The current plan is to have the relay on BSM’s track. “Mr. Pettinger said that the track should be usable until May 20. If by chance they are ahead of schedule with the construction I don’t know what we will do,” said coordinator Mr. St. Martin.

Mr. St. Martin is very excited for the event. “My goal is that individuals understand the effect of the time and money they invest on finding a cure. I also want people to become more aware of the disease that affects one in three people,” said Mr. St. Martin.

Celebrated as the fiftieth Shakespearean work to be staged at the Guthrie Theatre, Macbeth unveils the chilling repercussions of moral corruption. Some may cringe and recoil from a severe, anything-but-sugarcoated retelling––the production even carrying a graphic violence warning–but, nonetheless, the rousing intensity makes for a frightening yet exhilarating performance.

Set in war-torn Scotland, Macbeth trails it’s titled character in his digression from virtue. A once heroic, righteous soldier marked by benevolent nobility is undermined by his own bloody ambitions. Told by the three weird sisters (Barbara Bryne, Isabell Monk O’Connor, and Suzanne Warmanen) that he will one day be king, their prophecy compels a bloodthirsty mentality in Lady Macbeth (Michelle O’Neill) and Macbeth himself (Erik Heger).

Lady Macbeth, immediately identified as a dominant figure lusting for power, casts aside all moral inhibitions to fulfill the prophecy, inevitably convincing her husband to follow her treacherous example.

But even with the affairs to follow–the murder of the king, a fabricated mask of innocence, the long-awaited decree of the “new” successor–threats to Macbeth’s throne, real and imagined, repress any remnants of sanity. Struggling to maintain dominion over a languishing nation and control over their deteriorating mental states, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth grapple and brawl with their own consciences in attempt to repudiate the confessions of guilt that surface.

Proving to be a somewhat becoming tragedy, in which accumulating atrocities propagate an imminent doom, director Joe Dowling maintains an unwavering intensity throughout. Aside from the plot’s assembly in the first act, the play achieves a captivating momentum continuously propelling toward the climax.

As Macbeth, Erik Heger exceeds expectations, particularly as his character wrestles with the subject of morality preceding his first sinuous act. While the audience is knowledgeable of the outcome of Macbeth’s self-contending soliloquy, Heger conveys an inner turmoil so genuine one can’t help hoping he might change his mind. However, on the hinge of optimism and doubt, it becomes evident that Macbeth’s fall from nobility is inevitable and vice’s victory over virtue secure. Consequently, Macbeth’s sanity erodes into a deranged paranoia all for the moral and mortal cost of power.

However, were it not for Lady Macbeth’s infamous strokes of influence, Macbeth might have remained one of the king’s many loyal guardians. Striking and succeeding with frightening intensity, Michelle O’Neill contradicts any previous stereotypical, Shakespearean caricature with a very original and impassioned performance of her own. Ruthless passion rooted in delusional rationalization, all for the sake of sweet supremacy, she reiterates “what’s done cannot be undone;” as if murder were a mere inconvenience in the pursuit of career advancement as opposed to an unforgivable transgression.

Although presented without intermission, the ominous and haunting resonance of this production is timeless.Heinous crimes, startling confessions and, of course, verbal mastery, all embody Macbeth’s headlong race toward destruction. Illustrating the horrors of ambition and nihilistic falls from grace, this production–despite countless performances–has not wavered in intensity nor lost its power to entertain.

For these seniors this trip is a test of the skills they have learned over the last three years. “This trip is just part of a process, we have been working on new things and this is our way of testing them. This is like our final, the competition at the end of the year, our way to evaluate systems,” said ACS instructor Mr. Timothy Jump.

In their third year of ACS the students are facing new, more difficult challenges. “I am most excited to see if the changes we have made this year will work. The seniors have not worked on our big robot this year, but if the new control system works then the hard part is done and all we have to do is put it on the big robot. The mechanical part is not the hard part, the control part is,” said Mr. Jump.

For students the competition is nothing more than another part of the learning experience. “The class is designed to meet a specific challenge and the search and rescue meets all of our needs. Its not about winning, its about learning. This competition is just a chance for show and tell,” Mr. Jump.

On March 26 to 28, there will be teams from all over the United States competing, and doing well at this tournament will mean a lot to the seniors. “If we do well it means that Mr. Jump is a great teacher, our robot actually worked, and that we qualify our Robocup Jr. robot to compete in Singapore at the international level,” said senior Claire Leiter.

The competition is made up of two parts. “The first course is a maze filled with rubble and the robot has to navigate it to find a victim that can be identified by its heat. For the other there is another maze and the robot has to find the victim (a pop can) and pick it up,” said senior Drew Frenz.

The seniors have been preparing for this competition for two years. “In reality our past two-and-a-half years or so have been leading us up to the level of competition, nationally or internationally. However, we found out about one month ago that we will be going to North Carolina, so since then our focus has been on designing our robots, mounting sensors, programming, and documenting our product,” said Leiter.

