a “One on One” program that has every student on their own device.

This would help incorporate more online learning in and out of the classroom, along with making sure every student has access to their own device to use.

Fransen said she thinks once teachers are more confi dent with BYOT it will be a helpful tool.

Math teacher Chad Austad said he plans on using the program in the future and is excited to learn more about it.

“I would use it to show my students what they can do at home, and not so much in the class-room,” Austad said.

Students also are adopting the new program with mixed emotions. Freshman Jordan Hutchins said he is excited for the new program to start.

“I’m also excited because there is so much on the Internet that can help you,” he said.

H u t c h i n s , said he will spend most of high school us-ing and ben-efi ting from this program.

Junior Ethan Maisel said he thinks the pro-gram is a good idea, but he is skeptical about how it will play out in the class-

room.“At this point I’m going to stick to my pen and

paper,” Maisel said. “So far none of my teachers have used it.”

However, not all students agree with Maisel. Junior Jackie Tshiteya said she is more optimistic about the program, because it would be helpful as long as it was monitored correctly.

“I think they just need more restrictions,” Tshiteya said.

The restrictions of the BYOT program include the right the school holds to access private infor-mation on any personal device a student is using under the Slp. Reg WiFi.

Because of this, sophomore Emmi Zheng thinks the program won’t succeed.

“In the long run, the program will just be a waste of the school’s resources,” she said.

Fransen said she wants to remind students the technology department does not have the time to check every students’ personal information on their devices.

“Although the school does reserve the right to access students information under the BYOT pro-gram,” Fransen said. “There’s no need to unless there’s a safety issue.”

Starting Aug. 1, 2013, Minnesota will join the ranks of the 11 states to allow two adults of the same

gender to marry.The House voted 75-59 May 9 to pass

the Marriage Equality bill and the Senate passed it 37-30.

As of press time Monday, it was ex-pected that Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill into law Tuesday.

Eric Jensen, the communications di-rector at Project 515, an organization that works to promote the legalization of same-sex marriage, said he believes the bill was passed due in part to a change in pub-lic perception of same-sex marriage.

“Recently, there’s been a shift in peo-ple’s overall attitudes toward LGBT peo-ple,” Jensen said. “At some point people realize that marriage for same-sex couples is the same thing for straight couples.”

Sophomore Jason Keller said although his faith is against it, he doesn’t care either way about same-sex marriage.

The bill, passed May 13, will affect the approximately 10,000 same-sex families living in Minnesota, according to U.S. Census Bureau.

Junior Sophie Macklem-Johnson said she belongs to one of the families affected by the bill.

“My parents are gay, and they’ve wanted to get married for a long time, but it wouldn’t have been recognized by the state,” Macklem-Johnson said. “That seems unfair to me, because being married should be a right.”

Sophomore Duncan McIntyre said he thinks the state should not defi ne mar-riage.

“It shouldn’t be called marriage,” Mc-Intyre said. “That term is defi ned by the church. It should be called a civil union.”

Jensen said he agrees, since there are 515 statutes in Minnesota applying specifi -

cally to married couples. Without the right to marry, these statutes exclude same-sex couples in committed relationships.

“There are a whole bunch of things in the law that work to protect families when they are married,” Jensen said. “Big things, like the ability to visit your part-ner in the hospital, but also small things like being allowed to have a joint fi shing license.”

“We went from voting down the amendment to the marriage bill in just six months,” Jensen said. “But there’s still a lot that needs to be done.”

This law follows similar measures in Maine and Washington; all of which legal-ized it in the 2012 elections.

Taking the pill is better than having a baby. If the pill is consumed the day after, it technically isn’t a human.newsthe echo | Wednesday, May 15 , 201302 Rachel Welke | junior

Students, staff react to new technology policyMixed responses to personal electronic usage

Same-sex marriage comes to MinnesotaLegislature passes controversial marriage equality bill

Emily Melbye | staff writer

Emma Weisner and David Hope | copy editor and staff writer

Marriage vote | results

infographic | David Hope

‘‘ ”

By summer, people could be see-ing the contraceptive Plan B One-Step sold on store shelves next to other easily accessible

health products.The Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) lowered the age restrictions for Plan B One-Step contraceptive April 30, approving it for sale to teens as young as 15 and allowing it to be sold without a prescription.

This marks the fi rst time an emergency contraceptive will be sold in store aisles to young teens.

U.S. District Judge Edward R. Korman ordered the FDA to make the pill available to all women and girls prior to their deci-sion to decrease the regulations.

A compromise was reached by lower-ing the age restrictions to 15.

The contraceptive, better known as the “morning after pill,” is designed to pre-

vent pregnancy after unprotected sex or birth control failure.

Depending on where the consumer is in their cycle, it may prevent ovulation, in-terfere with fertilization of an egg or pre-vent implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterus according to the manufacturer.

Previously, Plan B was only available to those 17 and older with a prescription. This restriction was very contentious, be-cause many believed a prescription was too diffi cult to acquire in such a short pe-riod of time.

Nina Jonson, the education manager at myHealth, formerly known as West Sub-urban Teen Clinic, said she believes the change in regulation has been much an-ticipated.

“There has been a push for it for a long time, because Plan B is a contraceptive that many citizens and lawmakers felt should be more widely available,” she said.

Opponents of the FDA’s changes be-lieve that at 15 teens are not mature enough to understand how the pill works, and that it may be misused.

Because of these concerns, Jonson said it is important that pharmacists and doc-tors provide education about Plan B One-Step.

“It’s not enough to just give some-one the morning after pill,” Jonson said. “They need to understand what it is, what it does, and how it works.”

Sophomore Haydarus Ibrahim said he believes the restrictions should be kept at 17.

“At 15 teenagers are too young to make such big decisions without talking to their parents,” Ibrahim said.

Health teacher Allison Luskey said she believes the FDA’s action gives teens a nec-essary resource.

“It gives greater options for young women to avoid unplanned pregnancy,” Luskey said.

“Mistakes can be made, and it’s impor-tant to have a backup plan,” she said.

Freshman Clara Slade said she thinks the revision will bring positive results for teens.

“Some girls might be too scared to go to their parents or a doctor for the morn-ing after pill,” Slade said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to lower teen pregnancy rates.”

Plan B One-Step will be available on store shelves within a few months, being sold to those 15 and above with proper identifi cation.

FDA lowers restrictions on Plan B One-StepContraceptive to become more widely availableMaddy Bremner | staff writer

‘‘ ‘‘

I would use it to show my students what they can do at home, and not so much in the class-room.

Chad Austad | math teacher

Over the counter: Teens who are 15 years or older can now legally buy Plan B medication to avoid unplanned pregnancy.

photo | Madisen Lynch

House Vote:

75-59 Senate Vote:

37-30

The results of the marriage vote in the Minnesota state House and Senate

source | revisor.mn.gov

student l i fe the echo | Wednesday May 15, 2013‘‘ They new bathrooms will be a lot nicer to use compared to the (por-table restrooms). ”Michael Perez | sophomore 03

Grant to shine new lighton Louisiana Oaks

photo illustration | Conner Wickland & Claire Steffenhagen

‘‘ They new bathrooms will be a lot nicer to use compared to the (por-table restrooms).Michael Perez

Soccer and baseball teams may be able to practice late into the evening by next fall, be-cause of plans to install light-ing for three of four soccer fi elds at Louisiana Oaks.

In addition to lighting soccer fi elds, the project will add a sun shelter, a permanent bathroom, a fence for soccer fi elds and an outfi eld fence for the baseball fi eld.

The project is funded by a Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant, the Youth Soc-

cer Association and St. Louis Park.

Parks and Recre-ation superintendent Rick Birno said the addition of lighting to soccer fi elds will allow more teams and groups to use the park.

“This will allow sports teams more op-portunities to play, since in the fall it gets dark pretty early,” Bir-no said. “By October, if the fi elds don’t have lights, you can’t play there after 5:30 p.m. Now that these fi elds have lights, teams will

be able to play there until 10 p.m.”Junior and soccer player Kelsey Tatarek

said she agrees lighted fi elds will be conve-nient when scheduling soccer games in the fall.

“I think coaches and players will be able to schedule practices and games more easily because there are more time slots available,” Tatarek said.

In addition to the benefi ts lights will pro-vide, sophomore and baseball player Adam Belzer said he believes the baseball fi eld fence, which will be put up and down seasonally, will allow the baseball team to use the fi eld more frequently.

“Having a fence in the outfi eld would al-low the team to play games there,” Belzer said. “Right now, we just use Louisiana Oaks for practice.”

According to Birno, the motivation for installing the proposed fence for soccer fi elds is to avoid losing soccer balls in the forested area nearby.

