Boraan Abdulkarim Portfolio 2012-2015

BORAAN ABDULKARIM

PORT FOL IO. THE RUBICON 2012-2013

Staff Writer

2013-2014

Chief Visual Editor

2014-2015

Chief Visual Editor

2015-2016

Editor-In-Chief

Resume Education: October 2012 Minnesota High School Press Association State Convention 2012-2013 Writing for Publications I, II Nov 14-16 2013 National High School Press Association Convention

Attended sessions on photography, deadline time management, Photoshop, page design, and engaging story writing.

2013-2014 Journalism Jan-May 2014 Photography Jun-Dec 2015 Photography 2014-2015 Editorial Leadership Nov 6-9 2014 National High School Press Association Convention

Attended sessions on photography, advanced Photoshop, page design, and interviewing.

2014-2015 Editorial Leadership 2015-2016 Editorial Leadership

Experience: 2008-2012

The Meridian Middle School Club that meets weekly for a trimester to put out a newspaper

June 2013 Cover Story Editor, The Rubicon. Responsibilities include: • determining section content • collaborating with writers on story angle and style • providing multiple edits and feedback for content and AP style • designing one two page centerspread every 4 week cycle • contributing to pre-and post- critique of each issue • uploading content to for online and social media Aug. 2013- Jun. 2014

Cover Story Editor, The Rubicon

Aug. 2014-April. 2014 Chief Visual Editor, The Rubicon. Responsibilities include:  designing the front cover  helping section editors come up with and carry out designs  checking drafts of paper for visual mistakes (stroke weight, blurriness, colors, etc.)  making sure paper looks good and eye catching in general  taking charge of the photo assignment process  helping people take good quality photos for print  working with online CVE for fluidity between print and online  helping centerspread editor for fluidity between cover and centerspread (cover story)

June 2015-August 2015 The Highland Park Villager: Freelance Writer.  Wrote one feature, one front cover story. First was about effects of construction on local businesses, second on Irish heritage in Minnesota.

Special Skills: • Ability to write under pressure • Special eye for design • Adobe Illustrator experience and ability to make a visually appealing infographic • Strong story writing abilities • Cooperates and listens to others • Fluent in Arabic and English Individual Awards: 2014, 2015 2015 2015 2015

NHSPA notable journalist Quill and Scroll Inductee NHSPA Design of the Year finalist and honorable mention Columbia Scholastic Press Association “Best of Crown Awards” for page one design

The Rubicon Awards: JEM All State Gold – Print and Online MHSPA Best of Show – 1st Place (Print), 5th Place (Online) NSPA first place w/marks of distinction NHSPA All American w/3 Marks of Distinction (print) and first class (online) CSPA Gold Medal w/all Columbian Honors CSPA Silver Crown Award Best of SNO Medalist Pacemaker Finalist Boraan Abdulkarim 3081 12th Street NW New Brighton MN 55112 16Boraana@students.spa.edu

2015-2016 Reflection Describe your process, as a journalist. How do you stay organized?

Timely? Creative? How did your process (writing, design, editing, collaboration, multimedia/online, etc) work this year?

What has suprised me is that in journalism, and perhaps also in other areas, when I reached for areas that I am uncomfortable with, such as covering a sport event I have little experience with, I produced work that I was satisfied with and that I could immediately feel that I grew from.

What do you know about producing a publication that you didn’t know before?

I’ve learned that passion is everything: that unless a writer or photograher has drive and motivation, the stories and photos (respectively) that is produced will be bland. Likewise, with enough motivation and perspective, even the most mundane of stories can be transformed into a work of art by the inspired writer.

How do you feel your work this year represents what you are capable of? What are you most proud of? What do you wish (if anything) you could do over?

I’m proud of my Arts and Entertainment piece on the spring musical for the April print issue. It was fun to attend mutliple rehearsals with the Les Mis cast then translating that experience into an informative and engaging piece that readers would enjoy and perfomers would agree is accurate. I recieved some such feedback from the director of the play after the issue hit stands and that was one of the highlight moments of my Rubicon career this year.

What have you enjoyed doing most on staff this year?

This year, as with every year, the most rewarding part of being on staff has been the honor of witnessing scattered and rudimentary ideas and story brainstorming take the path of our print cycle and turn into a beautiful, physical copy of the student newspaper, being read by students and teachers who interact with the content, using it to make our school community more informed, aware, and aware.

Writing From news and investigative journalism to online-exclusive fashion and listicles, I’ve experimented with a variety of writing styles and topics.

Book Fest Celebrates Stories Through Song October 29 2012

As warm summer days at home turn into crisp fall weeks at school, the leaves cascading to the ground serve as a reminder of fall events from years past, when the streets were filled with the same earthy hues. Those who have been to the middle school remember going to English class, and, delightedly, being led to the Summit Center or Library Classroom to check out the Book Fest. The St. Paul Academy and Summit School Book Fest is a great opportunity to pick up a few titles, or even buy a book or two. “I usually find, like, five books that I want to read,” freshman Sabrina Brown said. Students browsing the Book Fest every year are welcomed by an array of titles fitted to their interests. This event, however, does not organize itself. Preparation for this event begins up to two years in advance, with the choosing of a guest speaker, book brainstorms eight months before the actual occasion, and consequently, the theme of each year’s Book Fest. This year’s theme is “Stories Through Song” “We’ve really done good work there, because we used to just invite a local writer you might not have heard of, and we used to have some issues in the past of some people not really being good fits for the student body,” US English teacher Randall Findlay, a representative on the Book Fest committee, said. More authors are then invited to sign books for the remainder of the week. The list of books is put together by the committee in collaboration with Common Good Books, and occasional student suggestions. “We put a ton of work into making really interesting book selections for people to look at and buy if they want to, and I always feel like that part of the Bookfest goes under-recognized, in terms of what you find, and how it is different from a regular bookstore,” Findlay said . “We really try to tailor it to what people might be interested in”. The event is organized by parents and teachers, but relies on parent volunteers. “Book Fest is fortunate to have many devoted members,” parent chair of the Book Fest committee Peggy Hansen said. The committee hopes for student feedback. “I am interested in what it is that the students want from the Bookfest, because we do this thing every year, and we don’t really hear what the students have to say about it,” Findlay said. Freshman Liza Bukingolts’ favorite part of past book festivals was “the snacks, and how they made it feel special, and fun.” In contrast, freshman Miriam Tibbetts said that she enjoyed “seeing the posters that people make for the Book Fest.” “The SPA M/US Book Fest is committed to raising community awareness of reading, promoting reading, and educating about the processes related to writing, with proceeds used to support speakers and writing workshops for SPA students,” Hansen said. “The goal is to celebrate reading, and literacy, and literature in all of its forms for a week. It’s not to fundraise, it’s not to sell books, it’s not any of those things. It’s to celebrate books in life,” Findlay said. The Book Fest isn’t just about the new books. Parent Anette Swanson runs the used book sale, and books may be donated to bins in the Davern entrance and the gym entrance from October 22nd to September second. Book prices range from seven to 35 dollars, with the choice of cash or a simple charge to an SPA account. Free gift-wrapping is provided. The Book Fest will be ongoing during the week of Nov. 5-12, in the Summit Center and Library Classroom as it is every year.

Sommers, Hammel gain responsibility and learn the importance of persistence at Izzy’s Ice Cream

November 26 2012

Running an ice cream store isn’t easy. It isn’t just a matter of throwing a bunch of chairs and tables in the center of a room and hiring a couple employees. “I have a tremendous amount of respect and honor for my peers that work in or run family-owned businesses. It takes a tremendous level of commitment,” Jeff Sommers, owner of Izzy’s ice cream and father of junior Anda Sommers and freshman Ora Hammel said. Anda Sommers also said, “It makes me feel compassion towards family-run businesses if something goes wrong because I know how much families are invested in their businesses.” Responsibility comes on many different levels. There’s responsibility for chores, responsibility for grades, for behavior. But the responsibility that comes as a side to owning a restaurant is immense.

Those who really care about the outcome of their business put more apparent effort into it. “If I know another kid with a family run business, I can guess that they have a job there and that they learn about businesses. Sometimes you can tell whether their parents work a lot based on their facial expressions,” said Hammel. That is the difference between a perky cashier and a server who’s been working two shifts without rest. Jeff Sommers’ representation of obvious effort is “hard work and persistence, [and] that it’s really, really important to give a great product and great customer service.” He continued, “And when we do those two things consistently and well, our customers appreciate our efforts and reward us by coming back a second or third time, or maybe in some cases, ten or thirty times.” Family-owned businesses are called that for a reason. It takes the whole family to make it work—not just the parents. “Most Sundays I go and help with making cake crusts out of graham cracker and Oreo crumbs. I also help with making cupcakes,” Hammel said. “This summer I worked a lot on decorat-ing ice cream cakes, and that was fun. My sister [Anda] worked a lot during the summer in the office, with checks and bills with my mom and stuff. My mom does a lot of organizing and office work.” This definitely implies a large commitment to time, but, according to Jeff Sommers, Anda Sommers and Ora Hammel, it is time well spent. “I work on a daily basis as many as 12 hours. For instance, today I’ve been working since 7 a.m.,” Jeff Sommers said. This connects to the same rea-son his daughter Anda said she will “never, ever, ever” go into business when she is older, with her given reason being “way to much stress for me.” But, for the rewarding element, Jeff Sommers said, “It allows us to innovate and take a leadership role in society. It allows us to mentor young people and model excellence. And we get to have some fun.” “I have mixed feelings about it. I see a lot of the stressful and negative parts of running a business and obviously that’s hard for our family. On the other hand, I am constantly impressed with how much my parents accomplished,” Anda Sommers said. “I think it’s really cool. Most families work in an office and have a boss, but my parents are the boss…

And I get free ice cream!” Hammel said. When I was little I would draw signs and my dad would put them up in the store, that was fun,” Anda Sommers recalled. In terms of how much the business cuts into family time, Hammel remarked that “sometimes they [my parents] talk about work on the weekends, and it doesn’t really bother us, and sometimes it’s cool to hear what’s up.” Hammel added, “Since my parents both have the same job, they like to bring work into the house.” Similarly, her sister Anda Som-mers said, “Izzy’s is super time consuming. Unlike some jobs where you work for a set time, my parents are constantly working. We will be sitting around the dinner table and my parents will be doing work… it makes life at home very chaotic. It’s always a struggle finding rides and putting meals together.” Her father’s response about the responsibility with respect to time was: “Yeah, sometimes it’s for the better, and sometimes for the worse,” he said. How do we learn to succeed? What makes a small business grow and thrive? What separates the 30% of non-failing family owned businesses from the majority? It’s safe to call this one a win for the element of experience. “I get to learn a lot about businesses, and for when I get a real job, I’m currently gaining experience in how to act as an employee towards the boss and hear a lot of these things. I learn from Izzy’s workers’ mistakes,” Hammel said. Anda Sommers gave an example: “Like if an employee accidentally unplugs a freezer and all the ice cream melts not only do we lose money but my dad has to drop whatever he is doing and go help.” She connects this to “the importance of persistence. My parents constantly face challenges and have to work at overcoming them. They never give up on what’s important to them and I think that’s a good lesson.”

8th grader John Soranno learns life lessons from business at Punch November 26 2012

“A business offers you freedom, and you select what you do, and when you do it. Having a small business is a great thing,” John Soranno, Sr., owner of Punch Neapolitan Pizza and St. Paul Academy and Summit School parent of eighth grader John Soranno, said.

Both Sorannos have an overall positive view on owning a business as a family. John Soranno, Sr. claims that owning a restaurant affects his family life “only in positive ways,” and that “there’s really no downside to owning a business.” “Owning a business affords you the freedom to do what you want,” John Soranno, Sr. said. He listed as an example: “I can pick my son up at school if I’m free.” Owning a business supplies a way to hand pick a system of getting things done, or as John Soranno, Sr. put it: “[Selecting] what you do, and when you do it.” Running a business, like other things, has its catches. For the Sorannos, though, those catches don’t mean a dead end. “It doesn’t really affect us as a family; it can sometimes create stress over issues, but it feels pretty normal,” John Soranno said.

Punch Pizza is in the midst of building an eighth location, and in that, has already passed a milestone for most family run businesses in terms of expansion. “When I first opened [the] Highland [location] sixteen years ago, I just wanted to have one restaurant, and it was hard just to make that successful,” John Soranno, Sr. said. But that didn’t stop him. He doesn’t lack modesty in saying, “I still consider it a small business.” “I like that my family worked hard and succeeded, and it makes me proud of my dad and family,” John Soranno said.

Hard work pays off and teaches valuable lessons, even if it takes some getting used to. This is the rule that holds together the Soranno family’s story. “My dad always has to deal with one thing or another, but I’ve gotten more and more used to it so it doesn’t affect me as much as it use to,” John Soranno said. “It teaches me life lessons, being able to see how to manage people and deal with situations in business,” he continued. Similarly, John Soranno, Sr. said, “I don’t think you ever learn anything valuable the easy way. All the good lessons come the hard way. You learn lots of life lessons the hard way.” He also added, “I think all business is hard. I think everything is hard, whether you’re a musician, actor or businessman. Whether you run Walmart or Punch Pizza, it’s a lot of work.”

Energizing spring and summer fashion boasts contrast and comfort May 14 2013

“I can sum it up in two words: prison break,” Eric Wilson said for The New York Times. This short summary of spring/summer 2013 fashion is on the dot. Stripes have been dominant, but so has all-out black and white. Kimono-inspired prints and cuts are also a great statement to make. Ruffles, as exemplified by the popular peplum top, are an elegant fashion statement that will serve as casual with a twist of formal. Looking for a color pop? Think deep sea- aquas and corals. Hot weather means sunglasses, and this summer, shades should be whimsical. Cat-eyes, hearts, and Windsor shades all fall into this category. For simpler, more comfortable pieces, anything pastel or lace should be a go-to. “[Summer style]’s going to be pastel layers and colors with a grungy or vintage edge. Very sixties,” Freshman Emily Bookless said.

Loose, pajama-like harem pants, cinched at the ankle, are a great option for comfort and give off a distinct feel to any outfit.

New elected group leaders work for students May 29 2013

“We do our research, but really the student body knows what needs to change or stay the same in the school,” one of the new co-president of Upper School Council Nick Cohen said. St. Paul Academy and Summit School has a smaller number of students, which is an advantage in giving more attention to students. That’s what makes the school special. This allows more student opinion to be infiltrated into decisions, in the Upper School Council, Student Activities Committee, and the Discipline Committee. The elected leaders all gave excellent speeches, and, though some were the only ones running for their positions, it was a tough choice for those who did have competition.

The new leaders have unique visions, parallel with each of their new positions and group. “I really want to see USC transform into a connection between the students and the faculty that truly gets things done in order to make student life at SPA better,” Cohen continued.

“Our main goal is that we accurately represent the student body. Students should know what we are discussing in USC and members of USC should know the issues and conversations happening around the school,” added the other co-president Hannah Johnson.

“I want to make sure that the school community knows what the Upper School Council is working on,” Upper School Council secretary Cait Gibbons said.

Similarly, Cohen summed up their goal as “making changes that people will feel.”

“One big piece is the Student Mentoring and Tutoring program, which has gotten very positive response and feedback already. Hopefully that will work to create a much better community-like atmosphere between the grades,” Cohen said. “Students should know what we are discussing in USC and members of USC should know the issues and conversations happening around the school,” Johnson said.

Each student leader has a plan of action for their goals, which correspond with the goal of the position they have been elected for. Many of these goals center around wider student discussion and community interaction. “My visions as the DC chair are to make discussions open, to make everything a fair as continue bringing student voice to the committee,” junior Charlie Rosenblum, who was elected as Discipline Committe Chair said.

The current effort to get student voice out there is mixed. It pays off well, according to Gibbons and Rosenblum. “USC does help to put a student voice out there,” Gibbons said.

“Unlike many other schools, SPA has a Discipline Committee almost entirely made up of students, so it gives not only lots of student voice but students perspectives as well,” Rosenblum added.

Cohen has another take. “Currently, I don’t think USC interacts enough with the student body to see what issues truly affect them,” he said.

Opinion: Vending machines could use more variety May 24 2013

When X Period strikes, so does student hunger. St. Paul Academy and Summit School provides snack for middle schoolers, but the Upper School isn’t so lucky. Students usually turn, then, to the cafeteria for fruit, or the celebrated ice rink vending machines - otherwise known as the Drake machines. It’s permissible by the school rules, but could student snack options be better?

There are two vending machines hidden away near the athletic hallway. They aren’t noticed by some students. “I had no idea there were vending machines in the athletic hallway,” said freshman Riley Wheaton. Also, the food in these machines, since not many people use it, is really old. Not. Appetizing. I’d overlook that aspect if the machines actually worked. Freshman Maggie Vlietstra agrees. “I’d be like oh, okay goldfish, but that doesn’t work. And so I try ten different things before it finally spits something out,” Vlietstra said.

Many students have discovered that the machines tend to take money with no return of a snack or the coins. Also, the machines tend not to be refilled after snacks run out. “they never refill that machine” sophomore Deniz Kihtir said. There is virtually nothing positive coming out of those machines.

For both machine locations, there is one problem they have in common -- the content. I need to take a practical view on this. The healthiest thing in the Drake Machines is a nature valley granola bar. Come on, SPA, we can do better than that. When we visit other schools, they have taken extra steps to give nutritious options for the students. There are many options, including refrigerated machines with yogurt and fruit. “The school would be better off without those machines,” Upper School spanish teacher Rafaela Salido said.

Many students, especially athletes, would prefer a handful of almonds to a fatty, sugary, Butterfinger. And I had been making a wrong assumption that the school wouldn’t offer carbonated beverages until I came across these machines for the first time in middle school.

I’m disappointed in the available drinks in the machines. It’s great that we have Vitaminwater as an option, but do we really need to put that next to the ever-appealing Coca-Cola™? The choice is there, but it’s not made any easier by the options. These options, healthy or not, though, are “way overpriced,” according to junior Steven Go-Rosenberg.

The vending machines are a blessing to most students, especially those who participate in after school activities. The disadvantages are overlooked, no matter how problematic they are, because they help. The vending machines are a great thing for a school to have, but could be more convenient in their locations and options.

It would be awesome if the school could change the location of the athletic hallway machines to a more functional spot that’s permissible by the school rules. “A student can go to Drake to X period, as long as they don’t bring the food back into the building,” said Dean of Students Judy Cummins.

“We understand that students need snack during the day,” she added. Cummins agrees that the cafeteria is a better location for the machines. “If the cafeteria were open all day to students, I think it would be a great spot [for a vending machine],” she said.

A current suggestion to improve the quality of the machines includes bringing in a third machine; a Healthy Vend. This machine is refrigerated and provides the opportunity to have foods that would otherwise perish in a normal machine, like Izze all natural soda, or apples and caramel packets. The idea has been presented to the Upper School Council, and has a possibility of being put into action in the next school year.

Denim, eighties, and Toms shoes infiltrate fall fashion trends on campus September 10 2013

Fall means beautiful colored leaves, fresh apple cider, and, of course, the start of a new fashion season. The overarching theme?