Students can’t wait to have the experience because no matter how the competition goes it will be beneficial. “I am excited to see how a competition works. It will be an overall good learning experience no matter how we do,” said Leiter.

I cannot fathom the reason for disallowing seniors with a free first hour the privilege of sleeping in and arriving late. Those with 7th hour free have always been allowed to leave campus, but there are far more reasons to allow us to come in late: more sleep, less traffic, fewer people filling up the library on “I Day,” and I wouldn’t have to squint straight at the sun for 20 miles. The difference to me between arriving at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. is a good half-hour of driving, and a lot more when there’s fresh snow.

Although probably unfeasible due to our ridiculously short lunch periods, the ability to go off-campus for even a half-hour would be a welcome change. After five years of Taco Tuesday, all I want is a decent sandwich. (I refuse to bring a lunch but insist on being given the privilege to leave and get it.) Ideally, we’d be allowed to leave at any point in the day when we don’t have class. It’s not the school’s responsibility to monitor our activities or ensure our safety; I suspect the reason for disallowing these privileges is the administration’s prevailing assumption that all high school students are up to no good––which is true––but BSM is a school, not a daycare.

Perhaps the ability to more completely manage time would help students prepare for college schedules. Many, if not most, public schools allow their students to check in and out of campus at least over lunch hours, without significant problems. I would also appreciate the ability to dine outdoors throughout the year, to enjoy seasonal weather––this would not only increase my happiness, but alleviate the overcrowding some lunch periods experience and increase the student body’s affinity with nature.

Leading up to the Olympics, I just shrugged this glorious series of events off. At first I kept up this “oh, I don’t really care… I’ll just watch the figure skating” persona, sleeping through the opening ceremony.

However, somewhere between men’s moguls and the men’s first short track speed skating final, I had a change of heart. In fact, I became seriously addicted.

By the end, I’m pretty sure I had seen every pivotal or memorable moment in these games. Ohno winning silver due to the Koreans wiping out in speed-skating? Saw it live. The Canadians winning their first gold on home soil? Saw it. The American four-man bobsled team winning gold? Saw it. I had Olympic-cred. I could come to school and talk about any event, any day–an impressive accomplishment that I was quite proud of.

Watching the Olympics inspires us all to become athletes competing in cool sports for a chance at gold and glory (even bronze would do). My sport of choice? Figure skating. Admittedly, there may have been times that I tried to pull off a triple-axel in my living room, or planned my routine and picked my music for the 2014 games. (By the way, triple-axel in the living room… probably not the best idea. I had pretended to be a gymnast during the 1996 summer games and ended up with broken bones).

Looking back, I realize that the winter Olympics are indeed the best: a nice highlight in the middle of a dreary month. I realized this desperation and boredom as even Apolo Ohno and his soul patch and buck teeth were beginning to seem quite attractive (at least he doesn’t wear feathers– there is a reported obsession with figure skater Evan Lysacek among sophomore girls).

Wow, I may need to get a life. Maybe it’s good the Olympics are ending. I have to say, I may have gotten a little teary-eyed as NBC replayed memorable moments from the games to the “Remember the Titans” soundtrack on the final night. But until the next Olympics, I will hold on to these precious memories and train for my big break as a figure skater, with the Olympic march and NBC promotional music forever playing in my heart.

To Benilde-St. Margaret students, these cuts may only have a subtle effect. A drastic cut in local programs might result in library closures, fewer police officers, or even a raise in college tuition.

However, Pawlenty’s “No New Taxes” policies will still affect all Minnesotans. A decrease in the budget means less spending on construction and other government funded projects and fewer jobs. His avoidance of taxes means a lower growth in Minnesota’s economy. With less growth, the state will receive less tax money, leading Pawlenty to cut more programs, continuing the cycle of unemployment.

For someone who has aspirations for the presidency, he shows a remarkably high disregard for doing his job. His choice not to raise taxes may garner some public support in the short run, but when we finally start feeling the full effects, his presidential potential might start to fall.

Cuts include $250 million in local government aid, $347 million in health and human services, and $47 million in higher education. Those in need of government support will lose out on local support programs, receive much less in health-care subsidies and assistance, and be subject to increased college tuition.

Reductions will also take place in government jobs, further raising Minnesota’s unemployment rate, currently at 7.3 percent. These job cuts would make up for $181 million in the budget deficit. How could we elect a president who would only cut the jobs recession-ravaged Americans need?

The devastated economy is a national crisis, and our entire government should be working in unison to create a balanced budget. Pawlenty took the whole matter into his own hands, using his emergency authority to force his ideas upon Minnesotans. Rather than work with Minnesota’s senate, Pawleny prefers to show how he can (abuse) use his power.