“There’s a lot of overgrowth by the soccer fi elds, and soccer balls often get lost there, so the fence will stop that issue,” he said.

The grant will also provide a severe weath-er alert system, which will measure electricity in the atmosphere to detect incoming storms and alert people at the park to evacuate, ac-cording to Birno.

Birno said the weather alert system will prevent disputes among athletic teams over whether to cancel games because of the weather.

“In the past, it was up to coaches and ref-erees to decide whether to cancel a game due to the weather. It was a very gray decision making process,” Birno said.

“Now it is a more concrete decision, since it’s up to the system,” Birno said.

Belzer said he is concerned the updates will cause fi elds to become overused.

“The baseball fi elds probably wouldn’t be too bad, but the grass might get chewed up pretty badly now that more people are using the park,” Belzer said.

According to Birno, the construction will work around the existing fi elds to allow teams to continue to use the fi elds during the build-ing process.

“The construction should have no impact on use of the fi elds. The wiring will be under-ground, and light poles will be worked around the fi elds to avoid tearing up the grass.”

Construction for the project is scheduled to begin in June and will be fi nished before the fall athletic season.

Hennepin County grant to provide park with improvementsNoah Betz-Richman | news editor

N

Louisiana Avenue

KEYfi elds

fenceslights

shelter streets

restroomlights

infographic | Cole Bacig and Carter Green

‘‘ ‘‘

The baseball fi elds probably wouldn’t be too bad, but the grass might get chewed up pretty badly now that more people are using the park.Adam Belzer | sophomore

These photo illustrations and graphics depict current pictures of Louisiana Oaks Park with proposed improvements added

1

23

photo illustrations | Conner Wickland & Claire Steffenhagen

The numbers 1, 2 and 3 in the map are matched with their corresponding locations represented by the photographs

1

2 3

Nasro Omar | staff writer

For what | it’s worth

What is henna?Henna is a tattoo that can be done

just for fun or for special occasions like a holiday. It’s done in a different style than other tattoos. It only lasts for a week or a month, so it’s not permanent.

How much experience have you had with henna?

I’ve done maybe 10 different tattoos. I did it for my mom, some strangers, my aunt, cousins and other people.

When did you get started?I started doing henna when I was

13- years old. I started working on it by doing drawings on paper and creating de-signs for henna.

Do you know other people who make henna?

My aunt does henna. She’s opening a store this summer in her house. I plan on getting a summer job there.

Do you ever create your own henna designs?

Sometimes I create my own designs. Some people do the same thing every time but I like to change it up. When I was little I used to like drawing different

shapes, so now I take the shapes from when I was little, put them in my designs and use them for henna. It makes the de-signs more creative.

What do you enjoy about making henna?

It’s fun and I enjoy doing it. You can show other people your designs and feel good about it. It’s also fun to learn new designs.

What are your future plans for henna? I know I’m not going to do it forever, so I’m just having fun with it. I just do it for fun for people.

Noah Robiner | staff writer

In the spotlight

Fancy footwork: Shire carefully concentrates as she completes a henna design on her friend’s foot. Shire enjoys working on tattoos as a hobby.

Who: Hibaaq Shire, freshman

Activity: Freshman Hibaaq Shire has taken her love of art and applied it to henna tattooing. It also allows her to connect to her faith.

‘‘I’m kind of sad, because I was happy about the dance being on a boat. I’m still excited to dress up though.featuresthe echo | Wednesday, May 15, 201304 ”Reisha Collier | senior

When I was 10, I moved to the Unit-ed States and joined a brand new

class of students. For the fi rst time in my life I felt like an outsider.

Glancing around my fi fth grade class-room I felt an exclusion beyond just be-ing new. I realized I was the only person of color, and I was alone in my diversity.

Seven years later, I no longer feel like I am alone, because I attend a more di-verse school. This year I can take pride in being a part of the multicultural show that celebrates cultural diversity.

The show symbolizes different cul-tures coming together and educating the school about its cultural differences. It’s about being proud of who you are and where you come from.

The multicultural show is an ac-knowledgement of the various back-grounds at school. The show represents a enjoyable and educational way for people to learn more about our peers be-cause we often do not often know much about our peers. While we might know their countries of origin, we don’t neces-sarily know their heritage.

Although the school is diverse, that diversity isn’t always ac-k n o w l e d g e d by all stu-dents. One of the show’s main goals is to change this.

By either part ic ipat ing in the show or by attending it, students should gain under-standing and apprec ia t ion for the cultural differences of the variety of

students in our school.The show is not just about race or

ethnicity; it represents the range of cul-tures at our school that are not always acknowledged. It tell the story of many and their origins in a way that encom-passes us all.

While the Latino show displayed the Latinos in our school and the Black His-tory Show acknowledged the struggle and perseverance of African Americans, the multicultural show represents those of us who are often lost in the middle. It focuses on those of us who, as a minor-ity within the school, are often hidden in the shadows of the majorities.

I am proud to be part of a show that encompasses and showcases the minori-ties in the school. By bringing minority students together the show can unify us in one community. Sharing information with each other about our cultural back-grounds can establish a sense of comfort that allows students to reach out to each other despite their differences.

Members of the student body should take advantage of the opportunity that the show offers to embrace the diver-sity of our school and apply the lessons learned in this experience to broaden their perspectives.

What’s the | point?• Take pride in

who you are and where you come from

• Acknowledge the school’s diversity

• Learn about your peers’ cultures to expand your worldview

Taking pride in my cultural heritage

Flappers, jazz music and the roaring ’20s will be coming to Park May 18.

Student Council announced Prom will be 1920s themed, inspired by “The Great Gatsby.” Sophomore Student Council treasurer Ariella Schwartz said the decision came down to the decorations.

“We were deciding between this and another theme,” said Schwartz. “We decided that decorations for the other theme would look cheap and that ’20s decorations would look classy.”

Student Council adviser Sarah Lindenberg said she believes the theme will likely get positive reactions from students.

“The theme is pertinent to juniors, and we kept it partly in mind from the movie coming out,” Lindenberg said.

In past years, Prom has alternated venues between underground caves and a boat. This year however, Prom will be in the Medina Ballroom.

Lindenberg said the change came from higher attendance in recent years.

“We have such high numbers that there are limited venues,” she said. “We chose a smaller venue with some added perks.”

According to Lindenberg, students have not been able to enjoy Prom on the boat

because of weather constrictions.“In past years, it has been cold on the

boat, so most haven’t experienced the outdoor element of Prom,” Lindenberg said. “The Medina Ballroom has a big dance fl oor for students to get together and have a good time.”

However, some students are not happy with the venue change. Junior Evan McManus said he is disappointed, but will not let the location ruin his night.

“I heard that the boat and caves are a lot better, but I’m still going to have tons of fun,” he said.

According to Lindenberg, prices will be lower than in previous years. Tickets will be sold at lunch this week for $20.

‘Great Gatsby’ arrives in style at PromNew theme, location to bring excitement

Zoe Kedrowski | staff writer

Sharing the ex-perience: Senior Sarah Silbert do-nates a used prom dress in room B226 May 9 for another student to wear.

Photo I Natalie Sanford

photos | Khadija Charif

Eleven History Day projects from Park competed at the state level May 4 at

the University of Minnesota.Sophomore Elliot Schwartz advanced

to the state competition. While he did not advance to the national level, he said he and his partner got a lot out of the process.

“I’m disappointed that I didn’t move on,” Schwartz said. “Overall though, His-tory Day was a good experience.”

History teacher Carley Kregness heads the History Day activities at Park, and said this year had the highest participation in History Day for the school.

“Participation is the best part as a teacher,” Kregness said. “I’m proud of our school.”

Four Park projects earned Honorable Mentions, as well as a fourth place fi nish.

Boys’ lacrosse undefeated at Montana tournament

The boys’ lacrosse team traveled to Bill-ings, Mont., to participate in a club

tournament April 10-14. The only team from Minnesota, Park

went undefeated 5-0, including a win over Montana’s reigning State champion, the Hellgate Knights.

Sophomore attacker Matt Harkema said he enjoyed the trip because of the team’s success.

“I felt accomplished beating the Mon-tana state champions,” Harkema said.

Head coach Kevin Reed said he was impressed with his team’s performance.

“It was a big weekend, and a pretty awesome experience,” Reed said.

The two time state champions returned from Montana, and participated in anoth-er tournament in Grand Rapids, Minn., where they placed third overall.

Activities & Awards

Peter Johnson | staff writer

History day contestants advance to state

features‘‘It’s a good idea to educate yourself on different cultures to avoid stereotypes.

the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 05”Albert Ware | freshman

Cupid NailsProfessional Nail Care

Luxury Spa

Student Discounts: 18 and under

Mani pedi - $30

5607 Wayzata Blvd.St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Mon-Fri: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Full - $22

Sat: 10-6 p.m./ Sun 10-5 p.m.