Throwback. “I’m seeing a lot of eighties,” freshman Shelby Tietel said.

This fall’s trends include beaded tops and, statement sweaters, over the knee boots, fringe purses, and the trend that won’t die, peplum.

Blue jeans are trending and easily wearable, whether it’s a denim jacket, chambray blouse, or top to bottom denim. Speaking of blue, the leather trend has taken a slight turn. The traditional black leather jacket has been swapped for a cobalt blue shade this fall. Otherwise, autumn colors this year include emerald green, gray, and rosy pinks.

More of the fall trends spotted on campus include polka dot prints, lace shorts, toms shoes, and colored jeans.

Theater plans coming to fruition September 26 2013

“Chaotic.” “Cramped.” “Complicated:” these are words that St. Paul Academy and Summit School sophomores Claire Walsh and Alice Tibbetts used to describe the current setup for drama and music rehearsals and performances. For years, fine arts performances and rehearsals have taken place in the Lower School’s Sarah Converse auditorium. “It’s about time we had a theater for the Upper School, and I think all the theater people would agree,” Tibbetts said.

Previously, using the Sarah Converse auditorium added inconvenience and took away precious rehearsal time for the fine arts students and teachers. “Because there aren’t as many seniors this year, getting to the Lower School is going to be a problem, because we do rely on [upperclassmen] who have cars to drive everybody,” Walsh said. “During the plays and tech week, we would think, ‘oh, it would be so easy if we had our own auditorium,” Tibbetts said. Tibbetts is especially looking forward to “the excitement of performing in a new theater.

The Middle School play rehearsals currently take place in the Sarah Converse Auditorium. Taking a bus is no longer a sensible option because every bus ride costs $100.00. The students have to carry their backpacks, equipment, and musical instruments back and forth each day, because they do not return to the Upper School after rehearsals.

“The music and drama programs have long outgrown our current spaces and we are in desperate need for a more appropriate venue,” Upper and Middle School Music instructor Almut Engelhardt explained.

Similarly, Upper School Drama Teacher Eric Severson said, “Over the years, the SPA Theater Program has grown and we are outgrowing our current space.” As a temporary solution, the Upper and Middle School orchestras, band, and choir have been performing in different locations, but soon the group became too big.

The groups have been performing at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University for three years now. For Upper and Middle school Choir Instructor Anne Klus, moving between the Randolph Campus and St. Kate’s requires “more time for planning rehearsals and moving a lot of equipment.”

Students and teachers alike have been wishing for a Randolph Campus performing arts center for a while. “It’s probably been active conversation for 20 years and it really picked up speed the last six or so,” Head of School Bryn Roberts said.

“As long as there are lights, sound and curtains I’ll be happy,“ Severson said.

Sophomore Ingrid Topp-Johnson has a more specific desire, stating “It would be really nice to have there be good dressing rooms for the actors. Actually, we have to go down to the cafeteria of the Lower School for plays, and that was kind of a hassle.”

It looks like it will finally become a reality.The new theater will feature 650 seats, a balcony, practice rooms, a set design shop, a new lighting and sound system, and more.

With such a large space, Roberts hopes to be able to hold plays, senior speeches, community meetings, and concerts there in the future. “ It won’t just be a place for the performing arts, but in addition will be serving as a community gathering space,” Roberts said.

The design is still in a developmental stage. It will be built in the parking lot area in front of Drake Ice arena and behind Briggs Gymansium.

This first phase plan isn’t only about a new performing arts facility. According to Roberts, it will consist of a dramatic new entryway to the school. There will be a driveway that will come up to Fairview Avenue, So parents can drop students off in front of the performing arts center.

“It is a big project that will transform how we think of the school, what we can do, it’ll be bold and exciting, we’re really looking forward to it,” Roberts said.

SPA made a commitment to building the new theater in 2009-2010, according to Roberts. The reason for the delay was because of the state of the economy. “We really had to, we thought, get through the recession before we launched the capital campaign,” Roberts said.

The fundraising began about two and a half years ago. Roberts hopes to begin construction before the end of 2014. “We would love to put a shovel in the ground and get going a year from now,” he said.

The fine arts center, he estimated, would take around a year to build, once started. Now that this dream is becoming a reality, there’s room for more than just physical expansion in the fine arts program at SPA. There will be a lot of opportunity in terms of experimentation with what the SPA community is capable of.

“We’ll be able to try new things, and experiment more with our space,” Walsh said.

“This will make it a lot easier to put on great performances and may provide us with more creative opportunities that we didn’t have before,” Klus said.

“You really want to feel part of a community when you go to a performance as it heightens your experience of the art – this new space can really embody the strong sense of community at SPA,” Carl said.

“I see this as a special space for our entire SPA community,” Orman said.

“We are going to have opportunities to put on performances, to perfect our craft,” Roberts said. “So we really think this’ll be transformative in so many ways.”

School embraces new mission statement September 27 2013

The gymnasium buzzed with a mix of excitement and disappointment at the start of a new school year on Aug. 27. Slowly, the conversations hushed and the Welcome Assembly began. After the greeting and a presentation by Upper School Principal Chris Hughes, Head of School Bryn Roberts presented a speech about one of the many new changes to the school this year: a new mission statement.

Throughout the speech, everyone was quiet. Roberts, with the click of a button, advanced to the culminating slide of the power-point presentation with the new St. Paul Academy and Summit School mission statement printed clearly in the middle.

Shaping the minds and the hearts of those who will change the world.

Though the mission statement is new, the concept is not; it describes the SPA community as it is. “The mission statement is like a guide, a north star. It’s very important in capturing the essence of the institution,” Roberts said.

Sophomore Madeeha Rizvi agreed: “I think it gives the school a clear goal, just having it there. It helps the school focus on what’s important. Then, that helps us improve, like with the new schedule,” she said.

Last year, nobody could have rattled off the mission of SPA. According to Hughes, “[a mission statement] becomes meaningless if you have to go and look it up.”

Now, though, the SPA mission statement has undergone a transformation. It’s quick and straight to the point. Those 13 words sum up the ambitions of SPA. “I think if a mission is going to be valuable, it ought to be something people know and understand,” Hughes said.

Students agree.

“I think that this mission statement is a lot better because it’s actually possible to remember it. It stays with people,” sophomore Elena Youngdale said.

Freshman Noel Parker thinks the new Mission Statement will be “preparing [students] for bigger things. ” The new mission statement not only changes how SPA students, parents, teachers, and faculty see the school, but how outsiders and prospective students see it, too.

Director of Communications Ami Berger believes that although the mission statement alone will not make someone wish to attend the school, it will spark interest. “There is absolutely nothing I could do, there’s no magazine I could write, no mission statement I could write, that would be a hundredth as powerful as a prospective student or parent coming in here and sitting in a classroom or talking to a current student,” Berger said. “[Students] are the ones who breathe life into [the mission statement],” Roberts said.

Senior Nick Cohen does not see the mission statement changing SPA life, but also views it as important for newcomers to SPA. “I think the place that [the mission statement] is going to be important, is outside relationships,” Cohen said.

Cohen was part of a committee of students, teachers, and faculty the helped with the development of the new statement.

Berger finds that this committee was “so important in shaping the mission, which is incredibly important to us, because this means nothing if the students don’t live it and feel like it represents their experience there,” Berger said.

Cohen agrees that the group influenced the final product. “I think [the committee] actually had a lot of input and a lot of weight in the process,” he said.

The committee only met twice, engaged in the endeavor. “[We] didn’t sit down at a conference table and say ‘I think this is what the statement should be, or the mission statement should sound like this,’” said Cohen.

Rather, the group “did a bunch of activities to try and flesh out what the ideals of the school are, what is upheld in the daily routine.” Cohen described one activity in which multiple pictures were laid out on the table, and the members of the committee were told to choose pictures that represented SPA, and what SPA aspires to be.

Hughes, along with many others, noticed that the mission statements of other schools all follow a similar pattern. “There’s always stuff about leadership, and service and community and learning and passion. And those are all great things, absolutely who we are, but there’s no way to distinguish one school from another,” he said.

The new mission statement attempts to give a unique voice to SPA and distinguish it from other schools. “It makes SPA something more than your average school,” Parker said.

Spartan Boosters revamped October 23 2013

“The new Boosters.” This is the term sophomore Lexi Bottern uses to describe the future of St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s Thursday student sports group, Spartan Boosters. Bottern and other leaders of Spartan Boosters are hoping for the group undergo a transformation this year, increasing productivity, gathering money to sponsor events, and “be a big deal,” according to Bottern. “We’re trying to take on this huge role, and its been kind of a joke in the past. We’re doing a lot to change it,” Bottern said.

“We have a lot of ideas, and we’re still trying to figure out how to get a solid, organized group going,” Bottern said. Some of these ideas include having halftime shows, cheering louder at sporting events, selling spirit wear, and extending school spirit to a yearlong phenomenon. Already, boosters has put some of their plans into action, with the help of athletic director Jens Sawkins, who has been sending out emails with sports updates and upcoming events, in addition to meeting with Boosters’ student leaders to discuss how to make the group more successful.

One of the most notable of these resolutions put into actions is the weekly announcements of a male and female athlete of the week during Friday assemblies. These athletes of the week also get their picture put up on the Spartan Boosters board in the history hallway.

“It’s exciting when you do well in sports, and being acknowledged in front of everyone, that’s exciting. Everyone hears about it. In recognition assemblies, teachers go up and acknowledge debaters, and academic things, and how those are big deals, but athlete of the week is going to show that if you do your sport well, people will recognize it. It’s exciting, and it’s good for your school,” Bottern said.

The steps taken to choose just two out of hundreds of student athletes per week are currently undefined and simple, but Bottern hopes to make it a more distinct process as the year advances. “Right now we’re just doing it based off of what people in the group say, so we have a mix of about thirty kids who play a mix of sports, so if someone comes to us during our thursday group and says that so and so did awesome, we’re just like ‘okay, we’ll just do that,’” Bottern said. Moving forward, Spartan Boosters hopes to use individual sport captain and coach input to choose an athlete of the week. Now that we’re paying attention to sports throughout the entire week and not just the weekend, we’re finding and recording who’s doing well, but it would help a lot if captains and coaches submitted people,” Bottern said.

Not only is it hard to choose an individual athlete per sport every week, it’s also hard choosing only one sport’s athlete every week to be recognized. “Last year, it was just doing the big sports that everyone goes to, like soccer, football, basketball, hockey, and baseball.

Whoever made the biggest name,” Bottern said. Moving forward, they want to choose between sports based on how successful the team was that week, while also smaller details into consideration. Sometimes it’s going to be someone who got first place and won the game, but sometimes it’s going to be someone who had, for example, scored a goal in their first varsity game, “because they only get one first game,” Bottern described.

Athlete of the week photos are not all that get hung up on the Spartan Boosters board, however. To emphasize their dedication to a “new Boosters”, they have their mission statement posted, too, to show that Boosters wants to “go out and support and strengthen the spirit of things,” Bottern said. Their mission statement reads simply: promoting and strengthening the Spartan athletic spirit.

Opinion: Bring community service back into the equation November 21 2013

As the school takes on new improvements over the years, it poses a threat of losing important defining characters and priceless experiences, such as community service.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School requires only 12 hours of community service as a sophomore. “Tenth graders complain about 12 hours, which is hardly anything over the course of the entire year. There are schools [the Upper School faculty] have looked at that have 100 hours over the course of [grades] 9-12, but there are pros and cons,” sophomore grade class supervisor Molly Ward said.

“It’s not really a requirement. It’s an expectation,” Upper School Dean of Students Judy Cummins said.

“We don’t have the requirement because we think it’s going to create [only some] number of sophomores who volunteer. It’s just exposure to the sophomores, to see what’s out there and things they can do,” Ward said.

Sophomore Navodhya Samarakoon took the SPA requirement a few steps further. Samarakoon volunteered over the summer in the city of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, halfway across the globe, teaching English and engaging in activities with children who live with foster parents. “It’s a really nice setting [to volunteer in],” Samarakoon said.

“I think that it’s important for people to look outside their own lives and give what they can, or donate to their strengths in the greater community,” Ward said.

“It’s healthy for us,” Cummins said.

Samarakoon sees volunteering as “the experience of helping someone.” Community service is more than just a form that says you’ve completed 12 hours with a signature on it. Senior Ben Morris has experienced two entirely different volunteering environments, and to him, the key difference was the motive. Morris volunteered in Goodwill and Woodwinds ER in Woodbury to fulfill the school requirement.

He also volunteered later, on his own, in Guatemala, fixing cleft palats and hernias for people who cannot afford medical care. “I think that people need to see a value in volunteering, not being forced to by some authority figure,” Morris said.

There’s a difference between volunteering with a purpose and volunteering for a signature on a paper, or to please colleges.“You can really see it if they [volunteer for colleges], because once they’re done with their 12 hours, they don’t do anything more,” Samarakoon said.

“Volunteering at goodwill for school was like pulling teeth to me,” Morris said.

“Any commitment talks about somebody’s passion,” Cummins said.

“There’s certainly people who started volunteering as tenth graders who keep doing it with the same organization through their senior year, and there are some people who barely get it done, and probably some people who get their cards signed even though they didn’t actually do what they said they did. It’s a mixed bag,” Ward said.

Samarakoon values the concept of making commitments with organizations when volunteering and writes letters to the children she taught in Sri Lanka. “I would love to [go back to volunteer again]. If I had to be nitpicky about one of my regrets in volunteering in a different country, it’s that you can’t [go back] every weekend,” Samarakoon said.

The importance of volunteering, and the effect it has on those who volunteer, is substantial. The sophomores were told about the effect volunteering has on people when they were freshmen, during the multiple informative sessions about sophomore volunteering requirements. “People who’ve done a lot of service come back with a lot of different perspectives,” Cummins said, and for students who volunteer, this is experienced firsthand: “They told us this last year, but after volunteering, that’s so true,” Samarakoon said.

High school is where a lot of lifelong skills and habits are acquired, and developing a relationship with community service is imperative.

Opinion: Bring community service back into the equation (continued) Every grade in SPA has an overarching theme, and sophomore year focuses on community service. But shouldn’t this idea be encouraged throughout the entire high school year? Juniors and seniors should also be told to keep volunteering with organizations they liked, that they experimented with sophomore year.

In the past, SPA used to have an individual on campus whose job was to connect the students with people in the community and help out. Some examples included teaching Spanish to St. Paul firemen and studying cancer prevention with the University of Minnesota. In both these scenarios, academics were linked to community service. This was also in part to the teachers’ responsibility to integrate this community work into the curriculum. It’s a pity that we don’t do this anymore, it would make for better context for the curriculum in addition to bettering the community.

To avoid losing the opportunity of exploring community service, SPA should grasp the preexisting requirement, and in fact, to make students more engaged and excited about building long lasting commitments to service, extend it to all four high school years as a whole, and raise the number of hours to at least a hundred. That’s 25 a year, and really not that hard. Increased requirements are obviously within reach if a student wishes to apply themselves to what they are doing. It also does not interfere with classes or budget problems, so I don’t see any reason not to put this into action. Students will gain from it and enjoy it, and even if they don’t enjoy it, I guarantee that their contribution will have made their community a better place.

Oreos: Cookie or cream, students can’t get enough November 27 2013

“Milk’s Favorite Cookie” is, apparently, St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s, too. The wildly popular Oreo sandwich cookie is an SPA tradition. It’s easy accessibility, relatively cheap price, and the large variety of flavors all make it the ideal snack to bring in for advisory or student group meetings.

“It’s rare you find a passionate hate for Oreos,” junior Sonja Mischke said. With 56 calories and four grams of sugar per cookie, according to the package’s nutrition label, Oreos are sure to please an energy-drained student, at least in the short term.

“They taste good, and they are sugary,” sophomore Alena Porter said. For those who don’t appreciate chocolate, or the previously lardbased plain creme filling, plenty of different flavor options are available. Vanilla, or “golden” cookies can replace traditional chocolate.

Colorful sprinkles grace the center of “Birthday Cake” flavored Oreos, and orange centers are featured in “Candy Corn” Oreos.

As for the easy access, Oreos are available in any drugstore or supermarket. “They’re just so widely spread that anywhere you go, you can pick up a pack of Oreos,” Porter said. When a student who is assigned snack one week forgets, they can “go to the store, pick up some Oreos, and are out of there in two minutes,” according to Porter. Oreos’ cheapness make them superior, for some people, to another popular SPA snack: Bruegger’s Bagels.

While most people are indifferent to Oreos, finding the same blue box of cookies in the middle of the Harkness table for advisory makes some feel like they’re “the most overdone snack,” according to senior Michael Wilkens. “They’re okay,” he said.

Having the same sugary confection over and over again is bound to wear out the appeal of it. “I’ll get sick of Oreos really quick,” Porter said.

Investigative Journalism: Un-prescribed Adderall use poses a threat to students health and community of trust December 17 2013 Unwritten papers pile up, unfinished assignments approach their due dates, and the time for putting off studying for midterm examinations draws to a close. As the remaining weeks of the first semester dwindle, winter break seems distant in this infamous and stressful two week time span dubbed “exam season”.

“Exam season” is a time when focus, organization, and efficient planning are particularly essential, while procrastination, a pessimistic attitude, or even “giving up” are a recipe for disaster. Many students at St. Paul Academy and Summit School approach exam season or academically pressuring times with honest, determined hard work. Others, however, may turn to unprescribed study drugs such as Adderall to help them power through and achieve seemingly impossible high scores. What many might not know is that these drugs are dangerous for individuals without attention issues.

Negative Health Effects Adderall is a drug prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, characterized by a short attention span, easy distraction, organizational problems, procrastination, and the tendency to leave tasks unfinished. Junior Eva Zaydman, who has ADHD, takes prescribed Adderall regularly for this exact reason, but wishes there was another way to treat her ADHD. “I have a very short attention span. When I take it [Adderall], it does help me,” she said.

While Adderall increases the attention span and focus of those who have ADHD, it is still an inherently dangerous drug whose distribution must be strictly controlled. Its main ingredient, amphetamine salts, are derivative of the extremely addictive methamphetamine.

Adderall too is a highly addictive substance for which withdrawal can be extremely difficult. Upper School counselor Susanna Short comments on this crucial aspect of the drug saying,“If you really get addicted to Adderall, and then you go off, the withdrawal can be quite painful. I mean muscle aches, body aches, sweating, nausea. It’s a withdrawal from a serious controlled substance.”

Dosing an unprescribed drug like Adderall is dangerous, especially when the user feels only positive effects from taking it. “If it’s not prescribed, you may not be dosing it right. Nobody is following you to make sure that you are taking it appropriately, so I think in the long run it could be very very harmful,” Short, who is certified in mental health, said. An overdose of Adderall, while generally not fatal, may induce a laundry list of health troubles including but not limited to arrhythmia, hypertension, and hyperreflexia.

One of Adderalls most common and disruptive side effects is trouble sleeping, which Zaydman can relate to. “From my personal experience, trying to fall asleep while on Adderall is really hard,” she said. Other side effects include appetite loss, nausea, increased heart rate, anxiety, depression, and hallucinations. These side effects are very similar to those of methamphetamine.