Pawlenty did, however, exclude K-12 education, veteran services, and “core” saftey programs from the budget cuts. These sectors are often the first to go when the budget needs balancing, but Pawlenty instead opted for a shift in funds. But this “shift” will result in local governments raising property taxes in order to make ends meet.

The most recent addition to Good Day’s repertoire is their dinner menu. Offering salads, pasta, burgers, and sandwiches, the restaurant doesn’t disappoint their late-night crowd.

If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up after school, Good Day Cafe also has a built-in coffee shop. Selling coffee, tea, and pastries to go, the food here is just as good as that of the restaurant’s.

Located right on 394, less than five minutes away from BSM, Good Day is the perfect to grab a snack on the way home or stop for breakfast before a late start.

Effertz began making movies in seventh grade after seeing “Star Wars” for the first time. “The more I looked at ['Star Wars'] the more I realized the directing was more my thing. Christopher Nolan’s work on ‘The Dark Knight’ really solidified that notion in my mind. ‘Dear Jack’ , a documentary about my favorite singer, Andrew McMahon, sparked my interest in documentary film making,” said Effertz.

Effertz is about to show her latest documentary “It Doesn’t Define You…” at the History Center on March 9 through a film studies program called Story Board. “My documentary is about my Aunt Kathleen. She discovered she’s lesbian when she was in high school,” said Effertz, “the [film] is all about that journey of self-discovery and coming-out to herself, friends, and family.”

Spending multiple hours in the play’s tech room has already given Effertz ideas for another upcoming film. “After this, I’m probably going to start working on a documentary about what it’s like to be a techie. I’m thinking the title will be ‘Behind the Glass and Sawdust,’” said Effertz.

Besides immediate plans, Effertz would also like to continue film making into college and eventually as a career. “My dream in life is to go to The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. George Lucas went there and Spielberg is an honorary grad,” said Effertz, “USC SCA really is the epitome of film school, so I have trouble picturing myself anywhere else.”

Over MEA, Effertz flew out to San Francisco to check out the Letterman Digital Arts Center (LDAC), which is half of Lucasfilm, Ltd. headquarters. Effertz recalls that is was a very beautiful part of the city and would love to work out there in the future. “The only place the public can access other than the park is the main lobby where they have all kinds of memorabilia from different Lucasfilm movies,” said Effertz, “but that didn’t stop me and my grandma from following behind an employee to get in to the Starbucks.”

Effertz would like to encourage other aspiring directors to check out storyboard.org. “Story Board is fabulous. We are taught by real professionals and it’s only about $15 a class and we only meet once a month, so if you’re really interested I cannot think of a better investment,” said Effertz.

This retreat had students realizing how they affect others. “I think it definitely benefited the students; by the end of the retreat the kids were really connecting with all their peers,” said senior Andy Kalb, a Peer Minister who helped lead the retreat.

Designed for seventh and eighth graders, this retreat works to empower middle school students to examine their everyday fears and commit themselves to acting with courage. “It takes courage to stand up for what’s right when your peers are going in the opposite direction,” said one of the directors of Youth Frontiers, Joe Beckman.

Youth Frontiers provides powerful experiences similar to the courage retreat, such as the kindness, respect, and wisdom retreats. This organization works to build positive school communities and break down barriers between students. “Regardless of the type of retreat experience, whether it be the Courage Retreat or the Respect Retreat or others that they present, they always do a beautiful job in reaching the kids, bringing them to a deeper understanding of their individual gifts, the value of other people, and the importance of making good decisions,” said Mike Jeremiah.

All students can act with moral courage when facing a decision, and through stories and games, Youth Frontiers successfully creates an environment where students can feel comfortable using moral courage.
“At the beginning we played high energy and fun games to get the kids excited and comfortable with us and their peers. Through out the rest of the day we switched between games and serious activities. I was personally surprised by how much maturity and respect the seventh graders showed to the leaders and their peers during the small groups and other sessions,” said Peer Minister Katie McClurg.

At the closing of the retreat, students had the choice to get up in front of everyone and tell what act of courage they were going to do to make a change in themselves or their school. “I was really impressed by how many seventh graders shared things in front of their whole class; some of the things they said were really touching,” said McClurg.

BSM’s planned trip to Italy has been rescheduled for spring break of 2011. “It gives us a year to plan and budget,” said trip coordinator Mr. Robert Epler. Originally planned for this spring break, the trip has been pushed back to next year because of the lack of students signed up. “There were lots of students interested, but virtually no follow through,” said Mr. Epler.

The trip, scheduled from March 26 to April 4, will include sightseeing in Venice, Florence, Pompeii and Rome, visiting the famous historical sights like the Colosseum as well as the Vatican.

The trip was originally intended for students in AP European History, Arts in the Church, and Mr. Epler’s upper-level Latin classes. However, in an effort to get more people signed up, Mr. Epler is now opening the trip up to other students and adults. “I’m [now] advertising it school-wide,” said Mr. Epler, who is having an informational meeting on Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. for all those who are interested.