Phone: (952) 546-5792

From African beadwork, to tea ceremonies in Japan, to Cinco de Mayo in Mexico, our world is full of distinct cultural traditions.

Students can embrace their own cultural traditions and heritages, as well as learning about others, in the upcoming program “A Mosaic of Rich Culture.” The program will give students the opportunity to share their cultures and customs with others who may not be aware of them.

Media Center staff member Danya Castro, producer of the performance, said she was inspired by the program’s impact on students at previous schools where she had worked. This gave her the idea to introduce the program at Park.

“I had done it before at another high school, so I wanted to bring that here,” Castro said. “I think sharing your culture and your ethnicity is very important to others.”

Senior Kira Hotaling said she decided to participate to show others the cultural diversity within the school.

“I chose to participate in the multicultural performance because I saw the chance to represent my own culture, which is Indian,” Hotaling said. “I don’t think many cultures get much acknowledgement.”

According to Castro, one of the aspects the Mosaic of Cultures performance will address is the negligence of many students regarding cultural awareness.

“I think students are so ignorant of other people’s cultures. There is a lot that needs to be done,” Castro said.

Junior Tenzin Lhanze said she thinks many students are unaware of others’ cultures, and as a result, students’ ethnicities are generalized. This can lead to racial stereotyping, and can be frustrating to students.

“When people see Asians, they consider them Chinese, as well as Somalians, Mexicans and even whites,” Lhanze said.

According to Hotaling, the show will involve both educational elements and entertainment for viewers, including traditional dancing, a guest speaker, a poem,

a world drumming performance and a fashion show to entertain students as they watch.

“Mosaic of Cultures will give students the opportunity to see other cultures in more ways than just grazing over them in a textbook,” Hotaling said.

Mosaic of Cultures will take place during third and sixth periods on May 23. Students interested in participating should see Danya Castro in the Media Center for more information.

Show to celebrate diversityCultural variety emphasized in new student showIvy Kaplan | staff writer

Photo I Khadija Charif

Preparing for Celebration: Students in band teacher Steve Schmitz’s world drumming class practice their music for the show, “A Mosaic of Rich Cultures.” They will perform May 23 during third and sixth hours.

i n -depththe echo | Wednesday, May 15, 201306 ‘‘Living in Minnesota, everyone is so pale, so you just wish you were tan. ””Mara Bacig | freshman

Teen tanning dangers recently exposedCarolyn Guddal & Noa Raasch | staff writers

While many teens turn to tanning for beauty purposes, the potential dangers it can cause has created controversy over the serious side effects as a result of Ultra Violet radiation in tanning environments.

Recent legislation restrict tanning for teens

New Jersey passed a piece of legislation in April banning minors under 17 from tanning in commercial tanning

beds. This law will go into effect Oct. 1, 2013.New Jersey is following the example of other states

that have banned minors from using commercial tanning facilities. New York and Wisconsin banned tanning under the age of 17, Texas under the age of 16.5 and California and Vermont under the age of 18.

Current Minnesota legislation requires people under the age of 16 to have parental consent to tan. The operator must also limit time to manufacturer’s maximum exposure recommendation and provide and require eye protection.

University of Minnesota assistant professor of dermatology Dr. Sarah Schram said she supports this piece of legislation.

“I think that it’s a diffi cult time for teens to have to navigate the pressure of the media by themselves, telling them they have to be tan,” Schram said. “Making it illegal to that young (of a) group can drop the dangers of acquiring melanoma.”

In contrast to Schram, freshman Albie Sher said she believes this legislation is an ineffi cient way for government to spend tax money.

“Governments should be focusing on other things that would help a wider range of people,” she said. “If people are doing it to themselves, they should face their own consequences.”

Tanning indoors imposes great dangers

As school comes to a close and June approaches, junior Anna Basill said she uses a tanning bed to prepare for

her summer skin.“It’s so nice to get some sun,” Basill said. “It’s quick, it’s

fast, it’s warm, and you end up looking good.” According to the Center for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), tanning is the skin’s response to injury. Skin cells respond to UV damage by producing more pigment, and making the skin appear darker.

Sophomore Parker Bretl said he believes the main reason teens tan is for improving their appearance.

“When people are trying to make themselves look better it could be a motivation to tan or look tan,” Bretl said.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a tanning bed uses ultraviolet radiation of long wavelengths (UVA rays) to give users a “healthy glow. The UVA in a tanning bed is three times more intense than sunlight, making the damage worse.

The Skin Cancer Foundation’s studies have also shown those who make four or more visits to a tanning booth per year can increase their risk for melanoma by 11 percent, and their risk for the two most common forms of skin

UNDERFALSE

LIGHT

49.8%of girls surveyed believe there should be restrictions on tanning for minors age 18 and under

44.1%

W

Students | shed light on tanning

photo ill

ustra

tion | K

hadija

Cha

rif

The Echo surveyed 323 students during lunch May 9,10 and 13 about their thoughts on the dangers of tanning and government regulation

i n -depththe echo | Wednesday, May 15, 201306 ‘‘Living in Minnesota, everyone is so pale, so you just wish you were tan. ””Mara Bacig | freshman

Teen tanning dangers recently exposedCarolyn Guddal & Noa Raasch | staff writers

While many teens turn to tanning for beauty purposes, the potential dangers it can cause has created controversy over the serious side effects as a result of Ultra Violet radiation in tanning environments.

Recent legislation restrict tanning for teens

New Jersey passed a piece of legislation in April banning minors under 17 from tanning in commercial tanning

beds. This law will go into effect Oct. 1, 2013.New Jersey is following the example of other states

that have banned minors from using commercial tanning facilities. New York and Wisconsin banned tanning under the age of 17, Texas under the age of 16.5 and California and Vermont under the age of 18.

Current Minnesota legislation requires people under the age of 16 to have parental consent to tan. The operator must also limit time to manufacturer’s maximum exposure recommendation and provide and require eye protection.

University of Minnesota assistant professor of dermatology Dr. Sarah Schram said she supports this piece of legislation.

“I think that it’s a diffi cult time for teens to have to navigate the pressure of the media by themselves, telling them they have to be tan,” Schram said. “Making it illegal to that young (of a) group can drop the dangers of acquiring melanoma.”

In contrast to Schram, freshman Albie Sher said she believes this legislation is an ineffi cient way for government to spend tax money.

“Governments should be focusing on other things that would help a wider range of people,” she said. “If people are doing it to themselves, they should face their own consequences.”

Tanning indoors imposes great dangers

As school comes to a close and June approaches, junior Anna Basill said she uses a tanning bed to prepare for

her summer skin.“It’s so nice to get some sun,” Basill said. “It’s quick, it’s

fast, it’s warm, and you end up looking good.” According to the Center for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), tanning is the skin’s response to injury. Skin cells respond to UV damage by producing more pigment, and making the skin appear darker.

Sophomore Parker Bretl said he believes the main reason teens tan is for improving their appearance.

“When people are trying to make themselves look better it could be a motivation to tan or look tan,” Bretl said.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a tanning bed uses ultraviolet radiation of long wavelengths (UVA rays) to give users a “healthy glow. The UVA in a tanning bed is three times more intense than sunlight, making the damage worse.

The Skin Cancer Foundation’s studies have also shown those who make four or more visits to a tanning booth per year can increase their risk for melanoma by 11 percent, and their risk for the two most common forms of skin

UNDERFALSE

LIGHT

49.8%of girls surveyed believe there should be restrictions on tanning for minors age 18 and under

44.1%

W

Students | shed light on tanning

photo ill

ustra

tion | K

hadija

Cha

rif

The Echo surveyed 323 students during lunch May 9,10 and 13 about their thoughts on the dangers of tanning and government regulation

i n -depth the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 07‘‘When people use tanning beds they seem (to) they value their appearance over their health. ”‘‘ Phillip Kersten | senior

Teen tanning dangers recently exposed

cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma by 15 percent.

Schram said she believes teens do not know the extent of the damage they are doing to their skin.

“(Teenagers’) biggest risk from tanning is melanoma,” Schram said. “Unfortunately, melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer in young people.”

According to Schram, a summer tan may seem temporary as it will eventually fade, but UV rays age skin dramatically.

“It attributes to heavy collagen breakdown, which leads to premature fi ne lines, wrinkles and aging spots,” Schram said.

Other forms of tanning provide alternatives

Tanning in the natural sun is another method used by students. UV rays from the sun are less concentrated

than from a bed. Freshman Zoe Eilers said she believes tanning outdoors is a less harsh way of achieving a darker complexion.