Contrary to popular belief, Adderall isn’t even guaranteed to make every user feel more focused or succeed on a test. As with any medication, it could have different effects on different people. “For some it may cause a helpful amount of focus,and for others it may cause jitteriness,perhaps making them revved up in a way that could be unmanageable,” SPA’s Director of Center for Learning and Teaching Sarah Davies said.

Legality If the health effects of taking un-prescribed Adderall are not reason enough to stay away from the drug, perhaps the legal implications of doing so are. It is against the law to possess Adderall without a prescription and such legality issues may “come around and hurt you, bite you in the back,” junior Ian Sussna said.

“If you don’t have ADHD, then the cons of it outweigh the pros, by far,” Zaydman said.

Long-term Side Effects Adding to the list of downsides to unprescribed Adderall usage, is that fact that when used to replace constant hard work and effort, Adderall may permanently damage their study habits which indispensable for success in life. “[Illegal Adderall users] won’t learn the study habits they’ll need for college, or they won’t have the work ethic that they’ll need for a job. So it may be helpful to study in the short term, but they won’t learn the lessons that they need in the long term,” Sussna said. “[Adderall] basically is a shortcut. You don’t have to study long or work hard when you have the advantage of, in this case, abusing Adderall that you’re not prescribed,” he added.

“I think [illegal Adderall users] are deceiving themselves,” Zaydman said.

As a private college preparatory school, SPA prides itself in the study habits it instills in its students. Its success in doing so is something which parents at SPA have invested in year after year. Taking that shortcut, that illegal Adderall, deceives not only parents but students themselves.

Students who take Adderall without a prescription not only miss out on academic strategies which will serve them for life, but also come to believe that they need Adderall to succeed. As they sink deeper and deeper into Adderall addiction, students begin to perceive their natural capacities as insufficient enough to succeed. Their self confidence drops, driving them deeper into a cycle of dependence on the drug.

The stakes at a school like SPA are high when it comes to academic achievement and this is part of the reason why so many students turn to study drugs like Adderall. “Adderall becomes really popular during midterms and finals. Around these times, for instance, they say ‘wow, I haven’t been doing well in this class. It’s so important for me to do [well] on this math final’,” Zaydman said.

“The whole community has a kind of a drive to be successful. People come to this school to take advantage of that,”sophomore Navodhya Samarakoon said.

“You go to SPA and if you think about it, if you get good grades at SPA, you can go anywhere. There’s a lot of pressure,” sophomore George Stiffman said. While it is important to be motivated to succeed in an environment which values success highly, one should not feel so desperate as to seek out illegal Adderall to lift their grades, test averages, or the like.

Skaters sparkle and shine on ice December 20 2013

“It’s sparkly.” This is how senior Sophie Pressman, a figure skater since the age of six, describes the elegant sport. As the snow falls, the ice freezes and anticipative skaters come out of hiding to grace the ice, moving skillfully and rhythmically, drawing intricate swirls with their blades on the frozen water, embracing the cold winter season in all its grandeur.

While for leisure skaters, figure skating is more popular during the colder months of the year, dedicated figure skaters find an indoor rink to practice and train inside when higher temperatures make it impossible to ice skate outdoors. “Normally, [my practice times are] about equal, maybe a little bit more [during the school year],” Pressman said.

Sophomore Joel Tibbetts began figure skating six years ago after experimenting with many sports, including dance and swimming.

While he played hockey, his interest was caught when a teacher suggested that he try figure skating. After an original reluctance to participate in a supposedly more feminine sport, he tried it out and “it just stuck. I had fun with it,” Tibbetts said.

Pressman’s figure skating career began in a similar fashion. “My mom signed me up for it because my sister did it. I’ve done it for so long that it wouldn’t make sense for me to quit,” Pressman said.

As a male figure skater, Tibbetts is part of a minority in the figure skating community. There is actually a different figure skate designed specifically for guys, Tibbetts pointed out. Their style of skating is different from that of women.

While both figure skates and hockey skates focus on speed, figure skates give a more creative aspect to skating, while hockey skating revolves a lot more around briskness and clean runs. “What I like about figure skating is you have a lot more maneuverability and there’s a lot more versatility to it. If you want to throw a spin in there somewhere, you can do it. It’s not all practicality,” Tibbetts said.

However figure skating in general is not composed of a minority community. “There’s always a couple people that I’ve known to skate or have skated. There are quite a few people at SPA who I know go to the [St. Paul Figure Skating Club] rink. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a small community,” Pressman said.

There is some debate about whether figure skating is a sport or not. This is due to the aforementioned focus on creativity. This could be countered by the fact that there is a large community of competitive figure skates who attend figure skating competitions that they practice frequently for these competitions. While Pressman hasn’t been competing for the past two years, she still has strong feelings when it comes to the classification of figure skating as a sport.

Pressman believes that “what makes a sport a sport, personally, is if you have to be athletically able to do it. It takes practice, there’s a winner and a loser, there’s a technical way to judge who wins.”

To Tibbetts’. the most distinct downside to figure skating is the toe pick, which provides more control for the wearer of the skate, but not as a means of stopping. When the ice catches the pick, placed on the front of the blade, the skater does stop, an experience Tibbetts describes as “[falling] flat on your face before you know it.” Pressman’s chosen flaw of figure skating is the cost and constant maintenance of skating gear, although she acknowledges that a lot of sports have similar hindrances.

Recently, Pressman had to have her skates repaired because rusty screws had come loose on her skate’s blade. “ I didn’t hurt myself, but I realized when I got off the ice that I heard a clicking noise, and then I realized that something was wrong with my skate, and it was loose and that’s super dangerous,” Pressman said.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day assembly features films in place of speaker February 24 2014

Year after year, students shuffle into the Briggs Gymnasium, opening up their ears and their minds to the year’s designated speaker for the Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly. This year, however, Intercultural Club members decided on a new twist to the tradition, while still fulfilling the same original goals the assembly stands to achieve.

The change this year brought? Individual student choice. “Any assembly can get kind of stale if we do the same thing year after year.

This year, in planning, [IC] thought of something very different,” Upper School Diversity Dean Karen Dye said. “[IC members] were really trying to think of something that would capture all the students’ attention and be something that they really would want to get engaged in,” Dye said. The assembly is no longer in Briggs Gymnasium, and there is no speaker. Instead, every student will be given a varied list of movies to select from, and will view the movie with other students who have chosen the same movie. They then will discuss the movie with the peers who had watched it.

The goal of this annual event is “to have an impact on [students],” co-president of IC Charlie Rosenblum said. Rosenblum also noticed the event “bring[s] up topics that we don’t always talk about or come across in our community.”

Dye believes the event “highlights a lot of the things that SPA believes in such as equality, equity, diversity, inclusiveness, peace, love, all of those things, that’s what MLK embodies.”

Sophomore Isabelle Saul-Hughes sees the MLK day assembly as one for “raising awareness of different types of identities and aspects.”

Junior Afsar Sandozi also sees awareness as an important aspect of the assembly. “Awareness is a big thing. People think because SPA is such a small school that they kind of keep racism in hushed tones, even though no matter where you go, it’s always going to be there. So this is a good wake up call in reminding people. Even though they don’t want to admit that it’s there, it still is,” she said.

“We like to sweep things under the rug or pretend that they don’t exist, or maybe we don’t see that they exist because of the nature of our school,” co-president of IC Ysabella Johnson said. Johnson believes the purpose of the MLK event is to “have a day to remember not only how far we’ve come but how far we need to continue to go.”

“It’s not necessarily that the problems are over,” Johnson continued, “but that they are different and we can apply nonviolent acts for standing up for what you believe in a context that fits 2014.”

Dye also sees value in keeping such issues in mind with the assembly and the discussion that follows. “Processing it in more depth than just presentation or celebration is really important; it has to be part of our education,” she said.

“What we do is we have these one stop shop events that we sit and do once a year, then it’s done, then there’s no conscious thought about it afterwards. The role of the discussions afterwards is to make sure that it’s not just that we’re going to present this and not process it, but that we really have some engagement in what we’re looking at,” Dye continued.

The MLK day assembly was postponed due to inclement weather and the closing of school on Jan. 27, the day film screenings were scheduled to happen. A new date for the event has still not been finalized, but will be rescheduled.

Sophomores enjoy new twist on traditional retreat March 12 2014

15,520 lbs. It’s more weight than the average school bus, but also the total number of pounds of food prepared by sophomores on Service Day. March 7 began with the second part of Sophomore Retreat, a component that was delayed by the subzero temperatures earlier this semester.

Students ate a nice breakfast of bagels and cream cheese, then St. Paul Academy and Summit School sophomores boarded busses to go to Second Harvest Heartland, the largest hunger relief organization in the Upper Midwest. Packaged food was to be sent out to food shelves, soup kitchens, and other places that give food to people in need across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Lingering disappointment at the cancellation of the traditional mystery bus ride dissipated and anticipation slowly replaced it as the bus drew closer to the location for the sophomore volunteering.

Welcomed at the door by Second Harvest Heartland faculty, there was an excitement in the organized chaos of getting seated by groups for orientation. Once grouped together, students were assigned into two groups: tortillas and onions. After an instructional video, everyone put on their fashion accessories consisting of plastic aprons, hair nets, and sleeve covers. While most sorted tortillas, breakfast cereal, and onions, a few worked on the warehouse floor packing the tortillas and cereal into larger boxes to be sent out.

“There were so many onions; more than I have ever seen in my entire life. It was an amazing to see,” sophomore Elena Youngdale said.

After some basic instructions, the “tortilla students” spread out in the two food preparation rooms, with faint pop music playing in the background.

In a few short minutes, sophomores dove in to packaging both tortillas and onions, and as the bottoms of the blue bins holding the raw goods became more and more visible, the atmosphere in the room grew festive and welcoming.

“Labeling and taping is a lot of what I do here,” sophomore Liza Bukingolts said. Bukingolts has worked with Second Harvest sorting tortillas previously, so this time around she opted to work in packaging.

“I like both sides of it, but I wanted to try something new,” Bukingolts said.

Before departure, a member of the Second Harvest Heartland faculty announced that the sophomore class had packaged a total 15,520 lbs of tortillas and onions. The sophomores appreciated the opportunity to be giving back to the community and to help those people in need.

Students, teachers reflect on cancellation of Odyssey March 17 2014

“My solo site had a great view of the lake we were spread out on. I carved a basic shelf out of a snowbank overlooking the lake and set up my cooking supplies there, so I got to watch the lake and cook my food at the same time. My solo mainly consisted of cooking, eating and sleeping, because I had to eat to stay warm. I had an absurd amount of M&M’s, something like 2000 calories worth in one sitting.”

This is how senior Philip Swanson reminisces his only experience with winter Odyssey last year, as a junior. This year, however, due to a stroke of bad luck, all three fall, winter, and spring Odysseys had each been cancelled.

The purpose of the Odyssey trips varies from student to student, but for Upper School English teacher John Wensman, the purpose embodies challenge and opportunity: “[The purpose of Odyssey is] creating an opportunity for kids to test themselves against some larger challenges, physical challenges, [and] emotional challenges,” he said.

“There is something about being in these open spaces, and doing it together with a group of students from [St. Paul Academy and Summit School] creates powerful community and it is something everyone should have a chance to do,” Wensman said.

“It’s definitely both the isolation and drastic change in scenery that draws me to Odyssey. I can’t think of any time other than solo where I can spend the entirety of the day by myself. It’s a very relaxing, and something that I think everyone should experience,” Swanson said. “I don’t really get to see too much of nature in my typical day. I mean I’ll see trees and stuff, but we’re not really immersed in nature”.

The reason for the lack of 2013-2014 student Odysseys? Not enough students signed up to go, resulting in cancellation of each individual Odyssey.

While this situation occasionally occurs, it’s rare for it to happen three times consistently throughout the whole year. Student interest combined with fear of inclement weather have been interplaying causes for the lacking student sign up for the Odysseys.

While it’s a source of confusion for many that no Odyssey has or will take place this year, Wensman couldn’t find any specific reason for the inadequate student sign up. “I’m landing on coincidence. We used to have more kids apply and we would have to turn kids down. That hasn’t happened for a long time. I did a survey a number of years ago, and there were a whole variety of reasons, nothing stood out as the reason. I think what’s clear is that everybody is busier,” he said. Wensman, witness to the pattern of student participation in the program for ten years, has noticed “a pattern of decreasing participation”. “I hope it’s a coincidence,” he said.

Students, teachers reflect on cancellation of Odyssey (Continued) “For those people that are on the fence about going on one of the trips, or even those people that would never dream of going, I was in your shoes once,” Swanson said. “When Mr. Wensman first approached me about Odyssey I thought to myself there is no way I am going outside for a week in freezing temperatures. But now I can’t stop wishing I could do it again. I urge others to go because it’s an experience that I know I’ll remember for the rest of my life, and not enough people realize how great of an opportunity these trips are.”

Wensman values the responsibility and self reliability students learn to take on in Odyssey trips. “There’s a different kind of relationship with kids that happens out there. They take care of themselves and the word ‘guide’ works nicely because I’m not a leader, I’m a resource, and if there’s something that needs to get done, I can help. But really as soon as we get on trail, the students start doing as much as they can, each day. The goal is that a the end of a trip, they would be able to set up and do this kind of trip themselves, that they have all those skills. And I think for a lot of [students], it’s true,” he said.

Swanson recalled an experience where he faced the elements with his peers: “The first day on trail we got a foot of snow and tons of slush. We had to navigate around the slushier parts of the lake to get to our first campsite, and thirty minutes into the trip, Asher [Szachowicz ‘13] snapped his ski pole. When we finally got to our site we had an hour or so to set up camp before it got dark. This entire time the snow was just piling up around us.

When we finally finished setting up our tarps (we slept under tarps, not in tents) we started cooking dinner, which was supposed to be spaghetti and meatballs but the meatballs went bad. To make things worse, I dropped my bowl in the snow so I had cold watery/icy spaghetti. Thinking I got all the bad things out of the way already, I went to bed, only to be woken up some point in the night because our tarp had sagged so much from the snow that it was pushing my face into the ground,” Swanson said.

With projects like Odyssey, which include hiking in extreme weather conditions, rules have to be strict. The minimum requirement for the trip to proceed is seven students, with one as a “margin for error”.

“Seven is the cutoff. I used to be more flexible with it, but sometimes people drop out because of asthma, or some people drop out for family reasons. It’s not uncommon to have somebody sign up and then decide for some reason it doesn’t work for them. So if you start with six and end up with five, it’s almost too small a group, it becomes a safety concern at some point. But it’s also group energy. You need enough bodies to have energy, and if someone drops from seven, we have six, which still kind of works. Seven is better,” Wensman said.

While an enthusiastic supporter of the Odyssey program, Wensman confessed that with the extreme cold of this winter, “I’ll admit to a little relief. I could have gone on fall if there was enough people; that would have been awesome.”

“Even though this winter has been a rougher one, I know that once we got out there, it always works. We figure it out because we have to,” Wensman said.

“I was really excited to do an Odyssey as a more experienced member of the group and help newcomers enjoy the experience, but unfortunately that didn’t happen,” Swanson said.

Spring playlist favorites range from Lorde to Arctic Monkeys March 28 2014

As the weather slowly shifts, moods change and the songs that have been played on repeat all winter long get old. In light of the upcoming spring season, The Rubicon asked students about their current favorites.

Song: “Demons” by Imagine Dragons. “It’s been in my head since summer,” freshman Heba Sandozi said.

Song: “Bad Blood” by Bastille. “[I like it] because of the intricate interplay between the melodies and the bass line,” sophomore Milo Wittenberg said.

Song: “Bounce It” by Juicy J. “[It has a] really chill vibe,” senior Aria Bryan said.

Album: The Great Gatsby Soundtrack. “They [the songs] just kind of fit my mood right now,” freshman Heba Sandozi said.

Song: “Wonderwall” by Oasis. “It’s really chill,” sophomore Justin Zanaska said.

Album: Good Kid M.A.A.D City by Kendrick Lamar. Picked by junior Samantha Linn.

Album: Save Rock and Roll by Fall Out Boy. “I’m a fan of alternative, and it has songs that help get you pumped and make you feel good. [The album is] a combination of happier songs and heavier songs,” sophomore Jack Romans said.

Album: AM by Arctic Monkeys. “They help me escape from the chaos of my life,” junior Samantha Linn said.

Song: “Royals” by Lorde. “The lyrics and the beat and the rhythm are catchy, and I’m pretty sure[Lorde] writes them herself so that’s pretty intense.” sophomore Claudia Rosario said.

Song: “Drunk in Love” by Beyoncé. “I like to listen to this when I wake up in the morning and when I do homework. It’s my favorite because there’s different parts to the song, so it’s like a lot of mini songs,” freshman Elena Macomber said.

Scientist Andrea Bailey presents to Honors Biology students April 15 2014

It’s the final class meeting before spring break for Honors Biology students. As they shuffle into class, a stranger stands in the front of the room, setting up a presentation on the projector.

On Mar. 13, primate behavior researcher Andrea Bailey presented her experience in Africa, where she had studied the behavior of olive baboons, specifically the levels of aggression in non-receptive females. A perfect tie in with the current unit on evolution and population genetics, the presentation was relevant, fun, and engaging.

“I initially thought her visit would be just another lecture, I mean, who thinks about baboons that often? However, she was so passionate and with a touch of funny, her presentation became something worth talking about later. She was excellent at connecting the students with the material being taught. I hope she’ll come visit again,” sophomore Jane Jackson said.

In the video above, Bailey describes a funny encounter with a baboon from when she was conducting research in Africa.

Breaking the Ice May 7 2014

A silent lunch table on an overwhelming Monday. Two students making a trek through the hallway with a common destination. Waiting for parents in the Davern Lobby. Silence can strike anywhere, and on-campus comings and goings provide a multitude of slots for it. For many, this gap in conversation or lack thereof is one that needs to be filled. What could be a gateway to a friendship or just a positive addition to one’s day is simply a conversation starter away.

At St. Paul Academy and Summit School, students take an annual retreat, with the purpose of bringing the students together and creating new friendships that last beyond high school years. During these retreats, students are encouraged to learn to speak to new people in assigned two-person groups, called di-ads. With just an assigned question to answer separately, a conversation blooms and creates closer ties between two students who would have otherwise never spoken to each other. “The major benefit of talking to new people is to make friends with whomever you are talking to. This means that you always have someone to reach out to if you are in a tight spot, or if you just want to talk about whatever is on your mind,” senior Zach Zanaska said.

The simple and almost-mandatory “hello” just isn’t enough to reveal what two people have in common and open the doors for a memorable conversation. In everyday instances it is inconvenient to delve into analysis of Shakespeare passages but insufficient to expect a conversation to appear out of thin air. However, smiling is a key prerequisite to a successful conversation. You are infinitely more likely to converse with someone after smiling compared to a neutral expression.

Apart from a smile, words need to be exchanged for a conversation to happen. The stereotypical weather may be an eye roller, and “what’s your favorite color” may be considered crossing a line, but both are well-intended questions that get at the anatomy of an ideal icebreaker.