“Tanning outdoors is a lot safer than tanning indoors,” Eilers said. “It’s OK to be tan in the summer, but an excessive amount of anything can be bad for you, especially if you don’t wear sunscreen.”

Sophomore Ellie Stillman said she does not see a reason to risk health for color.

“People don’t take the risk of skin cancer seriously, but the threat is defi nitely there,” Stillman said. “I prefer to wear lots of sunscreen and gain a little color by just being outdoors, not by laying down for hours.”

Teens who want a healthy glow without the dangerous side affects of tanning have found an alternative method in spray tanning.

Also called a sunless tan, pigment mixed with the active chemical dihydroxyacetone is sprayed onto skin, staining it to a tanned color.

Sophomore Bailey Gormley said she believes a spray tan is a healthier option in comparison to other tanning methods.

“Spray tan is better for you because in a bed (and) with the sun, the UV rays are harsh on your body,” she said. “Spray tan doesn’t have that. It also looks very natural.”

Senior Mariah Riley said she disagrees and said she does not think spray tans appear similar to a natural tan.

“I think they look more orange if it doesn’t go well,” Riley said. “It does not look natural at all.”

Schram said she believes the media’s positive portrayal of tan skin is a major infl uence on teens and is the cause of their motivation to appear tan.

“It’s very challenging because Hollywood and the media give the impression that it’s good to tan and have tanned skin all the time,” Schram said. “It’s unfortunate that teens feel they need to be tan to look good.”

Schram’s advice for preventing future permanent damage to the skin is simple.

“Teens need to monitor their skin immediately. Begin making healthy habits now,” Schram said. “By always wearing sun protective clothing, wearing sunscreen, drinking a lot of water and staying out of the sun’s rays when they’re the strongest, teens can avoid sun damage and skin cancer.”

30.7%of girls believe that there should be government regulation of tanning

44.1%of boys surveyed believe there should be restrictions on tanning for minors 18 and under

61.4%of girls surveyed do not think students understand the dangers of tanning

67.8%of boys surveyed do not think students understand the dangers of tanning

25.4%of students surveyed do not think the dangers of tanning are exaggerated

For women melanoma most often develops on the lower legs

People who begin tanning before age 35 have a 75% chance of getting melanoma

The fi rst sign of melanoma is change in size, shape or color of a mole, or the appearance of a new mole altogether

1 in 54 women will develop melanoma in their lifetime

i n -depth the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013”

For women melanoma most often develops on the lower legs

People who begin tanning before age 35 have a 75% chance of getting melanoma

The fi rst sign of melanoma is change in size, shape or color of a mole, or the appearance of a new mole altogether

1 in 54 women will develop melanoma in their lifetime

First signs |of sun damage

source | skincancer.org, melanoma.com, cdc.gov and Dr. Sarah Schram

An excess of sun exposure can lead to early wrinkles and aging spots

For men, melanoma often develops between the shoulders and hips, and on the head and neck

photo illustration | Amira Warren and Jonah Resnick

Some Park Flyers partici-pated in the True Team meet May 8, with Flyer

Denzell Oats placing fi rst in the high jump.

St. Louis Park fi nished last in the Section 7AAA True Team meet May 8 at Hopkins High School.

Senior captain Denzell Oats placed fi rst in the high jump competition with 6-02 jump. The team came in fourth in the 4x200 race.

Varsity conference prelimi-naries took place May 16 at St. Francis High School and June 7 and 8 the State meet will take place.

While many boys’ track runners only participate in the spring season, several take ad-vantage of the Park Flyers track club in the winter and sum-mer seasons in order to build on skills developed during the spring season.

Oats, along with three other high school runners participates in Park Flyers during the offsea-son, a track club not associated with the high school team.

Head track coach Rich Keith stresses the importance of year-round training and said he be-lieves more runners should par-ticipate in the program.

“You get more individualized attention, so obviously you can fi ne tune,” Keith said.

Keith also said Park Flyer runners traditionally do well in meets year round.

“Typically the handful of kids that do (Park Flyers) excel during the spring season,” Keith said.

Senior Peyton Bretl who also participates in the Park Flyer said the competition tends to be signifi cantly different during the Park Flyers season.

“There are less kids but they’re better,” Bretl said. “I like the fact that there is high com-petition.”

According to Bretl, he had a great experience traveling with the Park Flyers team during the summer to New Orleans and Baltimore to compete in the Na-tional Junior Olympics.

Junior Naris Uzzell has par-ticipated in Park Flyers since the summer of his freshman year. He participated in the Hamline Elite Meet April 26.

“Park Flyers prepared me for

Hamline,” Uzzell said. “It made me a lot stronger and faster.” He also said that it is a different, more intense environment.

Keith said he thinks offsea-son training is benefi cial.

“Any time anyone can com-pete or work on their sport outside the season, it is great,” Keith said. “It’s not the season that makes you better, it’s what you do outside of the season.”

Out of the | Park

Artis Curiskis | sports editor

‘‘Because we have had less meets, we probably will have less experience than other schoolsspor ts the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 201308 ”Monique Best | sophomore

To say I was surprised when my fi rst soccer coach yelled “you’re kicking it like it’s a

can of milk,” and then later, “what are you guarding, a fruit tree?” is an understatement.

At fi rst these seemed like ridiculous com-ments for I have never seen a can of milk in my life or a fruit tree in the middle of a turf fi eld, yet these comments have guided me as I develop as a player and now as a coach.

I have been volunteering and coaching at an inner city youth soccer organization called Joy of the People, which strives to cre-ate fun and creative settings for kids to play soccer and grow. I never realized the impact this experience would have on me. I also did not realize how much I would strive to emulate the positive impact that my coaches have had on me and to share the lessons they have taught me.

Working with and watching the kids ex-cel in non-competitive situations reminds me to enjoy my time playing soccer and contin-ues to teach me lessons that I apply in every-day life. These life lessons help me in group situations when a need to collaborate exists, to encourage and to support each other.

Also, these life lessons and occasional ob-scure comments and direct guidance from my coaches are applicable to development as a team and importantly, as an individual.

Being part of a team or play-ing a team sport can ex-pose a person’s true character.

For ex-ample, I have seen team-mates score a hat trick in a championship game, help in-jured opposing players off the fi eld, cry be-cause the goal they scored

was dedicated to someone special and create strong friendships both on and off the fi eld.

While competitive soccer can be heart wrenching and emotional when it is played with passion it allows players to grow as people and athletes. I hope my time coach-ing these kids can ensure they always know to enjoy soccer and develop as athletes who respect the game and everyone involved.

It is my job to both instruct and to cre-ate an atmosphere of fun. I have also taken into account another lesson from a past coach, which was “the game is the teacher.” While keeping this in mind, I understand it is my job to organize and provide the tools for players to succeed, but overall it is learn-ing from the sport that will improve them as players. I try to ensure that the kids I coach have the opportunity to play an unadulter-ated game with no referee or out of bounds lines. It is these times when a sport in its pur-est form, is most infl uential as a teacher.

Most importantly my coaches taught me and my teammates to take pride in every-thing we do which is a lesson I try to imple-ment in my daily life and in soccer. While my coach’s words have stuck with me for nearly a decade, I hope the time I have spent with the kids at Joy of the People has given them the passion I have for the game and to al-ways strive to be the best they can be.

What’s the | point?• Team sports

can provide personal growth

• Learn from the sport being played

• Work to collaborate, encourage and support others

Going back to the basics

Sean Cork | staff writer

Track and fi eld club helps runners prepare for school sportSara Tifft | staff writer

Park Flyers aids athletic success

Step one: Get down into the start position

Step three: Build up in speed

Step four: stride out until fi nish

Step two: Burst from starting blocks

Progression | of Starts

As the girls’ lacrosse season comes to an end, senior Sarah Webb realizes the im-

portance of communication and teamwork.This season the team was weakened by

the loss of seven graduating seniors. Webb, who is one of three captains, said the loss of players affected their team structure.

“The more experienced defenders had to help out the newer ones,” Webb said.

The lacrosse team currently has a record of 3-6.

It played Minnehaha Academy with a score of 6-14 May 13. The team will play at home against Eagan High School May 21.

This year the team had 10 underclassmen

playing for the varsity team. Webb said the young players are essential to a better team for the future.

“A good amount of our players have less experience,” Webb said “But they all have potential to become great players.”

Coach Kyle Sweeney said the team’s fo-cus is not winning the conference, but func-tioning as a team.

“The most important part is playing as a team,” Sweeney said.

Sophomore Sophia Noreen said the cen-tral goals of the team is communication.

“Communication is the key to winning games,” she said.