The seemingly stale remark on the weather is one that allows for further commentary and addition of the others’ opinion. Opinions could lead to experiences could lead to the retelling of a story, and that is why it’s such a highly utilized assertion. As for the favorite color question, it represents a goal of working towards learning something about the other person that could possibly lead to the discovery of a common trait two people share.

Sophomore Class Team Leader Mollie Ward, who helps in organizing retreats that focus greatly on student conversation, sees conversation as a means of getting to know others. “You have opportunities to get to know and appreciate the strengths that other people are bringing or the experiences that they bring to you,” Ward said.

I’m not asking you to make every attempted conversation result in the recitation of the week’s forecast or monologue about different preferences of reflected wavelengths. For the less traditional, simply scanning the location for something noteworthy and remarking on that is a good call. Following the remark with an open ended, non yes-or-no question shows interest in what the other person is saying. From there, staying attentive naturally leads to a discussion that both members of the conversation will actively participate in, and most likely enjoy. Ward describes what she learned from and applies to when helping decide on topics for student conversation at retreats: ““It has to be open ended, but it has to be something that everyone can relate to. It doesn’t have to be like an icebreaker on a table tent. Those di-ad questions that start bigger conversations are usually better to be more universal. It has to be teetering, a little bit on the edge of safe, but pushing yourself”. Mastery of weaving such questions into a conversation is the key to easy small talk and can make being social a lot easier. “Talking about vacations, favorite places to visit or places they want to visit can bring up interesting results. You can follow that up by asking what they liked about that place. This lets you know at least a little bit about their personal interests without intruding too much,” Zanaska said.

Ward advises “going into it [conversation] with an open mind and an open heart”.

Just as actually starting a conversation is important, it’s also relevant how you carry it on. Trying too hard will make a conversation contrived and it will end disastrously no matter what. Taking too long to think about what to say next will cause awkward silences and from there the cycle goes on forever. Take a breath. Most likely, it’s not life threatening that you talk to someone. (Unless it is life threatening, in which case panic is justified). A common fear is to say the wrong thing and offend or bore someone. “Not knowing what the persons interests or opinions are is what makes me nervous. I do not want to offend someone that I do not personally know by upsetting what they value,” Zanaska said. However, it’s more likely to make that mistake if you’re thinking about it.

A conversation takes two people at the least. Every member must have some sort of intention of making it go forward, so that takes pressure off of each individual person. It’s okay not to have a predetermined string of comments prepared, because the other person likely has thoughts of their own to add to yours. That is the very nature of a conversation, and spontaneity is what makes it interesting, beneficial, and fun. Zanaska describes the elements of a successful conversation: “If both or all members are enjoying themselves then it could be considered a good conversation. It means that each individual is engaged and interested in the topic, [that] there are no silences, and if there are [silences], it is to think about what the other has said”.

Some people have the reverse problem: They start talking and don’t leave any clearance for the other person to talk. “In some ways, the loud person [has to] tone that down,” Ward said. Her remedy for such a situation is that “You have to know yourself. You need to know if you need to be a person who pulls someone else out or if you need to be pushing yourself out, and not count on that other person to do the perfect thing, but you figure out: what’s your role? And if [both participants] are doing the same thing, then all the better, you’re all working in concert.”

Students get their daily dose of humor June 4 2014

A loud, welcoming sound of laughter fills the large, open space of the Summit Center. The students gathered on the rectangular frame of couches laugh at a string of sarcastic comments shot from one corner to another. Two sophomores in a nook of the library giggle at funny stories about their weekend experiences, each clutching a beanbag pillow. A single student sits cross legged and smiles at a funny YouTube video on his computer screen. Lightness and laughter are a great way to start the day, take a break in the middle of it, or end it on a positive note. Every student gets their daily dose of funny in some form or another. Sophomore Maya Smith gets her fix of funny from meme databases, including Spartz Network, a chain of websites with over 160 million monthly pageviews. “Sometimes it’s fun to get a few jokes [into my schedule],” Smith said. She indulges in memes as a break from schoolwork: “I sometimes procrastinate, especially if I have a lot of really stressful assignments and I sometimes need a break.” One of the main attributes that draws Smith to meme sites is their easy accessibility.“It’s really quick and it’s a nice little distraction,” Smith said. Another unique aspect of meme sites is that they can be entertaining to a single individual or laughed at with a friend. “Usually I go on it on my own, and then kind of poke my friends,” Smith said.

Sophomore Alena Porter finds bits of humor in her day to day interactions with her peers. Porter is the kind of friend who can effortlessly make another friend feel happy. “I just say some stuff sometimes and people laugh,” Porter said. When she isn’t the one saying something funny, Porter is quick to laugh and enjoy the moment. “[Laughing] makes your tummy hurt,” Porter said. “It’s a good kind of hurt.” However, Porter does enjoy the best of both worlds, finding humor in vis-à-vis interactions in addition to social networks. “It’s nice to have a balance, I think,” Porter said. Some things that take place in staged scenarios online are exaggerated to make a commentary on everyday situations. “You never see those types of things in real life,” Porter said. This exaggeration is something that draws Porter to seek funny videos on Vine, a popular social network for six second long video loops. Porter isn’t alone in enjoying the company of others for humor.

Junior Louie Bogolub turns to friends “[Humor gets my] mind off things and helps pass time with friends,” he said. Junior Asad Masood also talks with peers when in need of a laugh, and said a good conversation can “make your day better.” Sharing a funny experience or a laugh can bring people together. Sophomore Will Donaldson noticed that telling a joke is a subtle bond making experience: “It is part of communication. When people “get it”, they laugh and are connected,” Donaldson said.

Another easy-access website with loads of humor to tap into is YouTube, a favorite of Sophomore Quinn Smith. For him, fitting a smile into his day doesn’t have to mean sacrificing time or putting off studying. Smith breathes a little more life into history homework by watching the popular Crash Course video series by author John Green, citing the channel for doing a “fantastic job of combining educational content with fun. It’s almost never boring and I can sit for hours on end watching it [Crash Course videos].” While Quinn Smith does enjoy tuning in to a variety of different YouTube channels, he sometimes holds back on watching them with friends: “If it’s very funny I’ll show it to a friend. But I almost never watch videos for the first time with friends because I have a fear they won’t be funny [to them] and I will have wasted their time,” Quinn Smith said. As summer approaches, students’ schedules become more flexible. Both during and after this seemingly long school year, finding a favorite tried and true source of humor is important. Humor makes the worst of experiences significantly better and the best of achievements even more memorable.

Spanish department welcomes amity Rocio Estevéz.

September 10 2014

As one walks through the language hallway in the east wing of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, the sounds coming out of the classrooms join together as a mass of teachers speaking in four different languages. However, if one pays attention to the voices coming from room 126, Mr. Ronaldo Castellanos’ familiar cuban accent is accompanied with the Madrilenian accent of SPA’s new Spanish language amity, Rocio Estevéz.

Here for a the duration of the 2014-15 school year, Estevéz recently graduated from the University of Seville in Seville, Spain. A big fan of travel, Estevez has spent a year in Portugal, a year and a half in Ireland, and some time in New York. However, this is Estevéz’s first visit to Minnesota.

Estevéz came to SPA through an amity program she applied to, and is very happy with the school. She is currently living with the Baron family and describes her host family as “lovely”. One big difference Estevéz experiences living with an American family is the traditional afternoon dinner time, as compared to Spain’s 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. dinner time.

Estevéz’s study of English originated as a lifelong dream of being an English teacher, one that she carries on with her even today. “I would love to learn lots of things about the different teaching [styles], because it’s very different, the way of teaching here and the way of teaching in Spain,” Estevéz said. She hopes to bring these teaching methods to her career as a language teacher in the future.

Students offer tips to stay organized September 29 2014

With the school year well underway, students’ clutter and stress have a tendency to pile up. Binders, notebooks, lockers, and computer files all slowly fall into disrepair. It is important to take the time to get organized. Students share their personal advice on how to make everyday school life more streamlined and efficient:

Staff Editorial: Grade level isolation weakens community September 30 2014

The doors to the Davern Lobby swing open and closed as students shuffle into school each morning. Just as one student enters the school, the door closes behind them and another student pulls the same door open again, making his or her way in. These students don’t enter the doors to their respective grades, but by the way students intentionally isolate themselves along grade levels, one could very well assume so. SPA prides itself as an inclusive and welcoming community, but in order for that to actually hold true, the grade-level dissociation needs to stop.

While it is rare to see an upperclassman so much as smile to a freshman passing by in the hallway, it is common to hear that same person inquire about “the freshman drama.” The problem is that a grade level hierarchy dominates our social interactions and makes an uncomfortable environment for everybody.

Unspoken rules limiting who one can talk to, admire, or even compliment based on grade level are followed precisely. Dozens of unique individuals in ninth grade are dismissed as “just freshmen.”

However, this condescending attitude reaches well beyond just that one grade level, effecting more than those who are targeted by it. Many a possible friendship or exhilarating conversation has been inhibited by fear of breaking the rules that nobody formally established or enforces.

The idea that the more years one has spent in high school, the more knowledgeable that person is about it is justifiable. However, when this concept expands to the egocentric idea that the older a group of people is, the better they are than everyone in grades below them, there’s a serious problem.

At one point, every senior had been a freshman, and every junior had been a sophomore. There is no guarantee that one person’s experiences and actions when he or she was in that lower grade level were perfect, and even if they were, that absolutely does not mean that he or she stands above anyone else. If anything, it means that they might be in a better position to help others out and look out for them.

It’s easy to get caught up in one’s own head when following the patterns of isolation by grade level, but it’s important to stop and take a reality check when things get out of hand.

The student body needs to operate as one unit—one school community. Ultimately, outsiders don’t judge us by grade level or age group; they judge the collective institution. And no matter how tight knit each individual grade is, if individual students don’t come together as a school, they lay the foundation for a permanent culture of being an unwelcoming community.

Grade level pride is great. Class Color Day had higher participation during Homecoming than any other, and class retreats create lifelong memories.

Pride builds indispensable bonds and strengthens the community. It’s one step towards a unified school.

Unfortunately, the only circumstance in which students reach out to those in other grades is when grade level mixing is organized, such as in student groups, mentee-mentor meetings. Once a student steps outside of the bounds of an organized activity, grade levels are on lockdown. There’s no way to interact with students from other grades.

The only step left after grade level community is school wide community, the interweaving of friendships between all four grade levels of the Upper School. Don’t leave the job half done.

So ask a classmate how their day is going. Help the disoriented new student get to the lunchroom, maybe even walk them there. Give a pointer to the underclassman struggling with a math problem. All of these actions take barely any effort but their effect is long lasting. These little things are what will take SPA one step forward and enhance our communication within and our image from without. In the end, every student enters the school from the same main door. Might as well hold it open for the next person.

Q & A: “Transformative Art” with Ben Bollinger Danielson October 24 2014

Apart from the canvas of a notorious blank, college ruled paper, where do we doodle? Where do our pens and pencils itch to write in curly cursive, etch a geometric pattern, or create wan elaborate sketch? One of the most common (granted, unpredictable) locations is none other than the large Harkness tables designed to facilitate class discussions. Upper School history teacher Ben Bollinger Danielson likes to transform these doodles from something inappropriate into something positive, by way of what he calls “transformative art”.

Q: What do you think of both doodles in general and Harkness doodling in particular?

A: You have to be aware of when is a good time to doodle, when is not a good time to doodle. I basically have no problem with it but I think there’s a time to be looking at someone and not just doodling. [On the other hand], I don’t think you should Harkness table doodle because it affects the experience of others. This is a public space. So one of my jobs is, that, when somebody decides to carve something into the table, I turn it into more positive thoughts because apparently, they like to carve inappropriate words on there. And I turn those into more positive words, like “tuck your pants”, when it was originally something else.

Q: Do you think Harkness doodling is more of a problem of vandalism, or something else?

A: Yeah, I think it is literally defacing public furniture, and these things are going to last a long time. There’s a time and place, like if it’s a mural project, to decorate walls or tables. It seems to me, for whatever reason, that the great majority of things carved onto tables are inappropriate and that tends to be pretty easy to say that it’s bad.

Q: What makes it your responsibility to transform these Harkness doodles?

A: To be honest, I am going to be around this table exponentially more times than a student this year. It’s my twelfth year at SPA, four classes a day, over the whole year. The students who carved into the tables have [graduated]. I’m going to have fun turning it into something a little more benign, because I don’t want to have to read some stupidly inappropriate thing on my table.

Q: Do you consider your transformation of the doodles an art?

A: I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it that way, but I’m going to agree with that. I’m now going to call it that for sure.

Q: So what do you call it?

A: I call it “transformative art.”

Q: So when someone says “transformative art,” your mind just goes directly to Harkness tables?

A: Apparently, now. You know, what I call it is “taking something that somebody wants to be inappropriate and negative and turning it into something funny and positive. So on the other table where it used to say something really bleak, like “no one lives”, I changed it to “mom one loves”, and that’s a more fun, joy-inducing thing. I think it would be an interesting project to assign people the act, the art of carving into tables. But I think right now these tables need to last for a while, so you should doodle on your paper.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?

A: Nope. I’m an artist. Thank you.

Students use Minecraft as a form of self expression November 3 2014

Sophomore Ali Duval sits in the Summit Center, staring intently at her screen, focused on the task at hand. She could be finishing some homework.

She could be checking her email. Walk behind her and take a peek at her laptop display. A palette of earthy browns and greens fills the screen. The block like figures resemble a pixelated photo, but upon further inspection, the recipient of her attention is obvious. She’s playing Minecraft. And she’s not the only one.

Both in and out of school, Minecraft is one of the most popular PC games. A two billion dollar franchise recently purchased by Microsoft, Mojang, the company that produced Minecraft, describes the game as “A sandbox construction game where you can build anything you can imagine,” according to its website. Minecraft is centered around survival in a digital world, mining for materials to build structures and battling monsters as you go along, until you reach a place called the nether, in which the user can fight a giant dragon and “win” the game, but continue to survive and build their world afterwards. So what’s the appeal in it?

Junior Sam Matenaer was first introduced to the game in middle school. “In seventh grade, [junior] Justin Zanaska talked about it all the time, and he showed it to me, and then I bought it,” Matenaer said. Immediately afterwards, he “became obsessed with it and played it all the time.”

Sophomore Ali Duval’s first exposure to Minecraft was similar: “my best friend was really into it, and I used to go over to his house everyday because I lived far away from school. He was building this massive castle, and he showed me it, and I was like ‘wow, that’s cool’, and a year later, I started to play it,”she said.

Minecraft, much like reading a book, can be experienced in a variety of ways depending on the player. Matenaer takes the multitasker route. “I [play] on my laptop and I would Skype with friends, and we talk while we [play],” Matenaer said. Duval prefers playing with a split screen, half devoted to a window with Minecraft, and half with a video to watch. Similarly, freshman Erik Quillopa prefers to watch Netflix or listen to music while playing.

The biggest satisfaction Matenaer gets from playing is the sense of reward that comes from improvement: as he describes it, “the satisfaction of logging into the game and knowing that I’ve gotten so much better than everyone else at it.” His specific strengths in Minecraft include gameplay features and making servers.

Duval especially likes building in Minecraft. “You can build anything!” she said. “I have [built] a secret underground room, it’s pretty cool,” she said.

“It’s cool because you start out with nothing, and you have to find everything that you use, it’s like Sims, but without people.”

A game centered around building a world of your own, Minecraft can be pretty time consuming. Duval estimates an hour of Minecraft screen time daily. Quillopa, who doesn’t consider himself a particularly avid Minecraft user estimates that his average Minecraft session lasts about half an hours. Yet, he notices that it gets very distracting. “Once you’re on [Minecraft], you can’t [leave] it until someone pulls you off,” Quillopa said.

Matenaer’s passion for minecraft went beyond that of your average player. He created a server on the game and made approximately $800 off of running it. “I played it all the time, and that’s all I did at school, try to manage the server,” Matenaer said. Such earnings didn’t come easy. After playing for an average of three hours of Minecraft a day, the game lost some of its luster for him. “I played it way too much and it just got boring after a while,” Matenaer said.

The biggest appeal in Minecraft is in the aesthetic of its simplicity. This includes the pixelated screen and trees or characters reminiscent of legos.

The vast array of imaginary land that could be built upon however the player sees fit is, surprisingly, one of the most unique and appealing features of the game. A character could survive by staying in a cave or building an extravagant castle. Best of all, there really is no point to Minecraft. The simplicity, versatility and inherent casualness of the game are what make the imaginary world something of a respite from a complicated world in reality. Duval sums it up in one sentence: “I have a house, I have a diamond pickaxe, I’m pretty much set for life.”

Eight things you didn’t know about the SPA dance team November 10 2014

1. They make up their own moves: The dance team members collaborate with the coach to choreograph and invent moves for their chosen song, all from scratch. They change the dance routine around as their practices progress. “We’re constantly modifying the choreography,” junior captain Calla Saunders said.

2. The songs they dance to get old: When practice is based almost entirely on a particular sequence for one song, the song gets repeated about 20 times. Therefore, a major determinant in choosing a song is the lyrics. “We’re going to need to listen to this song every single day for hours at a time,” Saunders said. “Last year, we danced to “My Life Would Suck Without You” and we all hated it. So now we sing it to bother each other as an inside joke,” Saunders said.

3. They’re expanding: The SPA dance team gained six new members this year, including Sammie Bluhm, Isabelle Bukovsan, Claudia Rosario, Rachael Yao, Carenna Saunders, and Ellie Hoppe.

4. They don’t have a set practice area: Last year, the dance team used to practice at the campus of St. Catherine University. Because of construction, they have been alternating between Bigelow Commons and the cardio room at SPA. “Neither spot is ideal, but we’re doing the best we can,” Saynders said.

5. They have traditions: The team members exchanges gifts with each other for Secret Santa, and call each other by nicknames made up during practices. “Practice doubles as bonding time because we laugh and goof around a lot,” Saunders said.

6. They are not cheerleaders: There are many distinctions to make between dance team and a cheerleading squad. First off, the routines for dance team are longer in duration and fewer in quantity. Secondly, the moves are dramatically different. Cheerleading is composed of more acrobatic moves as compared to dance team. In addition, dance moves are less rigid. “There’s a slightly more graceful style to dance,” Saunders said.Dance Team is also different from cheerleading in that they are more focused on their own accomplishments than those of the sport being supported by cheerleadres: “we’re also a sport of our own, not there to cheer on other people,” Saunders said.

7. They have goals: “We’re very serious about the goals we set,” Saunders said. These goals include that every team member will “have their splits down” in time for the first competition which takes place in January. Another goal includes ranking within the top five teams at Sections.

8. You don’t need to be able to do the splits or a pirouette to join: The dance team prides itself in its flexibility (no pun intended) in embracing newcomers. One doesn’t have to have taken dance classes before to do well on the dance team. “I’ve heard a lot of people say that they wouldn’t join dance because they’re not coordinated or flexible or they don’t have enough dance experience. If you’re willing to put in the effort, [the dance team members will] help you get where you need to be, no matter what your previous dance experience may be,” Saunders said.

Open House fills school with prospective families, student guides November 20 2014

For most St. Paul Academy and Summit School students, the annual admissions open houses are secondary events, their existence nothing significant. However, some students came in on Nov. 16, devoting their Sunday to leading tours at school. For other students, the main reason they attend SPA is that their family visited the school for one of these open houses.

“It’s a nice way for families who are just starting to think about schools to have a more informal opportunity to see the school,” Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid Anne Marso said.

A large part of an open house are the student tour guides who see their role in the admissions open houses as a way of portraying an accurate representation of school life. “Students know a lot more about what it means to actually [attend] the school, so they have a lot of personal experience, rather than [an administrator] giving a general idea of what goes on. A student gives a more personal feel to it,” junior Justin Jallen, who toured prospective families around SPA, said.

The process of giving a tour is relatively simple. Jallen found that questions guide the conversation. “Most of the time they have enough questions to keep it going,” Jallen said. Frequent question topics included homework load, extracurricular activities, and the nature of classes.

Sophomore Katie Brunell makes a point of explaining the one-of-a-kind community spaces in the school. “When I pass the library, [for instance,] I’ll talk about how a lot of people hang out here, and that this is where we study, I’ll point out a [certain] fun spot for interaction, but I’ll also talk about community in the classrooms as well. The Harkness tables are something that a lot of people aren’t familiar with, so I talk about that experience and what it’s like. I’ll talk about the math area too, because that’s something that’s pretty unique to the school.”

There are three open houses in a year: a “during the day” session in Oct., the open house in Nov., and a student panel in Jan. All of them rely heavily on student participation.

During the Nov. open house, there are no student classes taking place. Instead “we have our tour guides to the best they can to make the classrooms come alive, so we ask our tour guides to spend time in different classrooms, and talk about their experiences, and what they’re doing in the classrooms, which is why student tour guides are so important: because they have a different perspective than we would necessarily have,” Marso said.

Tours end in the dining hall where families can have in depth conversations about curriculum with Upper School teachers. There, Head of School Bryn Roberts talks to prospective SPA families.

“It’s just being able to hear from a student, know who our students are, because our students are wonderfully articulate and have really great stories, and can share their own personal experiences differently than I can giving a tour. We’re proud of all of our kids, and we like to have them demonstrate who our kids are,” Marso said.

Food Review: The Rubicon staff reviews Georgetown Cupcake November 20 2014

With myriad varieties of fall flavored treats available at almost any bakery, I wasn’t sure if I wanted the caramel apple cupcake to be what I choose from the almost legendary georgetown cupcake. There was a tantalizing tower of colorful classics (including chocolate ganache, lava fudge, vanilla squared)and other seasonal cupcakes, including caramel apple. However, on something of a whim, possibly induced by the leaves swirling around the brick sidewalk right outside the window, I went ahead and declared my choice to the cashier, who was waiting for me to choose. I could not have made a better decision. The name had prompted me to imagine actual baked apple pieces enveloped in caramel cupcake. I bit into it unsure of what the cupcake was really comprised of. While it didn’t necessarily represent a caramel apple, it did remind me more of a pumpkin spice cupcake. The cream cheese frosting lead me to double check that this really was the caramel apple and not the pumpkin spice cupcake. While it didn’t really get at the essence of a caramel apple, it did taste like fall, and the level of sweetness was nowhere near as overwhelming as it is in most cupcakes. This cupcake was quality in every sense of the word, from flavor to presentation.

From the construction zone: A sneak peek of the new Huss Center of Performing Arts

November 26 2014

Tim Mahanna handed each member of our group a white hard hat and a neon green construction vest. I put the vest on over my jacket, unsure if it’d be worth it wearing so many layers. I wondered if I should have brought mittens, but decided that I can’t press the shutter on a camera with covered fingers. After we introduced ourselves to Mahanna, we headed out. We crossed through Lily Courtyard and were led through the metal gates that read “No Trespassing.” I felt out of place with my camera, but snapped countless photos nonetheless.

I stood on the unearthed dirt where a sidewalk used to lead to the parking lot in front of Drake Arena. Mahanna demonstrated the way that technology has helped streamline the construction process by showing us the digital blueprints and construction apps on his ipad.

He then lead us through a temporary wooden door, and into the new Huss Center for Performing Arts.

The first thing I saw was the hallway that had been recreated in so many architectural renderings and reprinted on pamphlets and posters placed all around the school. Although the building was still only a dirt floor and some concrete walls, it was easy to visualize the way that this space will evolve within the next few months. I could imagine students drifting in on an early snowy morning, finishing up a history assignment on a bench or socializing on a group of sofas. My daydream was interrupted by Mahanna pointing out where the bathrooms will be. Throughout the site, the sound of welding and the moan of a distant power tool could be heard. A construction worker stood at the top of a ladder, orange sparks falling down from where he was working. I was glad I brought a jacket, regretful that I didn’t bring along mittens. As we walked through the building, parts of the pre-existing upper school were recognizable by the white brick I used to stand against after school, waiting to be picked up.

We took a few turns and walked through a tall , grand doorway. All of a sudden, I was onstage. I faced what already looked like an auditorium,with rafters and room for audience seating caving in towards the orchestra pit (at the time, literally just a pit). Save for the little yellow construction truck backing up and moving dirt around, I could imagine myself a year from now, standing right where I was, giving my senior speech or making an announcement in an assembly in front of the student body. A chill ran down my spine, and not because I was standing in an unheated construction site surrounded by snow.

Opinion: Anti-racism does not conflict with the freedom of speech January 19 2015

One of the latest headline and conversation-dominating topics is the recent shooting in Paris. Satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo published another addition to a long line of cartoons that make a joke out of Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, and this prompted gunmen, who claimed to be avenging the Prophet, to kill 12 Charlie Hebdo staff members. Both bitter racism on behalf of Charlie Hebdo and an infringement on Freedom of Speech on behalf of the gunmen were committed. In order to take a stance on the issue, individuals must ask themselves which of these wrongs is more immediate.

That’s where things get messy.

Unfortunately, and this is what many people seem to have forgotten: being sympathetic to one cause does not render the other invalid.

If you think Freedom of Speech is a non negotiable right and that Charlie Hebdo acted within the boundaries protected by that Freedom, you don’t have to automatically dismiss the fact that the cartoons were deliberately offensive. Likewise, saying that the cartoons were racist or even provocative does not mean you don’t value freedom of speech or think the journalists’ actions merited death. Condemning terrorism does not imply a need to abandon anti-racism sentiments. As CNN Political Commentator Sally Kohn so eloquently phrased it in her CNN Article, “there is no inconsistency between supporting free speech for Charlie Hebdo’s cartoonists and finding the content of some of their cartoons offensive and disrespectful.”

The conversation around these events has become too polarized. It’s slowly evolved to become a fight to mark the good guys and the bad guys, and make the bad guys pay. If somebody expresses the opinion that the cartoons were hurtful, they are shot down to the opposite end of the spectrum, categorized as anti-free speech, and trapped in that box. This is detrimental to our understanding of how to move forward because the nature of what happened does not fit the way it’s being judged. Charlie Hebdo and the gunmen crossed lines.

Publishing another offensive cartoon on Charlie Hebdo’s cover that came out on Wednesday does strike a blow to the gunmens’ attempt to quiet free speech, but it’s still a painful image for the majority of the Muslim population, those who are not terrorists. It hurts just as much the second or third or fourth time as it did the first. But even making that observation has tended to put people into defense mode, questioning the morals of anyone who dares “take the other side,” when in reality that’s not what they’re doing at all. One can support the freedom of speech without encouraging what has been spoken.

The biggest obstacle in this situation, then, for people who support freedom of speech but are also offended by the callous depictions of Islam, is looking past the people who want clean cut opinions. An Us and a Them. The reality is that there are more than two perspectives about the events in France, and that needs to be honored. Accept that someone can believe in free speech and be offended by how it was used by Charlie Hebdo.

When people state that they support freedom of speech in such cases even through their pain from what’s been said, it means that it’s so dear to them that they can stand together with their oppressors to support a common cause. Reach out to these people. And if you are one of them, do not let people tell you what your opinions have to be. If you see someone doing just that, don’t make them feel like they need to choose between the two.

Six things your locker would tell you January 29 2015

They neatly line the hallways of almost every floor of the school. Some are vacant, some are stuffed, some are messy,some are plain, and some are accessorized. Lockers play an essential role in almost any high schooler’s day, but students don’t pay them much mind.

Here’s what they would tell you if they only had the chance, before you stuffed your backpack in and shut the door.

1. We can’t keep your secrets An often debated topic of discussion, schools hold a legal right to search students’ lockers if need be, as the lockers are the property of the school.

2. I know where your old sneakers are Whenever you can’t find a stray mitten or article of clothing, it almost always ends up having been in your locker the whole time. “Usually I have five sweaters in there, and just loose papers everywhere, and I tend to lose most of my belongings in here, and find them weeks later,” sophomore Sarah Murad said.

3. We’re not refrigerators.

While it would be great to have a place to store that leftover snack, you’re going to regret putting food in your locker when you’re cleaning it out the end of the year. Junior Calla Saunders imagines that if her locker could speak, its sole message to her would be that “this clementine has been here for six months!”

4. Tone it down The creaks and slams of dozens of lockers doors closing is an all too familiar alert that a class period or school day is over. Some schools have even eliminated lockers entirely on account of the noise they cause.

5. It’s not your birthday anymore Lockers decorated by friends for birthdays tend to stay that way, with the wrapping paper and ribbons exuberantly stating their respective birthday wishes until the last day of school. “I have my JV tennis poster from the fall, and my birthday [decorations] from January,” freshman Emma Hills said.

6. Don’t be a stranger Especially if you carry your backpack to classes or your locker is a little out of reach, (I hear you, third floor) it’s easy to stop relying on it to carry your extra books and belongings. This only makes your load heavier and puts more strain on your back. If you head to your locker two minutes earlier at the end of breaks, you can stop by your locker on your way to classes without being late.

Ten things your teachers never tell you February 14 2015

1. We know when you have no idea what you’re talking about “We always know when you’re making stuff up and you didn’t do the reading,” previous Upper School History teacher Andrea Sachs said.

2. Print on heavier paper To give the impression of a denser essay, Upper School history teacher Mollie Ward recommends printing longer pieces on heavy paper. “When you go to college, go to a bookstore and buy the really heavy paper. Not cardstock, but the heaviest paper. Because then as your teacher is going through all the papers, they pick your paper up and it has this impact on them where they think this is weighted. It’ll work.” Ward admitted to using this strategy herself. “I don’t know, my friend and I in college thought it worked,” she said.

3. You aren’t fooling anyone with that block quotation.

“If you use a block quotation, you might as well just say ‘I have nothing to say and I’m trying to fill up space,’” Sachs said.

4. We put a lot of effort into this teaching thing. Don’t blow it off.

“For some classes, I actually write the text. It’s kind of frustrating, after I’ve taken the time to write that [students] don’t read it. I give them six pages, and they work on half a page here, half a page there,” Upper School mathematics teacher Bill Boulger said.

“When it’s clear that someone didn’t take the time to look at all the things that were underlined in red, that can be kind of annoying,” Upper School history teacher Nan Dreher said.

5. Sometimes it’s as easy as just doing the reading.

“I’ve got years of evidence that they don’t read the book. So, my hint is … read the book. Don’t start doing the problems. Do yourself a favor and take the first five minutes to read, and then start the problems,” Boulger said.

6. If you’re going to use an online translator, at least don’t use Google Translator.

Use of online dictionaries is not recommended for translating long sentences in language classes, and Upper School Spanish teacher Ronaldo Castellanos can tell when a student used one just by looking at a given sentence. “Google translate is not always something you can rely on because the translation is often faulty, whereas WordReference is more of an academic tool. So you get not only a more accurate translation, but you can have input on grammar or a thesaurus. I don’t trust Google Translate as the ultimate [translation]. It’s better than what [it used to be] and it’ still improving, but it’s not there yet,” Castellanos said.

7. Question marks draw attention.

Upper School Spanish teacher Rafi Salido has observed that when students put question marks on a page to imply that they don’t know how to answer a question, it draws her attention more than it would if they had just left it blank. This gives a more general sense that the student has not mastered the concepts than if the student had simply attempted the problem and put down what he or she did know.

8. When in doubt, nod and drop an SAT word.

Every student knows the feeling of being called on in the midst of a daydream about lunch or a calculation of how many minutes of class are left. Upper School history teacher Aaron Shuler gives a strategy to get out of such a sticky situation, but claims it will not fool SPA teachers. “If you get called on in class and you weren’t paying attention, make a deeply reflective face, exhale lightly and remark after a pregnant pause, “I suppose the issue that I am having is that I’m not quite sure that I can accept the premise of the question.” This will usually prompt an explanation or restating of the question. You should then make a thoughtful comment on the question to cover your tracks and then answer the question itself,” he said.

9. When you send an email, actually check for our reply.

Upper School history teacher Ryan Oto is more than willing to help students when they send an email to him, but sometimes they are the ones that don’t end up doing their end of the communication. “If you send an email, make sure that you respond to the email. With some kids, it’s like ‘oh yeah, did you get my email?’ and I’m like ‘yeah, did you get mine that I sent five minutes after?’” Oto said.

10. Be proactive. It just might land you on our good side.

As a student, passiveness is your greatest enemy. “If you want a letter of recommendation or you need help, being proactive goes a long way and it shows a lot of care and it shows a respect level that’s different. It’s a nice way to set someone apart,” Oto said.

“We’re definitely more willing to give you the benefit of the doubt if you have been proactive,” Dreher said.

Q&A: Alumna Louise Parker ‘08 shares her experiences as a high fashion model March 09 2015 The Rubicon reporter Boraan Abdulkarim contacted previous The Rubicon staff photographer and St. Paul Academy and Summit School graduate Louise Parker to ask about life as a model - among other things. Louise has modeled for designers including Chanel, Oscar de La Renta, Saint Laurent, and more, in addition to being featured on the cover of Vogue Spain.

Q: What is fashion to you?

A: A form of expression Q: How were you introduced to the world of modeling? Did you model as a child? Enter any pageants?

A: My parents never even let me think about the possibility of modeling while growing up. Looking back I am so thankful for this. So many girls start modeling very young and quickly become consumed by it. The friends I made in high school and college, as well as the education I received, are so important to who I am today.

Q: How did you make the decision to pursue that?

A: In college a photographer scouted me and I modeled for him many times over the next few years. As a photography major, this experience was both informative and inspiring. I realized I could learn a lot about photography through modeling as well as make a living so after I finished my studies I decided to sign with agency.

Q: Did you see yourself as a model when you attended SPA? A: Not really. I was always very aware of how tall and skinny I was but I saw this as an awkward characteristic rather than as a career path advantage. I think modeling was always in the back of my mind but I never had the confidence to even dream of pursuing it.

Q: Has it been worthwhile so far? Any particular moments or experiences that have assured you that you made the right choice?

A: It’s definitely been worthwhile. Of course it has its highs and lows but overall it’s been an amazing experience. It’s allowed me to travel, meet creative people, and inspire my photography.

Q: How has being a model changed your perspective on the fashion industry?

A: I never understood how many brilliant and hardworking people there are in the fashion industry.

Q: How is runway fashion different from what you see in magazines? Is it more like an art form?

A: Most girls get their start doing runway modeling. It’s the best way to meet castings directors, designers, stylists and photographers. These are the people that book you for the editorials you see in magazines and yes, they are much more like an art form and much more fun! [Magazine] photo shoots are much more of a collaborative and creative process.

Q: How would you describe the atmosphere among other models?

A: It’s mostly fun and supportive. It can be such a stressful and emotionally draining job that everyone really looks after each other.

Q: Who is your favorite designer you’ve modeled for? Why? A: Hedi Slimane, who is the head designer for Saint Laurent. He is the first designer I worked with; I spent three weeks in Paris before the Saint Laurent show working for him. It was an amazing experience to see his creative process from start to finish.

Q: Who has been the most interesting person you’ve met in your modeling career?

A: Donatella Versace.

Q: How do you react when you meet famous people? Has this changed throughout the course of your modeling career?

A: I don’t make it into a big deal. I think the only time I was really star struck was meeting Kate Moss.

Q: What do you do to counter egotism, if anything?

A: Ego is an important element of the job. If you don’t believe in yourself other people won’t believe you in either. It can be very hard for me to maintain a positive ego.

Q: Are you ever surprised when you see a photoshopped image of yourself in a magazine? Does that happen at all? If so, what’s that like?

A: Occasionally I have noticed minor things that have been Photoshopped, like reshaping my jawline or nostril. I don’t get offended because it is my job to convey someone else’s vision; I am not acting as myself but as a different character.

Q: In a world where your entire appearance is designed by someone else and you supposedly can’t even choose your own haircut, what do you do to preserve your identity, on and off the runway?

A: I think that’s the fun of the job. You are transformed into these different characters and get to play the part. Outside of work I am able to stay very true to myself.

Q: Why do you make a point of taking photos? Why utilize photography as opposed to writing or another creative medium?

A: Photography was my major in college and it comes more much naturally to me than writing. My photographs serve as a visual diary.

A: All the time.

Q: How busy are you? What do you do to wind down?

A: Sometimes I will work for 2 weeks straight without a break, other times I will have 2 weeks off entirely. It’s hard to have such an irregular schedule that you have little control over. Having my photography is a great way to keep busy during slow work periods.

Q: I am basically obligated to ask : do you have any one beauty tip?

A: Lots of water and sleep!

Q: What’s the most fun experience you’ve had while modeling?

A: The most fun is taking trips with designers to different cities for runway shows. I went to Dubai for a Chanel show and then Hong Kong for a Dior show last spring with 40 to 50 other models. It’s like a short vacation with all of your friends!

Q: Have you had any negative experiences, if you’re willing to share them?

A: The hardest for me has been modeling for stories I don’t believe in. I once shot an editorial in the middle of winter and at nighttime, on rooftop in NYC, and the whole team was very disorganized. The story got cancelled which was frustrating for me to realize that 2 days of work had gone to waste over something I had no control over.

Q: Is modeling all it’s made out to be? It seems ideal- you walk down a runway, look pretty, and wear expensive clothes. Is there any truth to that?

What goes on behind the scenes that is or isn’t what you expected?

A: This is definitely a huge misconception. Modeling is really hard work. Not only do you have to be extremely thick skinned because of all the rejection you face, but you also have no control over your schedule. You are on call 24/7. During fashion week many girls work until 3 or 4 in the morning and then wake up at 7 a.m. to do it all over again.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to girls, SPA students, or teenagers in general?

A: High school is hard. I never felt like I fully fit in or found my place at SPA. It wasn’t until college that I really felt like I found where I belonged. The social and academic pressures of high school can be very overwhelming. Just know that if you’re not the most popular girl in high school or didn’t do the best on your SATs, everything is going to be all right! Life only gets better.

HerSpace educates students about commonly misunderstood words May 14 2015

The St. Paul Academy and Summit School women’s affinity group, HerSpace, has made multiple announcements in assembly and the Blue Sheet, inviting those who are interested in attending group meetings. However, the group has recently reached out even to those who don’t regularly attend the meetings by creating a hallway discussion using single words and their definitions.