This is the fi rst season in fi ve years the girls’ lacrosse team will not be competing in the conference championship game, accord-ing to Sweeney.

Noreen said she hoped the team would be successful in the future.

“We want to be seated high so we don’t have to play Visitation,” Noreen said. “We always lose.”

Regardless of this season’s losses, Noreen said the team members hope to improve in the future.

“We would like to reclaim the title of conference champions (next year) by beat-ing Benilde,” she said.

Lacrosse looks to futureGirls’ team works to improve on teamwork, communication

Taking charge: Sophomore Anna Baer cradles the ball along the sideline. Park lost to Hopkins April 25. The team’s next game is at home May 24 against Eagan High School.

photo | Zoe Kedrowski

photo | Natalie SanfordJumping the last hurdle: Senior Peyton Bretl, a member of the Park Flyers track club, competes in the 300-meter hurdle event.

photo | Natalie Sanford

Some Park Flyers partici-pated in the True Team meet May 8, with Flyer

Denzell Oats placing fi rst in the high jump.

St. Louis Park fi nished last in the Section 7AAA True Team meet May 8 at Hopkins High School.

Senior captain Denzell Oats placed fi rst in the high jump competition with 6-02 jump. The team came in fourth in the 4x200 race.

Varsity conference prelimi-naries took place May 16 at St. Francis High School and June 7 and 8 the State meet will take place.

While many boys’ track runners only participate in the spring season, several take ad-vantage of the Park Flyers track club in the winter and sum-mer seasons in order to build on skills developed during the spring season.

Oats, along with three other high school runners participates in Park Flyers during the offsea-son, a track club not associated with the high school team.

Head track coach Rich Keith stresses the importance of year-round training and said he be-lieves more runners should par-ticipate in the program.

“You get more individualized attention, so obviously you can fi ne tune,” Keith said.

Keith also said Park Flyer runners traditionally do well in meets year round.

“Typically the handful of kids that do (Park Flyers) excel during the spring season,” Keith said.

Senior Peyton Bretl who also participates in the Park Flyer said the competition tends to be signifi cantly different during the Park Flyers season.

“There are less kids but they’re better,” Bretl said. “I like the fact that there is high com-petition.”

According to Bretl, he had a great experience traveling with the Park Flyers team during the summer to New Orleans and Baltimore to compete in the Na-tional Junior Olympics.

Junior Naris Uzzell has par-ticipated in Park Flyers since the summer of his freshman year. He participated in the Hamline Elite Meet April 26.

“Park Flyers prepared me for

Hamline,” Uzzell said. “It made me a lot stronger and faster.” He also said that it is a different, more intense environment.

Keith said he thinks offsea-son training is benefi cial.

“Any time anyone can com-pete or work on their sport outside the season, it is great,” Keith said. “It’s not the season that makes you better, it’s what you do outside of the season.”

Out of the | Park

Artis Curiskis | sports editor

‘‘Because we have had less meets, we probably will have less experience than other schoolsspor ts the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 201308 ”Monique Best | sophomore

To say I was surprised when my fi rst soccer coach yelled “you’re kicking it like it’s a

can of milk,” and then later, “what are you guarding, a fruit tree?” is an understatement.

At fi rst these seemed like ridiculous com-ments for I have never seen a can of milk in my life or a fruit tree in the middle of a turf fi eld, yet these comments have guided me as I develop as a player and now as a coach.

I have been volunteering and coaching at an inner city youth soccer organization called Joy of the People, which strives to cre-ate fun and creative settings for kids to play soccer and grow. I never realized the impact this experience would have on me. I also did not realize how much I would strive to emulate the positive impact that my coaches have had on me and to share the lessons they have taught me.

Working with and watching the kids ex-cel in non-competitive situations reminds me to enjoy my time playing soccer and contin-ues to teach me lessons that I apply in every-day life. These life lessons help me in group situations when a need to collaborate exists, to encourage and to support each other.

Also, these life lessons and occasional ob-scure comments and direct guidance from my coaches are applicable to development as a team and importantly, as an individual.

Being part of a team or play-ing a team sport can ex-pose a person’s true character.

For ex-ample, I have seen team-mates score a hat trick in a championship game, help in-jured opposing players off the fi eld, cry be-cause the goal they scored

was dedicated to someone special and create strong friendships both on and off the fi eld.

While competitive soccer can be heart wrenching and emotional when it is played with passion it allows players to grow as people and athletes. I hope my time coach-ing these kids can ensure they always know to enjoy soccer and develop as athletes who respect the game and everyone involved.

It is my job to both instruct and to cre-ate an atmosphere of fun. I have also taken into account another lesson from a past coach, which was “the game is the teacher.” While keeping this in mind, I understand it is my job to organize and provide the tools for players to succeed, but overall it is learn-ing from the sport that will improve them as players. I try to ensure that the kids I coach have the opportunity to play an unadulter-ated game with no referee or out of bounds lines. It is these times when a sport in its pur-est form, is most infl uential as a teacher.

Most importantly my coaches taught me and my teammates to take pride in every-thing we do which is a lesson I try to imple-ment in my daily life and in soccer. While my coach’s words have stuck with me for nearly a decade, I hope the time I have spent with the kids at Joy of the People has given them the passion I have for the game and to al-ways strive to be the best they can be.

What’s the | point?• Team sports

can provide personal growth

• Learn from the sport being played

• Work to collaborate, encourage and support others

Going back to the basics

Sean Cork | staff writer

Track and fi eld club helps runners prepare for school sportSara Tifft | staff writer

Park Flyers aids athletic success

Step one: Get down into the start position

Step three: Build up in speed

Step four: stride out until fi nish

Step two: Burst from starting blocks

Progression | of Starts

As the girls’ lacrosse season comes to an end, senior Sarah Webb realizes the im-

portance of communication and teamwork.This season the team was weakened by

the loss of seven graduating seniors. Webb, who is one of three captains, said the loss of players affected their team structure.

“The more experienced defenders had to help out the newer ones,” Webb said.

The lacrosse team currently has a record of 3-6.

It played Minnehaha Academy with a score of 6-14 May 13. The team will play at home against Eagan High School May 21.

This year the team had 10 underclassmen

playing for the varsity team. Webb said the young players are essential to a better team for the future.

“A good amount of our players have less experience,” Webb said “But they all have potential to become great players.”

Coach Kyle Sweeney said the team’s fo-cus is not winning the conference, but func-tioning as a team.

“The most important part is playing as a team,” Sweeney said.

Sophomore Sophia Noreen said the cen-tral goals of the team is communication.

“Communication is the key to winning games,” she said.

This is the fi rst season in fi ve years the girls’ lacrosse team will not be competing in the conference championship game, accord-ing to Sweeney.

Noreen said she hoped the team would be successful in the future.

“We want to be seated high so we don’t have to play Visitation,” Noreen said. “We always lose.”

Regardless of this season’s losses, Noreen said the team members hope to improve in the future.

“We would like to reclaim the title of conference champions (next year) by beat-ing Benilde,” she said.

Lacrosse looks to futureGirls’ team works to improve on teamwork, communication

Taking charge: Sophomore Anna Baer cradles the ball along the sideline. Park lost to Hopkins April 25. The team’s next game is at home May 24 against Eagan High School.

photo | Zoe Kedrowski

photo | Natalie SanfordJumping the last hurdle: Senior Peyton Bretl, a member of the Park Flyers track club, competes in the 300-meter hurdle event.

photo | Natalie Sanford

As the season nears its end, the girls’ track team pre-pares for its fi nal meets,

fi nding encouragement along the way.

The team placed eighth at True Team at Hopkins High School May 8.

Senior Sarah Silbert placed fourth in the long jump.

Head coach Christine Tvrdik said that she was impressed with the teams’ performance at the meet.

“We had multiple personal

bests in nearly every event,” Tvr-dik said.

The Orioles will compete in the girls’ varsity fi nals at St. Francis High School May 16.

“Our goal for this meet is to see as many athletes make fi nals as possible,” Tvrdik said. “I want to see kids reap the benefi ts of what hard work and commit-ment can provide.”

This year, the distance squad gained a new coach with exten-sive experience in track. Eliza-beth Yetzer has been running

track since seventh grade and is a NCAA champion.

Yetzer said one of her main goals as a coach is to show her team what track can offer.

“Track is so much like life,” Yetzer said. “It is a process of learning that you can do more than you ever thought your body could accomplish and it is achieved through persistence and perseverance.”

Since high school, Yetzer has used a workout journal to help track progress, and she now encourages her team to do the same.

“Keeping a training journal helps you to be more refl ective and invested in your own train-ing,” Yetzer said. “Just like in

school, when you refl ect on your learning, you take more owner-ship and retain or understand concepts at a greater depth.”