Currently, the hallway posters include the terms “gender,” “feminism,” and “misogyny.” Below the word is a dictionary definition for the word.

The purpose of the printouts is “to educate people about what those words actually mean,” according to junior Liza Bukingolts, President of HerSpace.

“We feel like these words are super important and misunderstood,” Bukingolts said.

The group will be posting more words in the future, looping in concepts of sexuality.

Juniors use privileges to de-stress as exams approach May 27 2015

Throughout the past quarter and especially since the departure of the class of 2015 for senior project, the rising senior class has been become increasingly aware of how different next year will be for them as seniors. One of the latest and arguably best of these signs has been a taste of independence: off-campus privileges. As of May 11, juniors who “are in good academic standing, and have a parent / guardian approval,” according to Dean of Students Max Delgado, have been free to leave campus when not in class.

Some students, such as junior Jane Jackson, have taken advantage of this opportunity’s convenience. “I forgot my softball uniform the day we were turning them in, so I ran home during my free period. [It] worked out nicely, [I] got back at the end of lunch,” Jackson said.

Other students have used this opportunity for relaxation. “It was Friday, the last period of the day and I knew I needed to take a break before I studied more so I went to cafe latte to catch up with some friends,” junior Blaire Bemel said.

Juniors Navodhya Samarakoon and Maya Smith went out to lunch at Punch Pizza, then stopped at Grand Ole Creamery for ice cream.

“It felt like we were skipping school,” Samarakoon said. “It was nice to destress ourselves by eating ice cream and good food that we both enjoy, and just talking to each other,” Samarakoon said. “Especially now, right before exams, school is a really stressful environment so it was nice to get a break and relax,” Smith said.

However, this independence comes with its faithful counterpart responsibility. While off-campus privileges allow students some flexibility, they come with set-in-stone conditions. “We’re offering these elevated privileges with the expectation that you will use your time wisely, and not disrupt classes in any way. If we have concerns, we can always revoke off-campus privileges,” Delgado wrote in an email to the junior class.

Diets, Detoxes can cause harm May 27 2015

Television show host Doctor Oz smiles through the computer screen, promising to eliminate headaches and ten pounds, activate fat-burning genes, boost mood, and eliminate all health problems by rooting out the source of illness. He speaks of a ten-day detox, a snowflake in an avalanche of detox regimens, a subset of ever-changing fad diets.

Bloggers show off water bottles filled with colorful fruits and green mint, commenting on their revolutionized lifestyle and telling readers that they can feel the same way. But are these water bottle trophies, so to speak, anything more than eye candy?

These two factors, however, conceal significant drawbacks and convoluted explanations for the apparent benefits. “A fad diet is considered a diet that somebody goes on to try to lose weight or feel like they are making themselves healthier. Basically, if you’re removing a food group from your diet or restricting something, it’s considered a fad diet,” Upper School Fitness for Life teacher Kaitlyn Frenchick said.

The person or people who dream up the fad diets are not usually doctors, although that is sometimes the case. However, the people behind them are always in it for the money. How can such a generalization be made?

Because none of the fad diets work.

Had anybody been able to find a fast and easy way to lose weight forever, everybody would do it, and it wouldn’t be a fad diet. A fad comes and goes. If a single one of these fad diets stood the test of time, it wouldn’t be a fad diet.

Then comes the question of the success stories. The before-and-after photos and the I feel better testimonies.

The weight loss is a partial truth: with any diet, weight initially lost is going to be gained back as soon as the diet is discontinued and the risk of gaining weight increases after dieting. Why? There are three main reasons according to Traci Mann, a Psychology teacher at the University of Minnesota health and eating lab, and they stem from one central fact: dieting is starvation, and that’s exactly how the body reacts to it- as if the dieter were starving. The first reaction of your body is neurological: The hypothalamus, the part of your brain that regulates body weight, has a range of ten to fifteen pounds, called the set point, which it deems healthy and works to maintain. When dieters lose weight, the hypothalamus sends out chemical signals telling the body to gain weight at every possible opportunity, especially when normal eating habits are continued. Additionally, the brain increases reward value for the foods that are avoided on a diet, literally making it harder and harder to resist the foods that diets forbid.

The body’s second reaction is hormonal: When body fat is lost, the balance of hormones changes. The hormones that make you feel full decrease, and the hormones that make you feel hungry increase.

The final reaction of the body is metabolic: the body learns to run on fewer calories because it’s in starvation mode. It then stores any excess calories in the form of the enemy in question: fat. Simply put, starving only makes it harder to lose weight.

The apparent feeling of well being is also a partial truth. For example, if someone who’s trying out the gluten free diet cuts out gluten, he or she may feel better. This isn’t caused by cutting out gluten but by cutting out so many processed and junk foods that contain gluten in them.

“If you’re eating healthy or getting rid of high processed foods, you’re going to feel a little bit better,” Frenchick said.

The Placebo effect also has a role to play in this. When hearing from others that they feel better because of a certain diet, take it with a grain of salt because in reality, diets cause feelings that are the opposite of good: according to Michael A. Gleiber for the Huffington Post, malnourishment can cause fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and increased irritability.

That’s not healthy living.

The latest fad diets can be split into two categories: diets and detoxes. The latter, a more recent phenomenon, is proof of our collective human gullible nature. With the exception of serious medical treatment for drugs, anything that claims to detoxify the body is a scam, according to Dara Mohammadi for The Guardian. Detoxes claim to rid the body of accumulated toxins. In reality, according to Gleiber, the human body has absolutely no need for this. We all have a complex system comprised of multiple organs that does this for us; our kidneys, our liver, and intestines. One of the most popular forms of detox is a juice cleanse: for anything from three to twenty one days, its adherents are told to ingest nothing but water and juice. The promise is that the toxins will be gone after the grueling number of days, and since there’s no tangible way to prove such a thing didn’t happen, it’s an appeal to ignorance. What the detoxers don’t know is that juicing takes out all the good stuff from the fruit (pulp, skin, etc contain the most benefit, but they get filtered out in the juicing process), that fruits are high in sugar, and that drinking only juice does not remove the toxins, which didn’t exist in the first place. Like diets, this is another form of starvation and malnourishment and leaves one dizzy, nauseous, fatigued, and irritable. No benefits, major drawbacks.

So fad diets either don’t work at all or have temporary effects linked with severe drawbacks. What’s to do? Eat when hungry and stop when full. Avoid the processed foods without ruling out entire food groups. “[If you’re] eating from the five food groups, you’re gaining nutrients, so you shouldn’t need to rely on a multivitamin to keep yourself healthy because you’ll be getting it from the meals you eat. Even taking a brisk walk for an hour or so is going to make you feel better, and is going to sustain you for longer, especially for kids in high school, than trying to go on a fad diet,” Frenchick said.

Studies in Paradise: Upper School students research leafcutter ants over break: Editor-In-Chief Boraan Abdulkarim recounts her time in Costa Rica for the SPA facilitated research trip.

September 2 2015 Digging up ant colonies, measuring Gmelina leaf fragments, horseback riding up a volcano, and lots of chocolate – these are a few of the things we encountered during the St. Paul Academy and Summit School research trip to Costa Rica, and clearly, they were not limited to science.

On Aug. 10, I woke up to a 2:00 AM alarm , as did 15 other St. Paul Academy and Summit School students, and drove straight to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. There, we met Upper School science teachers Beth Seibel-Hunt and Ned Heckman in addition to John Doleman, founder of Seeds of Change, the organization through which the trip was organized. The smiles on our faces could have been attributable to adrenaline, sleep deprivation, or sheer excitement for the upcoming nine-day trip.

It was probably a mix of all three.

The trip was divided into two parts – the first seven days were spent at a local ranch called Finca la Anita in Colonial Libertad and focused on the local ant populations known as the leafcutter ants, Atta Cepholates and Acromyromex. For the final two days, we stayed at a real field research station in Horizontes.

The view from the deck at Finca la Anita, where students were allowed to work, provided a different atmosphere for study.

Submitted Photo: SPA Summer in Costa Rica blog The view from the deck at Finca la Anita, where students were allowed to work, provided a different atmosphere for study.

The science started immediately, with writing assignments about ant fungus gardens and microbiomes assigned during flights to Houston and Costa Rica, respectively. The night following our arrival in Costa Rica, we began to work in our assigned research teams, brainstorming research project ideas and collecting the aforementioned ant colonies under the watchful eye of microbiologist, Adrian Pinto. It was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip to unearth the queen ant and fungus garden from an ant colony after up to an hour of digging under intense rain (this trip was nothing if we weren’t willing to get our hands dirty).

Once groups got rolling on their respective research projects (labs were entirely student-designed from start to finish), time passed quickly and everyone became a lot more driven, with some groups staying up past midnight to take observations necessary to their project.

That said, the process was a lot less stressful than it sounds – writing up a lab procedure under the Costa Rican sky, facing three volcanoes and a variety of birds and trees, surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest is just different from working in the library at school or a desk at home. Barely any days passed without some sort of fun activity incorporated into the schedule, ranging from nature hikes to hot springs to community service with a women’s group.

Eventually, the time came to leave Colonial Libertad, and our next destination was Estacion Experimental Horizontes. However, most of our first night there was not spent in our respective rooms, or under a roof at all. While group members took shifts sweeping the beach where Eastern Pacific green turtles come to nest, others laid out blankets in the sand and slept – if they could. This, however, was hard, granted the vast and indescribably starry sky above us: shooting stars could be spotted every few seconds and there was so much to hear (ocean waves crashing on the shore) and to see that I felt guilty closing my eyes for even a second.

The group prepares to pull weeds from a ginger garden for a womens’ group as a form of community service.

Friday assembly answers, poses questions September 11 2015

The first Friday assembly of the year in the new Huss Center for the Performing Arts was not devoted to senior speeches. Instead, the focus of the assembly was a clear one: change. Upper School principal Chris Hughes, the opening speaker, gave a broad overview of newly implemented policy changes this school year, ranging from dress code to gender neutral bathrooms. Shortly afterward, Upper School Council Presidents Cait Gibbons and Claire Walsh in addition to Vice President Moira McCarthy, took the stage to line out the changes and process of adaptation of the dress code. They encouraged students to respect these new rules, which were altered to be realistic, rephrased to be non-offensive. Upper School history teacher Nan Dreher then presented data from a schoolwide survey conducted by the Women in History class. Data presented included conditional distributions of level of safety in different areas of the school by grade, gender, and more. “I thought it was relatively insightful, that the data was compiled very well an coherently, and it was interesting seeing the gender divides in the school,” senior Emma Taussig said. After the numbers had been presented, Dean of Students Max Delgado, the final speaker of the assembly, stepped up to the podium. He contextualized the information that had been presented, stressing the implications and the steps that would be taken from here. Delgado also differentiated between micro and macroagressions to supplement the results of the survey. It was made clear that turning challenges into opportunities was the goal, not intellectualization.

“It’s part of the solution but it can’t be all of the solution, Delgado said.

Giphy Cam animates user images with easy user experience October 1 2015

A small fish in a wide sea of video editors, Giphy Cam allows users to create GIFs in two ways: by creating a stop-motion video out of a series of photos or simply through a normal video recording. The app offers a variety of filters, stickers, and moving effects that range from cutesy (cat whiskers and ears) to crazy (a projection of pizza and donuts raining from the sky that overlays the background of the image). The app is easy to use; one can go from zero to GIF in ten seconds flat. The product is also easy to share through text messaging, instagram, or saving to camera roll. What’s more, Giphy Cam is free. However, this app is lacking in that the speed of the stop-motion video can’t be adjusted and there is no photo upload feature to turn previously taken photos into a video. Overall, it’s an infectious app that threatens to leave you making exaggerated expressions at your iPhone all afternoon.

For young Boys Soccer Team, defense is the focus October 2 2015

A flurry of white uniforms clusters together then spreads across the soccer field, standing out against the bright green grass in the eventide sun. A hush falls over the bleachers, where students, parents, and teachers wait for the game to begin. Every player on the St. Paul Academy Boys Varsity soccer team is poised and ready to go. Eyes on the ball. A whistle blows, the soccer ball goes thwack, and the game has started. In preparing for games such as this, the team’s primary focus is organization. ¨It’s a very new team. In terms of the starting lineup, we have 13 new players because 13 kids graduated last year,¨ senior co-captain Quinn Smith said. While fresh blood is always welcome on a team, captains are posed with the challenge of building team unity. “Getting used to that — communicating, organization — on the field are all really important. In club soccer, your organization doesn’t matter that much — what matters is that you’re skilled. But in high school soccer it matters a lot more,” Smith said. Namely, making defense more organized is a focus for the team, and they have been taking action to remedy this. “Our first two games, our defense wasn’t so good. We had to give up nine goals in two games.” To solve this, “We moved to a different formation and a different lineup in the back,” Smith said. The team’s greatest strength, however, is comprehensive; “We have really good backing players and midfielders, too. Some of the best midfielders In the state. As a combination we play very well together,” Smith said. Junior Emre Kihtir, a midfielder for BVS, said, “So far this season, we have shown so much potential to face any opponent. We show so much skill and technique on the field.” “I really love playing with the team this year.

I love playing with them,” Smith said. Indeed, in watching the team play, one aspect of the experience is undeniable- no matter what the scoreboard reads, there is a distinct sense of passion, focus, and togetherness within the team that radiates off those white jerseys and into the crowd.

St. Paul celebrates first Indigenous Peoples Day October 31 2015

October is a month of many associations—apple picking, colorful leaves, and a variety of holidays, from Halloween to Columbus Day. The latter, however, has been a topic of debate for over half a century, since the city of Portland, Oregon first proposed replacing the celebration of Columbus with a celebration of the indigenous people who were and still are negatively affected by the setbacks of the Columbian Exchange. Other grievances against the celebration of Columbus Day include the fact that Christopher Columbus only accidentally “discovered” America, and the fact that celebrating his supposed discovery dismisses the indigenous people who inhabited this land long before Columbus.

Consequently Alaska, Hawaii, and Oregon have discontinued observation of the federal holiday. As of 2014 eight cities, including Minneapolis, replaced or renamed Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples day. This August, St. Paul followed in Minneapolis’ footsteps, declaring the second Monday of October Indigenous Peoples Day. A celebration was hosted at the Crowne Plaza in St. Paul from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

This change prompts reflection on the role of Columbus Day in St. Paul Academy and Summit School students’ past. Senior Michelle Heilig remembers being told the typical hero’s tale of Christopher Columbus in the Lower School.

“I didn’t even know it was wrong,” Heilig said.

Heilig, who has since learned about the inequality of the Columbian Exchange from her Upper School history classes, believes that the establishment of Indigenous Peoples Day is “a step in the right direction.”

Sophomore Flannery Enneking-Norton, who has been learning about the Columbian Exchange in her world history II class, believes that “celebrating what he [Columbus] did isn’t fair. Also [his actions are] less something to be celebrated than to be learned from.”

Enneking-Norton notes that it’s important to “pay respect to the people that he hurt but also [celebrate] their resilience. I think that’s more appropriate and beneficial.”

Sophomore Michael Hall, who previously lived in Columbus, Ohio, compares the celebration of Columbus Day there to the way it used to be celebrated up until this year in Saint Paul.

“It was a lot bigger of a deal there. All the schools were closed,” he said.

Hall supports the change. “I wouldn’t think of it as a celebration [of indigenous people] . It’s more like a recognition,” he said.

Such a celebration physically took place at the Pangea World Theater, which Intercultural Club advisor Sushmita Hodges attended.

The event included theater performances, poetry, and an exhibition of the senior speech of alumna Isabella LaBlanc ‘15.

“They’ve been denied their history and place in history. I think this is a day that should not just be put on the calendar but should be recognized,” Hodges said. “The continuous pattern of that story that started out as a Columbian Exchange hasn’t really ended, because a lot of the Dakota and Ojibwe people are still fighting for their rights here in Minnesota.”

School establishes rules for social media use November 15 2015

An iPhone camera scans the room for a Snapchat video; it’s a relatively commonplace action. In a world where the image (still or moving) takes seconds to capture and distribute online, new concerns about student privacy and safety have arisen, and last week, students were addressed for an overview of the St. Paul Academy and Summit School photo and video policy. “ The lowerclassmen and upperclassmen were divided into two large groups, where they were addressed by Dean of Students Max Delgado and Upper School Principal Chris Hughes, respectively. Preceding a comprehensive overview of the rules in question was context for the timing of their presentation; this included the consultation of school lawyers and other measures to ensure the fairness of what is being asked.

The rules themselves can be summarized by the topics of consent, content, and context. Any and every individual pictured in a photo must be aware of and grant approval for the photo or video that is being taken. These photos or videos also must not be taken with the intent to “harass, sexually harass, or embarrass another individual.”

Sia’s new single Alive celebrates survival and awareness December 2 2015

Adele offered a million dollars for it. Rihanna bought it at some point, until Sia decided to reclaim it— there’s a reason Sia’s single Alive is so valuable. The song demands the attention of the listener from the start: “I was born in a thunderstorm/ I grew up overnight.” Alive carries an air of anger; it’s chilling but paradoxically calm… Sia’s rough, labored voice (a trait which I typically dislike— no hard feelings, Enrique Iglesias) carries through disruptions in instrumental background for some intervals, and this has the effect of waking up the listener; of saying pay attention; this is important; this is real. The expectant beep of a medical machine alludes specifically to Sia’s struggles with bipolar disorder and a dark childhood/adolescence. Sia’s iconic crisp enunciation is anything but sterile in this song— on the contrary, it’s saturated with emotion. Punchy lyrics, instead of just a catchy measure, are what lingered long after the song was over. Although most of Sia’s songs portray struggle and this is surely analogous to her usual style, Alive has a poignant sense of resolution. It’s a grounded, reverent celebration of survival. This piece is more than another top 40 song— it’s art by definition; even if it’s not relatable word for word, art is activism in a form that jumps at you, even if it’s disturbing. The purpose is to intitate thought and spread awareness. The song is a single from This is Acting, which will be released Jan. 29.

Media’s positive promotions will increase Hijab integration December 2 2015

Looking down at a crowd, one can see masses of people merge as a conglomerate of moving heads: brown hair, blond hair, black hair, red hair, gray hair, no hair, and… covered hair. Muslim women who decide to wear a headscarf, sometimes known as “Hijabis,” may not visually fall in line with the majority of the American population, but they exist in large numbers nonetheless. They exist on the sidewalk, in chemistry class, in the library, or at the gym. So why is Hijab considered unconventional? There’s no reason that a Hijab should make someone seem like the elephant in the room.There’s no reason that a Hijab should make someone seem like the elephant in the room.

Although they stand out in a crowd, women who choose to wear Hijab are immersed in the same society as everyone else. To bring public standards up to speed on reality, what’s needed is a mechanism to normalize Hijab.