Freshman Madison Vignes said she fi nds the journals ben-efi cial to her training.

“It’s really helpful for helping me set my pace,” Vignes said. “It also helps me look at my strengths and weaknesses.”

Senior Meryssah Krueger said she feels Yetzer has a posi-tive effect on the team.

“She has really inspired our team and created a positive at-mosphere for all of us,” Krueger said. “She makes it easy to stay positive with her infectious smile and affi rmative comments she brings to practice everyday.”

‘‘ I think team bonding is important in order for the team to perform well and support each other.

the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 09Djalna Twaha | freshman

a-list | athlete

Who: Jenna Laidlaw, seniorSport: Girls’ softball

When did you fi rst start playing soft-ball and why?I fi rst started in third grade, probably because I wanted a sport. I never played soccer or anything else like that.

What position do you play?Right now I play catcher for my team, but each season it varies because I’m kind of a utility player.

Do you plan to continue playing soft-ball after high school?Yes and no. I’ve talked to the softball coach for the school I’m going to, but as of now it’s kind of up in the air. I hope to, but we’ll see.

Do you have any pregame rituals? I always listen to music to try and clear my mind and try to not get too stressed out about it.

What’s the relationship like between the older and younger team mem-bers?The older players take the lead, but at the same time we see each other as equals, and we try to help each other out as much as we can. We want to make sure that they are living up to their potential.

Are there any lessons that softball has taught you?A big aspect is learning to work as a team, and helping each other through any hardships. Say someone has a bad hitting streak, or they strike out, you make sure that you are picking up your other teammates and that you provide a posi-tive aspect even though they might be having a bad time.

Who inspires you when playing soft-ball and why?I’ve always idolized Jennie Finch. Even though she is a pitcher I still admire her because she really brought softball to the public and made softball a sport that every girl could play no matter what age.

How would you describe yourself as a player?I try to relax on the fi eld and encourage my fellow players and always make sure that each player feels like they’re part of the team, and that they belong there.

What is your personal goal for the remainder of your season?I hope that my batting average in-creases. From our previous games it has improved, but I hope that it will keep improving.

What is your favorite memory from your softball career?It was our game against Columbia Heights. And it was a solid win. We played great as a team, we worked as a team, it was just a really good game on our part.

What do you do during the offseason to train?During the offseason I’ve done summer ball and other summer leagues to help me improve my game.

How is your season currently going?We haven’t had a game yet, and we’ve gone outside like four times total. It’s been rough to be inside all the time.

I.K.

Girls’ track and fi eld fi nds inspiration for trainingMeagan Hein | staff writer

Athletes aim for a strong fi nish

”

23

Park | Playbook

15

16

18

17

20

Boys’ Golf TennisSynchroBaseballGirls’ Golf

3:30 p.m. at Minnekahda

3:45 p.m. at Theodore Wirth Park

8 a.m. at Bunker Hill Golf Course

6:30 p.m. at Bloomington Park

4:30 p.m. at Aquila Park

4 p.m. at Park

4:15 p.m. at Dakota Park

Softball

4:15 p.m. at Dakota Park

10 a.m. at Spring Lake Park H.S.

Sections. To be decided by May 15 results

4 p.m. Sections at Osseo Maple Grove

8 a.m. Sections at Osseo Maple Grove

Focusing on Form: Junior Maggie Yarosh works to improve on her discus technique at practice with advice from her coach May 13.photo | Natalie Sanford

3:25 p.m. at Theodore Wirth Park

opin ionsthe echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 10 ‘‘People should hear out what the parents have to say, as well as the coaches, to get both sides of the story.”Mohamed Abdi | junior

the echoSt. Louis Park Senior High School6425 West 33rd StreetSt. Louis Park, MN 55426

editor in chief | Ari Weinstein

managing editor | Brenna Cook

web editor | Josh Scal

copy editors | Gabe Bichinho & Emma Weisner

design editors | Cole Bacig & Carter Green

art & infographics editor | Claire Steffenhagen

photo editors | Khadija Charif & Conner Wickland

web photo editor | Lucas Kempf

news editor | Noah Betz-Richman

student life editors | Lucas Kempf & Josh Scal

features editor | Josh Anderson

in-depth editor | Suh Koller

sports editor | Artis Curiskis

opinions editor | Sten Johnson

entertainment editor | Isaac Greenwood

staff | Maddy Bremner, Sean Cork, Ori Etzion, Shoshi Fischman, Gila Grad, Malik Grays, Noa Grossman, Carolyn Guddal, Meagan Hein, David Hope, Brita Hunegs, Peter Johnson, Ivy Kaplan, Zoe Kedrowski, John Kinney, Madisen Lynch, Emily Melbye, Josh Mesick, Nasro Omar, Noa Raasch, Noah Robiner, Alonso Ruiz-Shimada, Natalie Sanford, Sara Tifft, Natalie Vig, Daniel Vlodaver, Amira Warren

business manager | Jonah Resnick

principal | Robert Metz

printer | American Color

adviser | Lori Keekley

publication policiesThe Echo is the offi cial student-produced

newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published tri-weekly for the school’s students, staff and community.

The Echo will not be reviewed by school administrators prior to distribution, and the adviser will not act as a censor. Content represents views of the student staff and not school offi cials.

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.

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 refl ect the views of the Echo staff or administration as a whole.

The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions may be e-mailed to slpecho@gmail.com or submitted in room C275. Letters must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words.

E-mailed letters must be verifi ed prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right 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. 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; NSPA 2007 Pacemaker Finalist, 2010 National Pacemaker Award Recipient and 2011 Pacemaker Finalist; JEM All-State; CSPA Gold Medalist; 2012 CSPA Silver Crown, 2013 CSPA Gold Crown

Despite diffi culties presented by de-creased grant funding, it is benefi cial

to students’ academic interests that the school is continuing to offer the math re-source room.

While the loss of funding means it may be challenging to continue the programs provided by the Small Learning Commu-nities (SLC) Grant, its positive impact on the school should make the math resource room a priority for the school.

Every week recorded, the math re-source room received more visits than any other part of the learning lab.

In recorded weeks, 5,265 people visit-ed the math resource room this year. Such high usage refl ects the student demand for the math resource room.

It is commendable the school is mak-ing such a heavily used program a priority, especially because it furthers the school’s ability to cater to a variety of student needs.

The services offered by the math re-source room help address the variety of student learning styles prevalent in the school.

While some students may fi nd it easy to grasp a mathematical concept the way it is taught in class, others may fi nd it more diffi cult to understand.

These students should have resources easily available to them so they can learn the concepts in a method better suited to

their individual learning styles.The math resource room is also benefi -

cial in that it can help distribute students’ needs among different teachers.

Some students may desire more ex-planation than their teachers can provide while working with other classes.

Going to the math resource room may allow these students to receive this indi-vidual attention and increase their perfor-mance in their math classes.

Other students may want greater re-view of a topic before an important test or assignment.

While there may not be enough time to review these concepts in class, it could be provided in the math resource room with-out delaying the class schedule.

The administration should be praised for making the continuation of the math resource room a priority.

While the decreased funding may pres-ent challenges, such a popular program should be emphasized.

By continuing its support of the aid provided by the math resource room the school is making a smart investment in the students’ future.

Program continuation to aid learningOur | Perspective:

art | Claire Steffenhagen

The SLC grant gives students homework aid and a place go for help on projects

In a March 30 folio on page nine, the photo was of Phelahjahmal Ibura. The Echo regrets this error.

Corrections

The Minnesota Legislature is considering a bill to protect sports coaches from pas-

sionate parents. Under the current system, a Minnesota

high school athletic coach can be fi red solely based on parental complaint. The bill pro-poses the dismissal of a coach must be based on other factors and not negative parental input.

A coach is responsible for the perfor-mance of the entire team while parents’ con-cerns are purely for their children’s well-be-

ing and their individual performance. Because their main concern is for their own child, many parents’ perspec-tives are too narrow. This creates a situation where some parents can infl uence other parents

to complain, which affects whether or not a coach is retained or fi red.

This bill will allow athletic directors and administrators the fl exibility to hire and fi re coaches based on many criteria, as they couldn’t do in the past. In the past fi ve years, 110 hockey coaches across Minnesota left their coaching position and 35 percent of

those departures were because of parental complaints, according to Mike MacMillan, executive director of the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association.

This gives the administration and ath-letic directors the leeway to make decisions not solely reliant on parent requests, making the coaching staff the best it can be. Giving the coaches more freedom to make decisions based on the team as a whole, rather than ca-ter to the individual student athlete.

Minnesota is currently the only state dis-cussing this issue. The bill was introduced by a previous Minnesota cross country coach.

One benefi t of this legislation is that it will force student athletes to stand up for them-selves instead of relying on their parents. This increases the likelihood of students being in-dependent long after high school.

Overprotective parents are only doing a disservice to their children. By sheltering their children from diffi cult situations they need to learn to deal with, parents are not allowing their children to learn how to be independent in society.

Students need to become self-suffi cient at a reasonable age. They need to learn to rely on themselves more than others to do their job for them. By forcing student athletes to talk to their coaches on their own they learn how to become self-reliant.

While it is important this bill is supported in the upcoming legislative discussion, high schoolers can do something now. If students have a problem with a coach, take it up with them, and be a responsible young adult.

Bill to quiet parents’ complaints

Shoshi Fischman | staff writer

Some parents’ obsession in their children’s activities sparks new ideas

To Gatsby prom theme. Park already has enough fl appers.

To Retro Gaming. Now I can be a ten year old forever.

A.C., J.M., N.R., J.R.

”

To Tanning. Sorry Park, orange is totally not my color.

To new super-intendent. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

school is making a smart investment in the students’ future.

To Gatsby prom theme. Park already has enough fl appers.

To Tanning. Sorry Park, orange is totally not my color.

Overprotective parents are only doing a disservice to their children.

‘‘Clicktivism can help show that you support a cause, but it isn’t enough to change the cause.Heather Westwood | freshman ”

Park | trail By: Gila Grad

The use of social media is the next step for activists

Point | counterpoint:

People around the globe can now bring mass awareness to an issue and create events with ease. Popularly known as “clicktivism,” the use of the Internet and social medias has become the new tool of activists. However, controversy exists among traditional activists as to whether this new type activism is effective in bringing about real change.

The world’s problems will not be solved by just a few clicks

Ori Etzion | staff writerNatalie Vig | staff writer

With increased use of social media, clicktivism is a

natural way to share beliefs with friends.

Utilizing clicktivism as a means of protest is a simple way to connect to others and unite be-hind a cause.

One example is the recent emergence of the popular #pray-forBoston on Twitter. The use of this hashtag created a sense of community for the city of Boston in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. This truly embodies the prevalence of one united nation as people set aside their differences to empathize with the victims.

Another example is the red and white 13 symbol for Benil-de-St. Margaret’s junior Jack Jablonski when he injured his back during a hockey game that left him paralyzed last year. His Facebook page received more than 37,000 likes and thousands of people changed their profi le pictures to support him. Without this attention, Jablonski’s inci-dent may have been overlooked by the media and he wouldn’t be the inspiration to many he is today.

Additionally, in late 2011, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Prop-erty Act (PIPA) were introduced to the House and Senate. These bills were created to protect au-thors and artists from illegal pi-racy through the use of the inter-net but the terms used were too general and would severely limit the use of the Internet.

Consequently, 150,000 web-sites, including Reddit and Wiki-pedia, participated in a “black-out” in which they censored their websites in a way the bills would. The blacked out Wikipedia home page was viewed 17 billion times, compared to the 4.5 billion views the previous day according to a statement released by Wikipedia. Without this widespread display of dislike, SOPA and PIPA may have been overlooked by the me-dia, and we would be looking at a different Internet.

Overall, clicktivism can be a useful tool for spreading the opinion of the masses. As it becomes more widespread, it should be embraced and utilized to its fullest extent to educate and unite people for causes they are passionate about.

Clicktivism incites debate among activists

At fi rst glance, clicktivism shows great potential for

activists, but as with any new change, the public must be wary.

Clicktivism asks less of sup-porters and focuses on making participants feel good about sup-porting a cause, rather than on accomplishing something pro-ductive.

Beginning in late March, amid the oral arguments for two Supreme Court cases, the Hu-man Rights Campaign asked its supporters to share its red equals sign logo on Facebook to show support for same-sex marriage.

The Facebook Data Science Team reported a 120 percent in-crease in profi le picture updates, and the logo was shared more than 70,000 times directly from the Human Rights Campaign page alone.

It is evident the campaign’s goal to show support was met, but this does little to institute progress toward marriage equal-ity. The Supreme Court Justices do not check whether enough people have changed their profi le pictures before making a deci-sion on cases; they base their de-cisions on other factors.

Another example of clicktiv-ism was the Kony 2012 short fi lm created by Invisible Chil-dren, Inc. According to the on-line video marketing company Visible Measures, the Kony 2012 fi lm needed only six days to achieve 100 million views. For such an impressive achievement, some would expect the capture of the alleged war criminal Jo-seph Kony to occur by 2012, as the campaign was aimed for.

The problem with this video is that it oversimplifi es the issue and aims to market the idea that posting on Facebook and buy-ing wristbands and T-shirts will equate to fi ghting a revolution. A 20-year-old problem in Uganda will not disappear if activists fo-cus on only popularizing Kony as the super-villain of the 21st century.

Spreading awareness on the chance someone else will bring about change should not be clas-sifi ed as activism. If people want to be real activists, they should do so in public, not sitting be-hind a computer screen, and stand fi rmly for what they be-lieve in, even if it is not trending on Twitter.

Despite the end of segregation and the civil rights movement,

problems with race and equality still come up today.

More than 150 students walked out of Hopkins High School Feb. 13 because they felt the “ghetto” spirit day dress code for the Nordic ski team was a mockery of black culture, according to Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). The team dressed up like gangsters with sag-ging pants, chinchilla coats with chains and joints in their ears ac-cording to MPR. Two students complained to the school admin-istration but were told it was too late to do anything about the dress code.

The dress codes chosen by sports teams and clubs at Park are not ra-cially offensive, but most schools do not have a set standard on what is offensive, including Park. What is offensive to one person may not be to others. According to athletic director Andy Ewald, sports teams are told to follow the student dress code and sports uniforms. Park spirit T-shirts and dress clothes are suggested. Ac-cording to Ewald, athletes must keep in mind that they are projecting the image of their team and themselves.

Setting standards for what is considered to be offensive and insulting clothing would prevent problems similar to what hap-pened at Hopkins.

Park dress codes may not be offensive but are inappropriate at times. By wearing clothing that is too short such as skirts, shorts and dresses, problems regarding offensive dress code are bound to happen. The School Board should make clear what is considered of-fensive in the student handbook, set standards that give examples and express guidelines to parents. Furthermore, there should be set consequences if an incident like Hopkins were to happen again.

The administration should edu-cate its students on the cultures around them today. Sports teams should be conscientious to others when choosing dress codes. Stu-dents need to be aware of the issues of racism that still exist in society.

Amira Warren | staff writer

Hopkins team underlines racial debateSchools should set standards for dress

opin ions the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 11‘‘Clicktivism can help show that you support a cause, but it isn’t enough to change the cause.Heather Westwood | freshman ”

Point | counterpoint:

‘‘ opin ions the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Some activists see the Internet as a replacement for traditional protest methods, while others don’t see its potential to foster change.

New form of | activism

art | Alonso Ruiz-Shimada

All right just one more game.

Come on! Level Ten!

Sweetie, what’s going on? It’s three o’clock.

A.M. or P.M.?

Students should become aware of racial issues within schools

‘‘Clicktivism can help show that you support a cause, but it isn’t enough to change the cause.Heather Westwood | freshman ”

Park | trail By: Gila Grad

The use of social media is the next step for activists

Point | counterpoint:

People around the globe can now bring mass awareness to an issue and create events with ease. Popularly known as “clicktivism,” the use of the Internet and social medias has become the new tool of activists. However, controversy exists among traditional activists as to whether this new type activism is effective in bringing about real change.

The world’s problems will not be solved by just a few clicks

Ori Etzion | staff writerNatalie Vig | staff writer

With increased use of social media, clicktivism is a

natural way to share beliefs with friends.

Utilizing clicktivism as a means of protest is a simple way to connect to others and unite be-hind a cause.

One example is the recent emergence of the popular #pray-forBoston on Twitter. The use of this hashtag created a sense of community for the city of Boston in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. This truly embodies the prevalence of one united nation as people set aside their differences to empathize with the victims.

Another example is the red and white 13 symbol for Benil-de-St. Margaret’s junior Jack Jablonski when he injured his back during a hockey game that left him paralyzed last year. His Facebook page received more than 37,000 likes and thousands of people changed their profi le pictures to support him. Without this attention, Jablonski’s inci-dent may have been overlooked by the media and he wouldn’t be the inspiration to many he is today.

Additionally, in late 2011, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Prop-erty Act (PIPA) were introduced to the House and Senate. These bills were created to protect au-thors and artists from illegal pi-racy through the use of the inter-net but the terms used were too general and would severely limit the use of the Internet.