Advertisements are constantly criticized for promoting negative body image because of the influence an advertisement can have. In history and the present, one can always look to advertisements for a portrayal of the norm of a society, for what is accepted. And just as advertisements today have been better (albeit only slightly) about including models with different body shapes, skin colors, and ethnicities, advertisers (in addition to the film, music, and TV industries) should also work to include models who cover their hair. After all, they are a part of the societal reality we live in.

The recent and seemingly sudden realization of this by various media outlets has been encouraging. Global retailer H&M included a Hijab-wearing Muslim model in their latest ad campaign. Apple included a frame of a Hijabi athlete running down a street with her earbuds in an advertisement for Apple Music. Even Ramsey County’s “Ramsey Recyles” campaign included a billboard image of a smiling woman wearing a bright purple Hijab.

On the flipside, when Coca Cola aired a Superbowl ad with a Hijabi among other atypical Americans (but Americans nonetheless!), it caused an uproar. The advertisement, unfortunately, became notorious primarily for its controversy.

In the music industry, rising Malaysian vocalist and guitarist Yuna has released multiple self-composed albums, performed at Coachella Live Music Festival, and has collaborated with Usher and Pharrell Williams.

American TV and film has yet to show significant progress in this respect; there is virtually no Hijab-wearing character in a major TV show that isn’t a terrorist or a suspected terrorist.

And if an altruistic motive is insufficient for Hollywood or advertisers, there is a larger monetary incentive— a sizable audience that can be attracted through the incorporation of Muslims in the media in a positive way.Spotting a Hijabi in her favorite TV show, on the cover of her favorite magazine, or singing her favorite song can show a Muslim girl the positive potential of her headscarf.

Not only will this girl feel less alienated from everyday life, she won’t feel the pressure of choosing between Hijab and a given career.

These constructive images show the choice to become an actress, model, or singer is hers.

Offering choices that might previously have seemed off-limits and lessening the burden of societal judgements is essential to help Muslim women solidify their right of equal opportunity.

It is imperative to include Muslim women who wear Hijab in these forms of media because the headscarf is widely perceived as negative. Sixty percent of the victims of Islamophobic hate crimes are women. The Hijab can distinguish someone as Muslim, making her a target for anti-Muslim sentiment and beyond. Incorporating the Hijab into advertisements and the entertainment industry does not elevate Hijab-wearers above the rest of the population as an ideal, but instead brings them to equal ground. From magazine editors to movie directors, the people behind the media need to be mindful the next time they assemble a cast— both of the harm they may be causing and the potential they have to make a positive difference.

Muses of the mundane world breathe life into inspired works December 15 2015

Whether for a science experiment, an art project, a literature review or an idea of personal style or philosophy, ideas for what one creates do not have to be drawn entirely from the chasms of one’s mind or built entirely on outside sources. Any student picked at random can attest to being inundated with the idea of a false dichotomy between the original and the cited work. However, this shallow view of what one creates dismisses the vast and beautiful gray area of the inspired work.

The complex nuances that come from outside of one’s own imagination are what breathe life into work, and what make the finished product stand out. The sources of inspiration are infinite, eclectic, and generous; a dessert can be inspired by a flower. A photograph can be inspired by a poem. An outfit can be inspired by a word. Hell, a college essay can be inspired by a television show deliciously devoid of any plot. The more seemingly incongruous, the better.

Turning to sources of inspiration is not a sign of intellectual or creative weakness; on the contrary, the ability to manifest these abstract and varied muses into one’s work is a mark of genius— quite literally, in accordance with the idea of neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ever-adapting ability to form connections between two ideas.

Exercising this connection between the inspiration and the inspired work helps nourish our brains and make us, in a way, smarter, by creating aforementioned neuropathways. This happens in the gray matter of the brain, which houses the creation of connections.

Viewing oneself as inspired also makes one more independently creative over time, according to The Harvard Business Review, which claims that “being in a state of inspiration also predicts the creativity of writing samples across scientific writing, poetry, and fiction... independent of SAT verbal scores...Inspired writers are more efficient and productive, and spend less time pausing and more time writing.”

Of course, inspiration alone can only guide ideas that are already there or provide an invisible outline for something that needs to be realized. For that reason, inspiration is not unethical.

Inspiration is not always tangible; it may be as elusive as thoughts or emotions. One can be inspired by hate or love; by despair or euphoria.

As it happens, inspiration occurs in three stages— the spontaneous evocation of inspiration, transcendence, or the visualization of possibilities or connections, and approach motivation, or the process of actualizing what was visualized during transcendence. This process is not deliberate and has no time limitations— it could take seconds or weeks, but it happens nonetheless.

Every lab report writer, student artist, literature reviewer, or independent personality should look for inspiration in the most mundane aspects of life. Perhaps it will become a subconscious process. Not only will it spice up a paper or painting, but it will make one smarter, more creative, increase one’s well-being, and stimulate progress towards goals.

Speaker series spotlights professional use of academics January 4 2016 During the hiatus of the biannual Speaker Day, Upper School Council has planned to institute a series of speakers that appeal the St. Paul Academy and Summit School student body. “Last year’s speaker day was really successful and we want to continue that this year.

We’re trying to spread it out especially because we don’t have speaker day this year,” Speaker Day committee co chair Numi Katz said.

“We have a subcommittee run by [senior] Lukas [Kelsey-Friedmann] and I. It does take a lot of work.”

USC introduced a Speaker Series this year to bridge the thematic connections made through the biannual Speaker Day, which happens every two years.

“We hope to give students an idea of what their lives could be like outside of SPA through education on social issues, career paths, and other topics that extend beyond the classroom,” USC Co-President Cait Gibbons said.

Each Speaker Day has a theme that generally united the speakers, with the March 2015 Speaker Day focused on “Immigration and Cultural Diversity.” The devotion to unity and consistency has not been overlooked with the Speaker Series.

“The theme of our speaker series is ‘Empowering Individuals to Better the Greater Community’ so it’s a very broad theme that will hopefully allow for a broad spectrum of speakers,” Gibbons said.

The series will encompass a number of concepts that go unnoticed amongst high school students. USC anticipates that the speakers will be able to relate what students are doing in class today to a profession that uses said skills consistently: “I think a lot of students have trouble seeing what good having a solid understanding of geometry does, or how writing an analytical paper about a book will help in the long term, so hopefully some of these speakers will be able to show students how they will be able to use what they’re learning now in the future and in the real world,” Gibbons said.

USC hopes to bring in speakers up two twice a month. “Hopefully once or twice a month. We want to have a lot of availability and variation in the people we bring in, as much as we can,” USC advisor Jim McVeety said. “I don’t think there’s any shortage of people that we could find. The biggest challenge is finding time to do it that works. This is an opportunity for members of the community to hear from other people about topics, careers.” A survey was sent out to the student body asking about areas of interest to be taken into consideration when choosing and soliciting speakers. Options included STEM, (Science/Technology/Engineering Math), medicine, literature, history/social sciences, government/law, environmental studies/energy, and multiple miscellaneous options. Students also had the opportunity to list specific individuals they would like to invite to speak.

Aside from the practical lessons to be learned, the speakers also provide a point of view that can be valuable in terms of perspective as students transition into the real world, “I think it’s really important and valuable to be able to hear from people outside our community and people who live, think, learn, and act differently than we do,” Gibbons said.

In terms of second semester, USC hopes that parents of current students and past alumni will join in the series. USC hopes to create a longstanding tradition for the years where Speaker Day is not included.

“I do hope that the council will continue to bring in speakers even in the Speaker Day off year,” Gibbons said.

Administration announces days off for Eid, Yom Kippur January 16 2016 In the works is a variety of new course offerings related to Computer Science that will be available to St. Paul Academy and Summit School students the upcoming school year. These courses include Introduction to Computer Science, Computer Science Principles I and II, Competition Robotics, Regular Robotics, Advanced Topics in Computer Design.

“We wanted to put out a slate of things and see what people were interested in,” Upper School Principal Chris Hughes said.

The idea of adding this branch of science to the SPA curriculum is to broaden the opportunities of those who wish to pursue Computer Science and to strengthen these opportunities for those who already know a thing or two about it; “To continue to meet the needs of our students. We need to give them an opportunity to get a head start on this. I want them to get an opportunity to be competitive in college classes if they’re sitting in a classroom with people who have done a year or two of this. Some of it too is really about making sure that we provide students with different opportunities for the way that they think: the way that they approach problem solving. Computer Science is a different way to go about problem solving than a lab science or a math class, even though they could be integrated together. I think it can connect with students’ strengths and challenge students in some different ways than we have already,” Hughes said.

“It is certainly high time for this,” Hughes said.

The idea came to a solid resolution recently. “We periodically have families in the admissions office that ask us about it. some of our peer schools have parts of it. Most concretely, it came up in the last couple of years as we were having conversations about revamping some of our science curriculum. A side piece of that conversation was, ‘what about this whole field that we do nothing with right now: computer science, robotics, engineering: where and when is that going to show up?’” Hughes said. “ It’s something that many of us have felt is lacking for a while. I’m really excited that we’re adding it. And I’m excited for the program. I think this is a great opportunity for students and I hope that lots of students take advantage of it” — Upper School Principal Chris Hughes “The reality, socially, is that computer science and related fields are terribly under served. [There] is such an incredible imbalance towards men in the field. If we can provide opportunities that are encouraging and engaging to the young ladies here at SPA to give them a head start, that’s actually going to be, at least potentially, a tremendous boost,” Hughes said.

The specifics of the course curricula have yet to play out in detail. “We’re in the middle of interviewing [candidates]. We’ve tried to offer classes but not define them really tightly because I want whoever’s going to teach it to come and be able to put her or his own stamp on what the courses are,” Hughes said.

“It’s something that many of us have felt is lacking for a while. I’m really excited that we’re adding it. And I’m excited for the program.

I think this is a great opportunity for students and I hope that lots of students take advantage of it,” Hughes said. He anticipates that a teacher will be chosen by the month of May.

Jackson fosters furry friends, does good in an adorable way February 27 2016 Senior Jane Jackson closes the front door of her house behind her after a long day at school. She drops her backpack on the ground and is greeted by a clumsy collection of raised tails: tufts of fur with bobbing heads: a symphony of high-pitched meows.

For almost a year now, Jackson has been a member of the Animal Humane Society’s fostering program for kittens. Her house often accommodates a fluctuating number of kittens depending on how many have found new homes. In the interim between being claimed by the Humane Society and being adopted, these cats spend weeks in the care of Jackson and her mother. “ We always rename [the cats.] Gansey was named Elvis and I couldn’t swing with that.”

— senior Jane Jackson “The animal humane society has a program where you can sign up as a volunteer and it’ll notify you when they have incoming animals […] we like cats a lot. We started out last spring with a litter of four kittens and their mom,” Jackson said.

Such a commitment entails cleaning up after messes and uncommon olfactory experiences, but the ultimate challenge for Jackson is resisting the urge to adopt all the temporary feline house guests.

“Recently I totally failed at being a foster because I adopted one of [them]. That’s the hardest part; not wanting to adopt all of these cute animals,” Jackson said.

Typically, Jackson’s incoming fosters have fallen into two categories; single kittens or litters of four.

“There’s no in-between,” Jackson said. “A litter of four is fun because you get to see them play with each other. With single kittens, it’s cuter because they’re lonely. The first [single] kitten we had would just play and interact with my room. It’s a much more personal relationship. They’ll sleep on you, and you get to know them better.”

Jackson also has the opportunity to creatively rename kittens as she sees fit.

“We always rename them. Gansey was named Elvis and I couldn’t swing with that,” Jackson said, referencing the foster kitten she has adopted.

“One time we went on a presidential theme. I deferred to my mom and told her she could name them. They’re pretty arbitrary, though, [based on] what kind of mood we’re in. We usually base them off a theme, like Greek gods theme or something like that. There was one that I named Mochi (I was holding that name for a really long time—I have a name bank for pets—) who had this weird fur that was black at the roots but silver at the top. It was all really short and dense, so I called him carpet for a really long time before we actually decided on Mochi.”

Although Jackson’s fosters are not human, her experiences with the kittens has exposed her to moments of empathy that transcend the inability to speak with the cats.

“One time one of our kittens from a litter got string stuck around its leg and it was screaming. It was an awful scream, the kind of scream that makes you run towards them. [I felt] this understanding of danger, even though it’s just a kitten, you want to make the screaming stop because you know it’s hurting,” Jackson said. She parallels the phenomenon with watching kids grow up.

Jackson is known among her peers for brightening up followers’ Instagram feeds with photos and videos of her foster kittens.

“You kind of feel it in you heart, the throbbing cuteness. I think that travels across technology, so it’s worth sharing,” Jackson said.

“They’re really not too hard to take care of. It’s great. I think of, at school, when I’m tired, that when I come home I’m not just going to take a nap, I’m going to take a nap with a furry little kitten,” she said. “And I’m going to be warm not because of my blankets but because of a kitten.”

Labovitz holds onto passion for building March 19 2016 Frayed copper wire. Bare, ribbed aluminum cans. Bottle caps scarred with shiny scratch marks: to most people, these metal scraps are nothing more than that. But to junior Franklin Labovitz, these items are more than forsaken bits and pieces: they are puzzle pieces which will come together to make a masterpiece.

Though he has and continues to advance far beyond working with arbitrary metal scraps, Labovitz is in his element when working with his hands to create. Over the years, his interest has tapered down specifically to jewelry making, but he has always loved building.

“My view on building has been fairly similar throughout life. When I was very young, I never had a goal. I just wanted to put stuff together, even if it was something that was just kind of hideous. When I got older, I had a set goal. Today, when I do work with jewelry and such I usually have something in mind that I want to create in the end. I still enjoy building just for the sake of building,” Labovitz said.

“When I was younger, I very much enjoyed building things. Mostly, I used Lego Bionicle,” Labovitz said. “I still do a lot of building, with much smaller stuff.”

Labovitz’s jewelry-making avocation began in eighth grade, the starting point for which was just tinkering with metal scraps in the basement.

“A few years later, I started taking courses on [jewelry making]. Last summer, I attended a camp at Inerlochen that focused on metalsmithing. That’s where I learned actual metal-smithing as opposed to makeshift basement work,” Labovitz said.

The art of building grants Labovitz a thrill that he has “never really been able to put into words.” He summarizes it as “the idea that I can express myself without limitations on presets. That’s even more specific with jewelry as opposed to, when I was younger, with Legos.”

Labovitz hopes to pursue this interest as a formal career.

“Right now I do have my eye set on Jewelry in my future. I have a lot of experience with it, and I enjoy it.”

New Computer Science electives in works for upcoming school year April 16 2016 In the works is a variety of new course offerings related to Computer Science that will be available to St. Paul Academy and Summit School students the upcoming school year. These courses include Introduction to Computer Science, Computer Science Principles I and II, Competition Robotics, Regular Robotics, Advanced Topics in Computer Design.

“We wanted to put out a slate of things and see what people were interested in,” Upper School Principal Chris Hughes said.

The idea of adding this branch of science to the SPA curriculum is to broaden the opportunities of those who wish to pursue Computer Science and to strengthen these opportunities for those who already know a thing or two about it; “To continue to meet the needs of our students. We need to give them an opportunity to get a head start on this. I want them to get an opportunity to be competitive in college classes if they’re sitting in a classroom with people who have done a year or two of this. Some of it too is really about making sure that we provide students with different opportunities for the way that they think: the way that they approach problem solving. Computer Science is a different way to go about problem solving than a lab science or a math class, even though they could be integrated together. I think it can connect with students’ strengths and challenge students in some different ways than we have already,” Hughes said.

“It is certainly high time for this,” Hughes said.

The idea came to a solid resolution recently. “We periodically have families in the admissions office that ask us about it. some of our peer schools have parts of it. Most concretely, it came up in the last couple of years as we were having conversations about revamping some of our science curriculum. A side piece of that conversation was, ‘what about this whole field that we do nothing with right now: computer science, robotics, engineering: where and when is that going to show up?’” Hughes said.

“The reality, socially, is that computer science and related fields are terribly under served. [There] is such an incredible imbalance towards men in the field. If we can provide opportunities that are encouraging and engaging to the young ladies here at SPA to give them a head start, that’s actually going to be, at least potentially, a tremendous boost,” Hughes said.

The specifics of the course curricula have yet to play out in detail. “We’re in the middle of interviewing [candidates]. We’ve tried to offer classes but not define them really tightly because I want whoever’s going to teach it to come and be able to put her or his own stamp on what the courses are,” Hughes said.

“It’s something that many of us have felt is lacking for a while. I’m really excited that we’re adding it. And I’m excited for the program.

I think this is a great opportunity for students and I hope that lots of students take advantage of it,” Hughes said. He anticipates that a teacher will be chosen by the month of May.

Students prepare for spring musical Les Misérables April 26 2016

Jackets are strewn across the backs of seats in the audience. In white converse shoes, the villainous Madame Thénardier makes her way towards center stage. Hesitant voices form the outline of what will be a shimmery duet. A revolution is formed by a huddle of hoodie-clad high school students, triumphant fists raised high.

Such is the nature of play practice, specifically for St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s spring musical production of Les Misérables.

The group has been rehearsing since early February primarily learning the music and pairing it with choreography.

“The entirety of February and March was spent in the choir room working just on music. We touched 85 percent of the music before we went on spring break,” Director Eric Severson said.

“We’ve gone through a lot of numbers. The vocal ones are really good. We’re hoping it’s going to be pretty awesome,” Ensemble member Tommy Monserud said.

The strategy so far with rehearsals has been to focus on individual elements of music and choreography, to later be combined with blocking in particular scenes.

“Unlike years past, [Choir Director Anne] Klus and I are there together every rehearsal. With the intensity and the difficulty of the music, it’s best for our cast to be getting used to actually singing it rather than use a Broadway recording to do choreography,” Severson said.

“Where we would usually do those three things separately and bring them together for the performance, this show we’re starting with having the cast work on movement, acting, and singing at the same time. By the time we get to tech week and performances, they’ll know it so well that they’re not scared.”

For this production in particular, Severson hopes to implement a unique setup of rehearsals, featuring two consecutive tech weeks leading up to opening night on May 20. This will allow for greater breadth of transition time for a variety of elements unique to the show, including keeping track of 16 solo microphones, lighting, a full orchestra, and special effects including a fog machine.

The cast members have upheld a positive and invested energy with respect to the musical and to each other.

“People seem happy to be there and interact with each other. It’s a fun show, we’re excited about it,” ensemble member Liza Bukingolts said.

Senior Maggie Vlietstra, who plays Cosette, agrees; “those big rehearsals are a challenge. But it’s rewarding and it always pulls together in the end.”

“The cast dynamic has been wonderful. The thing that I’ve really noticed is a great level of support for each other,” Severson said.

In attending any after school rehearsal, this chemistry is evident and refreshing, but most importantly, it is imperative to the success of putting on a show like Les Misérables.

“This is one of the shows that you need the right crew for. As we were thinking about shows, Klus and I had a different show in mind.

We just sat back and really thought about it; as we looked, 9-12 grade, we have some of the strongest musicians and singers that we’ve had in awhile,” Severson said. “One of my directing professors in college and grad school told me that there are certain shows.

You don’t do Hamlet unless you have a Hamlet. We did Evita in 2007 because we knew we had an Eva and a Che. It was one of those things that felt right. We’re both excited and scared because it is brand new to us, and so exciting.”

To Severson, this play holds immense personal significance; “I remember it was the first CD I ever bought in 1987. It’s just such a part of my being when it comes to musical theater,” he said. “It’s tragic. I joke in rehearsal [that] ‘it’s called The Miserables for a reason.

Nothing is happy in your lives.’”

With such a high bar to accommodate Les Misérables comes special challenges. Severson cites artistic flourish: “How do you create an interesting stage picture? How do you create meaning through movement when you’ve got beautiful meaning through the words?”

“I was always really worried about how high schools would ever do shows like this. Now here I am 20 or 30 years later actually staging this. I feel excited, I feel honored, and I’m blown away by the commitment of this cast and crew,” he said. “If all things go according to plan, it’ll set a new standard for our musical performances.”

Students prepare for spring musical Les Misérables May 1 2016 The programs have been passed out. The stars have debuted ensembles that epitomize style on the red […and black] carpet of the Huss Center entrance. The directors and their respective casts sit grouped together, trying to purvey simultaneous vibes of confidence and a laid-back attitude. Parents, teachers, and students get comfortable and wait for the opening remarks from the presidents of Film Club. Tonight, these individuals are gathered for St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s annual Student Movie Competition, hosted by the Film Club.

The prize to be won is the coveted SPASMA student film award, which was first awarded in 2008. The schedule for the night was eclectic and multifaceted; first was a showcase of short and whimsical films from the Semester in Visual Narrative class. Next was a series of film interpretations of Shakespearean sonnets from the Classics in Society class.

Then came the main event. First up was SuperZeroes, directed by senior Calla Saunders.

“The movie revolved around the idea of everyday people with semi-useless superpowers: as Saunders put it, they were “mediocre superheroes. We wanted to make a movie about mediocre superheroes to use our mediocre special effects abilities. We thought that if the special effects are really bad, then that would add comedic effect because they’re supposed to be really bad superheroes. It kind of works out,” she said. In the movie, a girl [senior Meghan Joyce] uses levitation to lift objects in the air and learns to evolve her abilities in time to save her sister from a superhero serial killer [senior Riley Wheaton]. “We actually started last weekend, so it was a pretty hectic process,” Saunders said. “That ended up taking way more time than we thought. If you can believe it, we had no plot [planned yet while filming]. We actually filmed the group scene first, so we set up the characters’ personalities and then Meghan and I filmed the rest of it that Saturday.” Afterwards, extra scenes were shot to fill in the plot gaps that were left. For Saunders, the contribution of the movie to the competition and to her Film Club career is more valuable than the nitty gritty of the film itself. “Even if this is kind of a mediocre movie, I like being on the radar,” Saunders said.

Immediately following SuperZeroes was the competition’s only other entry, senior Karsten Runquist’s Blooper Reel. The film starts with multiple frames made to appear like bloopers. In it, a character [sophomore Breandan Gibbons] attacks and accidentally kills one of his friends while roughhousing. “I was getting ready in the morning and I already had an original film, but my dad made a joke about one of us accidentally severely injuring one of our friends. I took that and turned it into a more serious thing,” Runquist said. With a track record of films that tended towards the humorous and nonsensical, Runquist hoped to depart from his usual style with Blooper Reel. “I thought it would be interesting to just switch it up like that on people and have a mixture of both funny and serious.” Runquist describes entering the competition as an experience of branching out; “It gives you a chance to step out of the ordinary and get entertained by your fellow classmates rather than go to the theater. It’s also fun watching your friends on the big screen.”

Design The transition from Cover Story editor to Chief Visual Editor, in which I designed the centerspread and the front cover, respectively, was a smooth one because both jobs necessitated a creative design mindset.

May 2013 Centerspread The Cabin Life

September 2013 Centerspread New Schedule Introduces Change

October 2013 Centerspread Extreme Sports

November 2013 Centerspread What’s Your Ride?

December 2013 Centerspread Putting the “me� in Social Media

January/February 2014 Centerspread Home is Where the Heart Is

March 2014 Centerspread Faith in and out of SPA

April 2014 Centerspread From Scars to Nose Piercings: Anatomy of the Spartan

May 2014 Cover Summer Provides Opportunities for Work, Service, and Relaxation

AWARD: 2015 CSPA Judges Selection for page design

September 2014 Cover In with the New

October 2014 Cover Drawing Attention to Doodling

November 2014 Cover The Food Issue

December 2014 Cover Interacting with Language

January/February 2014 Cover Esoterica at SPA

March 2014 Cover Adventure

AWARD: NHSPA Design of the Year finalist and honorable mention on national level 2015

April 2014 Cover The Self: This issue is about YOU, a mosaic of what you love, what you do, what you believe, and what inspires you

From behind the music stand:

DESIGNER: Boraan Abdulkarim PHOTOGRAPHER: Regina Marie Williams

B

SPA music lesson instructors on the effects of music on their everyday lives

ill Simenson has been freelancing and teaching trumpet, trombone, and French horn in the Twin Cities since 1983.

“There was work to be had and I was a music major who played the trumpet,” Simenson said about his choice to be a freelance musician in the Twin Cities.

“You have to diversify. This is a relatively small market. If you’re not a classical person, you really have to diversify,” Simeson said, explaining his involvement in polka, latin, jazz, and classical bands, orchestras, and ensembles.

“A lot of freelance musicians teach alongside other work,” Simenson added to explain his choice to teach. “Most private teachers got to keep their skills up. Teaching is one way to make sure you are always learning new stuff.”

Simenson also explained how freelance professional playing in a variety of venues has helped distinguish the skills that must be taught in the lessons.

“Any performing ensemble, the core of what is is you are doing, whether in symphony orchestra or in a latin band, it is the same thing. You have to make sure you have the individual skills and you have the skills to be a team player,” Simenson said. In orchestras you are working with conductors, in bands you are working with the other members.

Simenson has experience in both, having

worked in the Wolverines Classic Jazz Orchestra, Latin Sounds Orchestra, at Mixed Blood and Guthrie Theaters, as well as with other groups and his own jazz and sometimes polka bands. Now he shares his experience with students as part of his diverse freelancing repertoire.

“The only way to practice is to, at the end of the practice session, know you got something done. The only way to get something done is to know what you want to get done in the first place.”

As an example, Simenson cited anonymous students who would allegedly practice a piece for a couple hours one day, then completely forget how to play it the next day. That is how he draws the distinction between practicing, when something is learned, and playing.

Simenson added, “you can learn some things from a teacher at a lesson, but you also have to discover some things on your own during practice.”

As a teacher, Simenson emphasizes quality control for not only practicing, but also for taking tips.

“It used to a be a problem that there was not enough information. Now the problem is that there is too much information.

You have to learn how to discern wacky ideas and things that work,” Simenson explained.

He warned that, on the internet, there are lots of suggestions that sound strange and complicated, but do not truly improve upon traditional techniques.

3 2 A U R E U S All That Shines

May 2016 Aureus Magazine

DESIGNER: Boraan Abdulkarim SUBMITTED PHOTO: Brenda Mickens

“I

have to laugh when people wear headphones to listen to music, because I’ve always got music going in my head. For me, it is redundant to have outside music coming in,” said Brenda Mickens, St. Paul Academy violin lesson teacher and professional musician.

Mickens has been surrounded by music since early childhood.

Her parents were country musicians who sang all the time.

“We sang music in the car, going on road trips, everyone would sing,” Mickens said.

At age six, Mickens began piano lessons. She played piano for several years, however, piano did not speak to her. In middle school, Mickens began violin lessons.

“Now violin speaks to me because it is so much like the human voice. At the time, my father wanted to play the violin, but never got the chance, so that is why I started,” Mickens said.

Mickens contented practice violin throughout high school.

The summer she graduated, she auditioned as a substitute for the local semi-professional orchestra, the San Diego Symphony.

She won the position, and continued to play in the orchestra throughout college, which she finished with a music emphasis.

After getting her undergraduate degree, she taught Suzuki for two years in Lincoln, Nebraska. After a couple of years primarily teaching, Mickens missed performance decided I wanted to go to graduate school then play in a full-time profesional orchestra.

Mickens enjoys the adrenaline rush of playing professionally.

“Playing music, whether in an orchestra or as a soloist, the feeling of being swept along with the music and taking part in that is really wonderful,” she said.

A few years later, she received her masters degree for performance from Northwestern University.

“All my experience until then had been in a symphony orchestra, and I wanted to feel more important,” Mickens said with a chuckle.

Mickens came to Minnesota after winning a position in the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

For over 30 years, Mickens performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. After the 15-month walkout that ended in the beginning of 2014, Mickens left the orchestra. She decided she wanted to do more teaching again, and so recently has freelanced at local orchestras, substituted in the Minnesota Orchestra, and taught at home.

Mickens explains that her orchestral experience has added to the way she teaches.

“At the time I was teaching originally, right after my undergrad degree, I was a very intuitive player so it was hard for me to think

technically about things,” she said.

“I don’t think I really understood the way the technique works on the instrument, I just cared about making it beautiful and expressive.”

Although this method contributes to elegant and engaging performances, Mickens said it alone limited her tacking ability.

“In a way, I didn’t understand the technical aspects of teaching. If you don’t understand how things work, it is hard to figure out how to improve things for a student,” Mickens said about her original teaching style.

However, orchestra experience engrained more technical understanding in Mickens. In an orchestra that is playing at a very high level, performers are challenged with their technique to play just like everyone else.

“When you are trying to play like everyone is playing around you, it is very challenging. Along the way, I started reading more and learning from the players around me and figuring out more about the technical aspects of playing,” Mickens said.

Combining technical understanding with the basic skills acquired from dedicating time to music, Mickens now shares her expertise with students.

“The hardest thing is teaching thoughtful practice,” Mickens explained.

“I really didn’t like to practice. Teachers said, ‘You have a really good ear, but why aren’t you getting any better?’ Then they found out I wasn’t practicing at all,” Mickens said.

The only thing that motivated Mickens to practice more was making a very detailed practice chart.

“I would record every minute that I practiced a given skill. This many minutes on arpeggios, this many minutes on thirds, and this many minutes on that. I tried to improve my score, so to speak, with more practice,” Mickens explained.

After many years of playing in orchestra and teaching, music has become a source of comfort and stability for Mickens.

“Bach’s six sonatas and partitas for violin are like the violinists’ Bible. A violinist always comes back to that. Every day I play Bach. It is so embedded in me that it really kind of is like a Bible, it is a deep part of me and those things that we learn so deeply are forever embedded in your soul,” Mickens said.

Music means more than just a profession now.

“Music has been such big part of my life for so long. It is an emotional release in a lot of ways.

There is an underlying stability about it too,” Mickens said.

3 2 A U R E U S All That Shines

May 2016 Aureus Magazine

to give them fish. She does not like to spoon-feed music, but prefers to develop basic skills which will allow the student to continue to work independently.

“I’m not impressed by fast fingers alone,” she said, “but prefer when pieces are played with good fundamental skills and musicality.”

Although Kuniyoshi’s go-to music style has a lyrical, soulful sound, her playing style depends on the situation, orchestra, and composer. Fundamentals allow students to develop musical flexibility. They can apply the same skills to a variety of songs and styles. Thus, not only do students need to learn musical flexibility, but professional musicians must focus on it as well, as it is a necessary skill of the profession.

Playing as a professional musician requires practice. Although Kuniyoshi says it can be easier to practice with the pressure of a performance coming up, there are days when it can be hard to motivate oneself to practice between performances.

Therefore, music teachers can share their expertise in the art of practice with their students.

“When people ask me how to get their kids to practice I tell them to start with just 10 minutes, and go from there. Usually just getting started can be the hardest part. I will tell myself: ‘just twenty minutes, I’ll just practice for twenty minutes.’ Once I get started it is easier to keep going. Usually I end up playing for hours.”

Kuniyoshi feels that music is universal because “music gives voice to what words cannot,” she said, “Music, like any other art form, is very important to humanity for self-expression. If you look at every culture, they have some form of music.”

DESIGNER: Boraan Abdulkarim PHOTOGRAPHER: Iya Abdulkarim

S

usie Kuniyoshi’s music career has brought her from Hawaii to upstate New York to Boston and across Europe and the United States. Her profession brought her to Minnesota when she was hired by the Minnesota Orchestra for half a season as Acting Principal Piccoloist, which is similar to a substitute. Now, this Woodwinds specialist has spent over half her life playing in the Twin Cities.

Kuniyoshi began playing piano when she was seven years old. She started the flute in seventh grade. Private lessons were unavailable at the time, so she learned by teaching herself.

Despite a lack of formal training early on, Kuniyoshi went on to earn degrees in both music performance and education, and became a formal trainer for other woodwinds players. She says there is a strong give and take between her teaching and performing.

“It is said that if you cannot take lessons yourself, you should teach. Nothing keeps you on your toes like teaching,” Kuniyoshi said.

The woodwinds specialist has given private, chamber and group lessons at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, College of St. Scholastica, and St. Joseph’s School of Music, to name a few. Now she also teaches woodwinds at St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

“Teaching and playing professionally are intertwined. I learn a tremendous amount from my students,” Kuniyoshi explained.

The interrelated nature of teaching and performing provides back and forth discovery.

“My favorite part of teaching is seeing the lightbulb go on and seeing them ‘get it’,” Kuniyoshi said.

To help students reach that point, Kuniyoshi spends time at home experimenting with what will work for students, sometimes finding a technique that also improves her own playing.

In the same way, “when I have problem spots in my own practice, then hit upon a solution, I pass it on to my students,” Kuniyoshi explained.

Kuniyoshi strives to find ways to establish solid fundamentals for the student. Kuniyoshi’s teaching style follows the philosophy that she should teach her students to fish rather than

A U R E U S All That Shines 3 2

May 2016 Aureus Magazine

Astronomy class hosts star parties

DESIGNER: Boraan Abdulkarim

FAIR USE IMAGE: Flickr Creative Commons

P

inpricks of light shine through seemingly endless stillness, forming constellations, a myriad of patterns and pictures in the sky. Observing the night sky in all its wonders as a class, the students in the spring Space Science elective enjoy unique opportunities to attend star parties.

Star parties usually occur once a week, on days when the sky is clear and perfect for stargazing. Students fill in their observation sheets out on the athletic fields with Upper School Space Science teacher Steve Heilig. Heilig has seen students, family members (including grandparents) and neighbors at the star parties; while they’re usually not a big affair, large events can draw crowds up to a hundred people.

Steve Heilig believes that star parties give students an eye-opening experience that helps them succeed in class and experience the marvels of space. “I give the students these star charts, but you’re looking at this small piece of paper and the sky is really huge… it really helps to have somebody to point it out the first time,” Steve Heilig said. “When anybody looks through the telescope… it’s like a time machine, you’re looking into the past.”

The students have seen planets, constellations, satellites, and the international

space station. But the sighting Steve Heilig remembers best is the trash hauler from the international space station.

“We were going to see the space station, we were all ready… and we saw something on the path the space station… that wasn’t that bright, all of a sudden we looked… we thought ‘what would be in the same orbit, what would be following the same path as the space station,’” Steve Heilig recounted. The amazing part of witnessing the journey of trash hauler was how unlikely their chances of seeing it were; there was barely a one day window between when it was jettisoned from the space station and when it combusted. It’s moments like these that excite students, leading them down a path of discovery instead of monotonous staring into the sky.

Senior Michelle Heilig believes that star parties give students a unique venue to learn about space. “We get to connect concepts from class to things we can actually see,” she said. “[We got] to see, in real life, what we’ve been talking about in class and to gain some context.”

Her favorite part about attending a star party is finding constellations and learning the stories that go with them. “We looked at Sirius, the brightest star, and saw its rainbow colors and twinkling, and knew that it was due to the atmosphere,” she said.

Senior Peter Baker also has his share of memorable moments at star parties. “My peanut butter and jelly sandwich froze

4 A U R E U S All That Shines

May 2016 Aureus Magazine

during the first star party…Dr. Heilig set everything up long before the students arrived and it was really inspiring that he was willing to brave the elements in order to better facilitate our understanding,” he said. Some of Baker’s favorite sightings have been the occasional satellite or meteor shower.

Baker also believes that the star parties have helped him succeed academically.

“Just as students perform labs in Chemistry and Physics, star parties provide students a way to experience and observe what they are learning about,” he said.

Coming to star parties has allowed Baker to learn about topics related to space that he never would have encountered in the classroom. “Depending on the night there might be something extra worth noting in the sky and that will prompt a whole new tangent of discussion and learning that would have otherwise been missed out on,” he said.

However, the star parties this year have gotten lower attendance than usual. Michelle Heilig believes this is due to the timing of the parties, which is often unpredictable and difficult to deal with. “To see planets we’d need to wake up ridiculously early, and even the evening star parties can be inconvenient,” she said.

Senior Christine Lam also believes that attendance has been an especially prevalent problem this year. “People are interested to an extent, but they’re not willing to show up,” she said.

However, Lam believes that the experience of those who did come was especially valuable. “We have observation assignments and it’s a lot better having Dr. Heilig explain it to me… I know people who didn’t go had a hard time finding stuff [for their homework],” she said.

Lam also believes that the higher quality telescopes have helped her to complete her homework better. “[Going to the star parties] makes the assignments easier and it increases your understanding… I don’t have to guess around,” she said.

The star parties, and by extension, Space Science, have increased Lam’s appreciation of the night sky. “It’s interesting in that I never used to look at the stars… look for specific constellations or look at them closely,” she said. “It’s cool, when you hear about [constellations], to know where they are and to be able to spot them in the sky.”

Baker shares Lam’s renewed appreciation of the stars, and enjoys the new perspective the star parties have given him on the celestial world. “So rarely do students, especially in the city, have the opportunity or the reason to just spend time studying the night sky. It is something so familiar and yet so foreign to many of us.”

A U R E U S All That Shines 5

May 2016 Aureus Magazine

May 2016 Aureus Magazine

Photography/ online galleries Photojournalism is a whimsical challenge. For some stories, it’s difficult creating an engaging photo for the given topic. For others, nontangible ideas must be encapsulated in a photo illustration. Sometimes, I had to spontaneously run and shoot a photo for someone else’s story.

Even assembling galleries for my assigned beat topic-fashion- required mastering the art of online formatting and gallery creation in WordPress whether the images were Fair Use, submitted, or self shot.

Photo+ Online Exclusive Story

Miscellaneous Photography

Photo Galleries

Social Media Social Media is the ideal way to draw an audience into appealing content that has already been written, in addition to being an outlet for spontaneous journalism.

Instagram

St. Paul Academy and Summit School students sent The Rubicon their best snapshots of the beautiful fall leaves around St. Paul. As the air gets crisper, more and more students are making their way into school shuffling through a spectrum of leaves that have fallen from trees. This time of year is, in the opinion of some, the most beautiful.

“Love the colors,” freshman Henry Zietlow said. The walks along and around campus are adorned by the colorful treetops and leaf-lined sidewalks. “It doesn’t matter where you’re going, as long as you enjoy the view along the way,” freshman Adnan Askari said.