Consequently, 150,000 web-sites, including Reddit and Wiki-pedia, participated in a “black-out” in which they censored their websites in a way the bills would. The blacked out Wikipedia home page was viewed 17 billion times, compared to the 4.5 billion views the previous day according to a statement released by Wikipedia. Without this widespread display of dislike, SOPA and PIPA may have been overlooked by the me-dia, and we would be looking at a different Internet.

Overall, clicktivism can be a useful tool for spreading the opinion of the masses. As it becomes more widespread, it should be embraced and utilized to its fullest extent to educate and unite people for causes they are passionate about.

Clicktivism incites debate among activists

At fi rst glance, clicktivism shows great potential for

activists, but as with any new change, the public must be wary.

Clicktivism asks less of sup-porters and focuses on making participants feel good about sup-porting a cause, rather than on accomplishing something pro-ductive.

Beginning in late March, amid the oral arguments for two Supreme Court cases, the Hu-man Rights Campaign asked its supporters to share its red equals sign logo on Facebook to show support for same-sex marriage.

The Facebook Data Science Team reported a 120 percent in-crease in profi le picture updates, and the logo was shared more than 70,000 times directly from the Human Rights Campaign page alone.

It is evident the campaign’s goal to show support was met, but this does little to institute progress toward marriage equal-ity. The Supreme Court Justices do not check whether enough people have changed their profi le pictures before making a deci-sion on cases; they base their de-cisions on other factors.

Another example of clicktiv-ism was the Kony 2012 short fi lm created by Invisible Chil-dren, Inc. According to the on-line video marketing company Visible Measures, the Kony 2012 fi lm needed only six days to achieve 100 million views. For such an impressive achievement, some would expect the capture of the alleged war criminal Jo-seph Kony to occur by 2012, as the campaign was aimed for.

The problem with this video is that it oversimplifi es the issue and aims to market the idea that posting on Facebook and buy-ing wristbands and T-shirts will equate to fi ghting a revolution. A 20-year-old problem in Uganda will not disappear if activists fo-cus on only popularizing Kony as the super-villain of the 21st century.

Spreading awareness on the chance someone else will bring about change should not be clas-sifi ed as activism. If people want to be real activists, they should do so in public, not sitting be-hind a computer screen, and stand fi rmly for what they be-lieve in, even if it is not trending on Twitter.

Despite the end of segregation and the civil rights movement,

problems with race and equality still come up today.

More than 150 students walked out of Hopkins High School Feb. 13 because they felt the “ghetto” spirit day dress code for the Nordic ski team was a mockery of black culture, according to Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). The team dressed up like gangsters with sag-ging pants, chinchilla coats with chains and joints in their ears ac-cording to MPR. Two students complained to the school admin-istration but were told it was too late to do anything about the dress code.

The dress codes chosen by sports teams and clubs at Park are not ra-cially offensive, but most schools do not have a set standard on what is offensive, including Park. What is offensive to one person may not be to others. According to athletic director Andy Ewald, sports teams are told to follow the student dress code and sports uniforms. Park spirit T-shirts and dress clothes are suggested. Ac-cording to Ewald, athletes must keep in mind that they are projecting the image of their team and themselves.

Setting standards for what is considered to be offensive and insulting clothing would prevent problems similar to what hap-pened at Hopkins.

Park dress codes may not be offensive but are inappropriate at times. By wearing clothing that is too short such as skirts, shorts and dresses, problems regarding offensive dress code are bound to happen. The School Board should make clear what is considered of-fensive in the student handbook, set standards that give examples and express guidelines to parents. Furthermore, there should be set consequences if an incident like Hopkins were to happen again.

The administration should edu-cate its students on the cultures around them today. Sports teams should be conscientious to others when choosing dress codes. Stu-dents need to be aware of the issues of racism that still exist in society.

Amira Warren | staff writer

Hopkins team underlines racial debateSchools should set standards for dress

opin ions the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013 11‘‘Clicktivism can help show that you support a cause, but it isn’t enough to change the cause.Heather Westwood | freshman ”

Point | counterpoint:

‘‘ opin ions the echo | Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Some activists see the Internet as a replacement for traditional protest methods, while others don’t see its potential to foster change.

New form of | activism

art | Alonso Ruiz-Shimada

All right just one more game.

Come on! Level Ten!

Sweetie, what’s going on? It’s three o’clock.

A.M. or P.M.?

Students should become aware of racial issues within schools

at a glance

the

By Isaac Greenwood

at a glance metroMay 21

Daft Punk releases its fourth album, “Random Access Memories.” The Grammy-winning French electronic band has gained a fan base worldwide because of their unique beats, use of visuals and performance on the 2010 “TRON: Legacy” soundtrack. The album contains 13 tracks, many featuring collaborating artists from various bands.

May 24The 47th Edina Art Fair kicks off for two weekends at 50th and France. It will feature various artists, including painters, potters and live musicians. The fair runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Entry is free, and Metro Transit will run free busing and light rail routes to the fair from all routes and Southdale Mall.

June 3The Linden Hills Farmers Market begins its summer season, featuring local farm produce and craft vendors, as well as food such as Gai Gai Thai and Red Wagon Pizza. It will run every Sunday regardless of weather, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is located in the Settergren’s Hardware parking lot near 43rd Street and South Upton Avenue in Minneapolis. Entry is free of charge.

Brita Hunegs & Josh Mesick | staff writers

‘‘The older video games are more fun and easier to understand. en ter ta inmentthe echo | Wednesday, May 15, 201312 ”Holly Dvergsten | senior

DUSTING OFF THEOLD CONTROLLERS

Going Retro: Rusty Quarters in Uptown boasts an array of authentic vintage video games for all ages.

photo | Madisen Lynch

infographic | Carolyn Guddal

source | http://www.rqarcade.com/

Twenty-eight years after Nintendo released the fi rst Mario Bros., students are hitting the re-start button on old video games.

Retro gaming is “old school” gaming, a trend common among students and young adults looking to play games from older generations.

Annie Spirpos, owner and operator of the Min-neapolis arcade Rusty Quarters, said she opened the arcade to connect people through retro games, which are primarily from the 1980s.

Spirpos said retro gaming encourages social in-teraction because the gamers are playing with their friends in person, not on a computer, the way most modern games are played.

“Retro gaming is coming back,” Spirpos said. “People are breaking out of the basement and talk-ing to each other face-to-face.”

At Rusty Quarters, Spirpos said she attempted to create the nostalgic social vibe of a classic arcade.

“People starting new families want their children to experience the games they loved from their child-hood,” Spirpos said.

The creation of home consoles gave birth to a generation of gamers the world had not seen before.

Computer science teacher David Engelhart said those interested in retro gaming appreciate the need to be together in order to play a game.

“There’s a certain aspect of socialization that is healthy when games are played together,” Engelhart, said. “I think we do best with the actual physical presence of others.”

Engelhart said he has seen a resurgence of retro gaming lately.

“People take what is old and make it cool again,” he said. “A lot of my students fi nd older systems in their house.”

Even with the trend of retro gaming, sophomore Jon Chatman said he enjoys the more developed, complex characters and story lines, instead of the old, straightforward one.

“With newer games, the characters grow along with the progress of the game,” Chatman said.

However, senior Duncan Weisbrod said he plays older games because he prefers their style.

“The big producers games are getting repeti-tive,” Weisbrod said. “People are looking for a more unique experience that may have been created ear-lier.”

When it comes to retro gaming, Spirpos said she believes older games are much more appreciated than that of the newer ones, because they are more challenging and engaging.

“The graphics and movements are more limited, if you fall an inch down the screen you die,” Spirpos said.

Something that cannot be improved with technol-ogy, is the feeling the game creates.“The older games are told through the gameplay,” Weisbrod said. “Nowadays the story is told through cutscenes and you don’t experience the story fi rsthand.”

Senior Maggie O’Brien said she grew up playing Pokémon and Zelda. Although she still plays these games, O’Brien said she also believes in the impor-tance of playing games with others and appreciates the online capabilities of newer consoles.

“It’s cool to be able to play games with your friends across the world, even in your own home,” O’Brien said.

On the contrary, Spirpos said she believes the transition to online gaming is not necessarily a good one.

“With Xbox you can play with people across the world, but you miss the social interaction of being with other people,” Spirpos said.

Teens fi nd interest in retro video games

Rusty Quarters Retro Arcade818 West Lake St.Minneapolis, 55408

Hours:Sunday-Monday: ClosedTuesday - Thursday: 3-10 p.m. Friday: 3 -11 p.m.Saturday: noon-11 p.m.

Games offered: 26 arcade cabinet-style and pinball games, such as Frogger, Asteroids and Dig Dug.

Where to play: