KEQ - The Neighborhood Issue - Fall 2018

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KEQ: Neigh Letter From the Editor Hey all, I’m excited to be a part of the first KEQ of the school year––The Neighbor Issue. While we, as a school, spend a lot of time highlighting the people and staff within our own building, I thought it was appropriate that we spend a little more time reflecting on the areas and people surrounding our school that make us who we are. As a faith-based school, we strive to follow and teach the Catholic message of loving one’s neighbor, which is one of the essential teachings of the Church: “Love your neighbor as yourself ” (Matthew 22:39).

Our neighbors aren’t just the people who live next to us on our street (though that is a part of the definition), they are the people we meet in and outside of our school, they are our neighbors in Christ or other neighboring faiths. Not to mention, BSM happens to reside within a beautiful neighborhood, with a thriving downtown

West End, lakes, parks, and a residential area where many students happen to live.

All of this creates the community that is so integral to BSM’s core values and atmosphere as a school. Community is what brings us together, not in spite of our differences, but in a way that helps us embrace what makes us all unique and distinct.

This theme of community is especially relevant in our current political climate––with so many things dividing us as a country, it’s important to stop and take a look at the people and places that make up our everyday lives. We are a product of our environment; therefore, BSM wouldn’t be the same without the support of Beth El Synagogue, or the beautiful parks surrounding the community, or the facilities that help our sports teams, and so much more.

It is imperative that we, as a school, continue to value fostering new relation-

ships, while strengthening the ones already established with the people, places, and faiths around us. Already, this was already seen at our interfaith prayer service, where ministers of different faiths came together to preach love and togetherness. However, as Rabbi Avi so intelligently stressed during the recent interfaith service that we can’t love others until we love ourselves. We, as a school community, have to continue to love each other and treat each other with dignity and respect.

We don’t have time for ignorance and hatred here at BSM. And then, as a united school, we can continue to branch out to those around us with genuine compassion.

Kailyn Pedersen, KEQ Editor-in-Chief

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ghborhood Publication Policy KEQ is written and produced by journalism students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School. The views expressed in this magazine are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily those of the Knight Errant staff, advisers, or BSM administrators.

It is distributed for free to all BSM high school students.

Benilde- St. Margaret’s School 2501 Highway 100 South St. Louis Park, Minnesota, 55416 Contact knighterrant@bsmschool.org

Staff

KEQ Editor-in-Chief: Kailyn Pedersen Photography Editors: Em Paquette and Madeline Kurtovich Design Editor: Flynn Skahan Writers: Kailyn Pedersen, Gary Antonio, Alexa Field, Frannie Scherer, Libby Simpson, Caroline Pauly, Zach Zeman, Aidan Luebke, Solomon Doysher, Jackie Bucaro, Molly Segner, Quinn Elsenbast, Mia Reinheck, Collin Pollei, and Ana McDonough Photographers: Cece Golinvaux, Jack Shields, Alice Petty, Matt McGonigle, and Henry Wittershein Designers: Jack Williams, Blayne Puhl, Emily Barron, Wes Kirchner, Claire Larson, and Rhys Duffy

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Good Neighbors: How BSM helps others in our community

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he Merriam-Webster definition of a good neighbor is defined as being “marked by good principles of friendship and cooperation.” Not too far off is BSM’s very own Mr.Mike Jeremiah with his explanation of a good neighbor: “[A good neighbor is] someone who is able to look beyond themselves and think of others. Putting others first instead of their own needs,” Jeremiah said.

The idea of loving your neighbors without distinction, which comes from the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Bible passage Matthew 5:44, is a part of the BSM community daily. “We hear it everyday during prayer with the Sisters of St. Joseph, we love our dear neighbor without distinction. It’s just embedded in who we are; it’s tied to the founding religious orders that created St. Margaret’s Academy and Benilde High School,” President Adam Ehrmantraut said.

Jeremiah connects the idea of being a good neighbor to another passage from Matthew. “In a passage from Matthew, he says, ‘Let your light shine, and let people see the good works that you do and give thanks to God.’ They are saying let people see the good that you are doing, not to give you praise and honor, but to give thanks to God for what you’re doing,” Jeremiah said.

BSM also sees this light shining through in its relationship with Beth El and the neighborhoods surrounding the school. “The relationship between Beth El and BSM is really exemplary, and I often look at it hoping that other people can see how people from very different backgrounds can work togeth-

“You shall love you neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14 er on a variety of issues, and we have done it for decades,” Ehrmantraut said.

In a similar manner, BSM participates in service throughout the community in many ways. BSM gives back to the surrounding community through the volunteer organization RKVC (Red Knight Volunteer Corp.) and though the Common Basket during mass. “We used to have a Thanksgiving food drive, where kids would bring in nonperishable food items and give them to Catholic charities. There was a family in North Minneapolis, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, who would feed people from their garage... and so a lot of the food that we collected, I would give to that family to serve

people in their neighborhood coming in for food,” Jeremiah said.

BSM is built on the foundation of many Christian orders and the mission of BSM is a way of trying to live up to their legacy. “As a Catholic school, it’s really important. The idea of loving your neighbor is nothing new to the Sisters of St. Joseph, to the Christian Brothers; it is just embedded in that ideology, and it is a comfortable place to be,” Ehrmantraut said.

Writer: Libby Simpson Photographer: Shields Designer: Sylvia Poellinger

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From Discipleship to the

Real World

One student’s experience in BSM’s discipleship class created a more personal and emotional connection than he expected.

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hen I pulled up to Jones-Harrison on a freezing Sunday morning, only half-awake and stressed about all the homework I still had, I wouldn’t say I was particularly excited to spend the next few hours with nursing home patients. Why is BSM adding even more to my to-do list by making me serve for 35 hours in a semester? Wouldn’t I serve on my own if I wanted to?

I definitely wasn’t the only junior that felt this way. “A lot of students come into this course stressed out and annoyed that they’re being forced to volunteer for 35 hours,” says Discipleship teacher Kaitlyn Gathje said. “But what we always see is that they realize this is the best part of their week. Their volunteer hours are actually what is taking stress away from them.”

Slowly but surely, I came to enjoy and even look forward to my service hours. I became close to the residents, whom I had once thought that I couldn’t ever possibly relate to. It wasn’t always easy to deal with someone’s paranoia or short term memory, but over time, I saw my irritation disappear like many of my peers. “I learned… how to treat people better, to be kind and super patient,” senior Ruochen Zhang said.

That is what makes the service com-

ponent of Discipleship so valuable— our actions and point of views are much more effectively challenged and changed from first-hand experiences than a lecture. “It’s good to get a different viewpoint, [BSM] is kind of a bubble, not everyone has a big house or lives on Lake Minnetonka. It’s good for everyone to see how lucky they are,” senior Gabriella Schmidt said.

Discipleship has been offered at BSM for a long time now, providing thousands of students with valuable experiences. “The class is about twenty years old, but it’s changed a lot since its beginning; originally, it was an elective. What happened is that so many students wanted to take [Discipleship] because they were hearing… what a great experience it was, and that’s when it became a mandatory class,” Gathje said.

Due to the passion for service Red Knights have shown throughout the years, the school has established strong ties with the many different organizations that Discipleship partners with: Northside, Adventure Club, Interfaith Outreach, Perspectives, Bridging, Jones-Harrison, and more.

“A lot of [BSM] volunteers have gone [to Perspectives] in the past, so the volunteer coordinator knew people from [BSM], so having that same community aspect was

nice,” senior Malinda Beason said.

Discipleship class also informs students about various problems in the world, from poverty to the refugee crisis. I definitely thought the topics were not only informative, but also affected me on a personal and emotional level. We often had to face the ugly truth when we watched a documentary or read a story— the hardship, abuse, and discrimination. However, some students wish that the class focused less on global issues. “I would have rather learned about something that applied to Minnesota,” Beason said.

In my experience, Discipleship was the class that drew me to the teachings of Christ, and how he taught us to treat everyone as our neighbor. “[Juniors] take Morality, which is about the internal disposition that someone who would follow Christ would have, and then the Discipleship in Society course is about, now how do you take that and live that in the world? If we say that we are Christian, that we are trying to follow Christ, then that means we need to imitate him and follow what he would do in the world,” Gathje said.

Writer: Collin Poll Photographer: Alice Petty Designer: Claire Larson

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St. Louis Park Rec Center

The best place in our neighborhood for students is the St. Louis Park Rec Center. This location is only a seven-minute drive from BSM and holds numerous activities for students to do after school. Home to BSM’s JV and Varsity hockey teams, students flood the Rec Center’s stands to cheer on the hockey teams, making this a very popular location for lots of students.

The Rec Center also has a waterpark, which brings amusement to this neighborhood. Students can go down slides, get some sun, and relax in the water when their destination is the Rec Center. This place brings a lot of enjoyment all year long, and it provides a great time for all students.

Lake of the Isles & Bde Maka Ska BSM is in the perfect location for the lake lovers. Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska are lakes that hold a peaceful setting for many students. These big lakes provide many different activities such as walking and running, or playing beach volleyball with friends. Kayaking and canoeing are some water activities that are available for everybody. Once students head out to the lakes, they can join many more adventurous people to spend their time with but most importantly seek an opportunity to enjoy themselves around the water.

Best of BSM’s Neighbo

When the final bell rings to close out another Many head home, while others attend sporting e many parks to the various different places to g rounded with plenty of options and ideas fo

Theodore Wirth Park Another very relaxing and calm place next to BSM is a park called Theodore Wirth Park. This park is only about a five-minute drive from BSM. Theodore Wirth is an enjoyable park with many bike paths, golf courses, archery, ski trails, tubing hills in the winter, and much more. This park can give students a low-stress environment if they want to lay low after a long day at school. Theodore Wirth is great year-round for adventurous people, as well for those who are looking to sit back.

Writer: Zach Zeman Photographer: Emma Paquette Designer: Blayne Puhl

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ut another school day, where do the students go? sporting events or hang out with friends. From the laces to grab food, BSM’s neighborhood is surd ideas for what students can do after school.

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Cedar Lake About ten blocks away from BSM is Cedar Lake. This lake provides a beach with decent fishing. This lake is not as packed as Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska, so if students don’t want to be around as many people, this lake is the best destination. There are many different paths for bikers, as well as runners, to enjoy. This lake is always a good spot to spend some time enjoying the pleasant weather.

Downtown St. Louis Park Downtown St. Louis Park is about an eight-minute drive south from BSM. There are many food options including Chipotle, Mcdonald’s, and Caribou, which gives students lots of variety to choose from. With this location being relatively close to BSM, this is definitely a popular hangout place for many students. Excelsior and Grand contains an urban upscale shopping experience right in the heart of St. Louis Park. Located just across the road from Excelsior and Grand, this shopping center has every food option and retail store that students could possibly need.

Fern Hill The Junior High soccer players usually head off to a nearby park called Fern Hill. It takes students about 15 minutes to walk to this park in order to go practice their sports. Fern Hill holds a couple of practice fields for the teams to improve their skills and build charisma. Since these fields aren’t in the most amazing conditions and also aren’t regulation size, it makes practice difficult for the players to run drills. Other than that, Fern Hill is great for some basketball or tennis practice and has a convenient location.

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The Shops at West End: What Makes Them so Popular?

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hether they’re grabbing a quick snack before practice or seeing the newest movie release in the Showplace ICON Theatre, BSM students often find themselves spending time at The Shops at West End. Due to its close proximity to the school, West End is a very popular hangout spot, and students love the amenities its shops and restaurants have to offer. “West End is a great place to grab some food, do homework, and talk with friends before dance team practice,” senior Lily Nederveld said.

If students are ever hungry after school, they can go over to West End and choose from the wide variety of restaurants

offered. The different styles of restaurants touch both ends of the spectrum ranging from fast food such as Arby’s to a sit-down meal at Crave.

BSM Dance Team members often find themselves eating frequently at Panera in West End before practice. As dance team practice is often later at night, the team has plenty of time to spend at their favorite place. In fact, it’s been a tradition the team continues to live out. “I love the healthy choices and the variety [at Panera], so you can switch it up every day,” junior Jada Kosek said.

Polls show that BSM students find themselves eating at Panera more than any other restaurants in West End. How-

ever, aside from its abundant food choices, West End is also widely known for its movie theater. Located right in the middle of West End, the ShowPlace ICON theater is another popular spot for BSM students. “I like the movie theater at West End because it’s close to school, and it’s usually the easiest for my friends and I to go to,” junior Nels Birkeland said.

If students need a new outfit, shops such as Lululemon Athletica and Anthropologie offer many options for students. If students want to get a quick workout in, Solidcore in West End is the place to go. If they are looking for a massage after a long day of sitting at a desk, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has them covered.

Author: Alexa Field Photographer: Madeline Kurtovich Designer: Wes Kirchner

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From the shops, to the food, West End has endless options for BSM students looking to spend their free time.

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A l e x a F i e l d’ s Fa v o r i t e We s t E n d S t o p s

s a frequent visitor to West End myself, I have experienced many of the amenities offered. My go to spot is definitely Panera. My friends and I love to go to Panera together, and the most popular item for us to get is mac and cheese in a bread bowl.

Personally, the strawberry banana smoothie from Panera is my go to drink, and the thick straws most definitely make the whole thing taste better. Try to change my mind.

Though I live in Wayzata—not super close to the West End—I find myself going to the movie theatre in the West End more often than not. The theatre itself is quite luxurious, and the amenities are also up to par. They give you multiple options of how to get tickets, and the whole process is very smooth. The movie theater is known for its

luxury and is one of the most popular places for students to go. Also, something about filling up your ice cup on your own is both exhilarating and liberating. “I love going to see movies at the West End theater. It’s always really clean, and the food they offer is really good,” junior Eleanor Green said.

I’m not totally sure why this is, but one of my mom’s favorite places to get food is Crave. That being said, as my mom is the boss, we end up frequently going out to lunch at Crave. However, I don’t really blame her. The options at Crave are endless. I have two different moods: one: I am a health queen, and two: I can be healthy tomorrow. No matter what mood I’m in, Crave has a meal to fit it perfectly. Also, not to mention, Crave easily has some of the best appetizers of any restaurant I’ve ever been to.

Another place that I find myself frequenting is the Solidcore in West End. As a member of the BSM Dance Team, we participate in many events hosted by the team: this includes death defying workouts at Solidcore. Okay, maybe not death defying, but it sure feels like it. If you think you’re strong, I dare you to go to Solidcore. After fifty minutes of extreme full body workouts, you walk out of the building feeling like superwoman, but be prepared, you may not be able to walk tomorrow. In fact, Solidcore is so hardcore, they preface their workout by saying, “This is the toughest and most effective total-body conditioning you’ve never done.” Not exactly comforting. After my high intensity workout, however, I can always head over to Panera to grab a quick smoothie to heal all the muscle pain caused

by Solidcore.

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THE PEOPLE

in our NEIGHBORHOOD

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nlike public schools which are comprised of students from a centralized area, private schools attract students from a much wider range. BSM has students in attendance who live all across the metro, with some coming from such places as Chanhassen and Loretto, despite the school being located in St. Louis Park. Some kids have to make a half an hour or longer drive to school each day, while others live within a mile of the school.

Junior Will Valley and sophomore Casey Prindiville both live close to BSM. Prindiville lives in a house less than a mile from BSM; he moved there from Richfield eight years ago so his dad could be closer to work. Valley and his twin sister Elizabeth, who also attends BSM, live in one of the townhouses located next to the school. “My parents decided to move there in order to be closer to BSM,” Valley said.

Both Valley and Prindiville see their neighbors as very nice people, who don’t interact with Valley and Prindiville much.

In general, their neighbors are older, and there are with few kids their age living near them. “If I could change one thing about where I live, I would want more socially active and outgoing neighbors that are closer in age to me,” Prindiville said.

Despite the neighbors keeping to themselves for the most part, neighborhood gatherings happen every year. Prindiville has a neighborhood block party every year in July, and Valley has a picnic in the cul de sac by his house around the same time.

“The block party is usually fun … I meet at least one new person every year,” Prindiville said.

While there are many positive elements of living close to school, Valley sometimes has to deal with friends showing up unexpectedly at his house. “After school, it isn’t rare for people to show up at my house since I live so close to BSM, which gets pretty annoying. My classmates often see me walking my dogs before school as well,” Valley said.

Despite the unexpected visitors and the lack of other students in his immediate neighborhood, Valley has found that living by BSM is a positive for his social life. “Most of my friends live near me in St. Louis Park, which is nice,” Valley said.

The big drawback to living just a short walk away from school is that they sometimes have to make a long drive to get to a friend’s house. “I have a friend who lives in Chaska. I don’t go to his house very much, but when I do it’s a far and annoying drive,” Prindiville said.

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“If I could change one thing about where I live, I would want more socially active and outgoing neighbors that are closer in age to me.�

-Casey Prindiville

Writer: Aiden Luebke Photographer: Cece Golinvaux Designer: Rhys Duffy

Attracting students from all around the Twin Cities area, BSM also has students who live less than a mile from school, giving them a different perspective.

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Neighborhood T Trails

Writer: Gary Antonio Photographer: Jack Shields Designer: Blayne Puhl

here are many trails around BSM which people can use to walk, run, or bike. These trails are often used by athletes—inexperienced and expert alike––for practice, as well as for recreation. They are a great way to relax, build endurance, and discover new areas, and they are relatively close to BSM. Runners as well as bikers at BSM utilize these trails to exercise and stay in shape. Experiencing the trails firsthand helps students gain knowledge about the area around BSM. “For cross country, we run the short loop. We run down to the tracks. We sometimes run to Lake of the Isles, even around Lake of the Isles. We’ll run to Lake Calhoun, run to the Twins Stadium. We’ll run to the Quaking Bog,” freshman Patrick Mullin said.

The Little Knights also utilize the trails and areas surrounding BSM. “We really value the space and the opportunities that we have here, so we [travel] back into the woods and to the park and to that little lake,” Little Knights lead teacher Ms. Heidi Wolf said.

The Little Knights have also encountered many strange objects while exploring the area surrounding BSM. “They found an old piece of plywood that was on an uneven surface and they started to stand on it and jump, enjoying the wobbly surface. As it moved around, they saw [a] statue’s head sticking out from under the board…when I started to ask around to other faculty, they had no idea that the statue was back in the woods. [They said] that there was a Joseph and Mary statue stolen from the front of the school in the 70’s, and [it was] never found. It’s probable that this was the Joseph statue [that the Little Knights found],” Wolf said.

While the Little Knights often hike the trails behind BSM, serious runners may find routes that go beyond the immediate neighborhood. “[One good workout is] probably out towards the Twin stadium from the Mississippi—8-10 miles if you go out that way. It’s pretty long,” Mullin said.

Runners or bikers looking for varying elevations can also find challenging trails around BSM. “Sometimes we’ll run North from BSM towards the bog. There’s a BMX bike trail which is hard because it’s just constant hills up and down.

We’ll run that sometimes for a hill workout,” junior cross country runner Frankie Lynch said.

The trails around BSM can be challenging at times, but there are also opportunities for less experienced runners, bikers, or walkers to get out and see the neighborhood.“I’d recommend the short loop because it’s only two miles and it’s around the school. It’s pretty quick. It doesn’t take more than 20 minutes,” Mullin said.

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A R O U N D TOWN

BSM students come from a variety of different neighborhoods

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Is there a restaurant by your house?

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How long it takes students to get to school

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nlike most public school districts where most students live in the same city, students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s come from all around the Twin Cities. Many BSM students are sprawled across the Minneapolis suburbs, creating a sense of Red and White pride all across the area. BSM is the centerpiece connecting the community together.

With students living as far west as Minnetrista, north as Anoka, south as Shakopee, and east as Fridley, BSM students come from all around, and there are various advantages and disadvantages, depending on what city they live in. For students who live in and around BSM, in cities such as Golden Valley, Minneapolis, and St. Louis Park, getting to school is usually not a problem.

“For me to get to school, it takes about seven minutes without traffic, and with traffic, well there is NEVER any traffic,” senior and St. Louis Park resident Annie Pohlen said.

Living outside of the BSM five-mile radius results in a longer drive time, thus leading to an earlier morning. Taking into account traffic and the countless other cars on the road in the morning, students who live further away overcome a more difficult challenge getting to and from school. “It can take between 25 and 45 minutes to get to school in the morning, but it depends on the day. It has gotten to an hour before,” senior Sami Kalman, who lives in Shakopee, said. Although BSM students live all across the Twin Cities, students are still able to connect and thrive in community. BSM is a place where students can be friends with someone who lives over 30 minutes away, and it gives people from all over the Minneapolis area the opportunity to meet those who do not reside in their immediate neighborhood.

In a Knight Errant survey, 43 students voluntarily answered questions about their neighborhoods. The top graph reveals the percentage of students who live near places to eat. In the bottom graph each bar represents a student and the amount of time it takes to get to school.

Writer: Franchesca Scherer Design: Rhys Duffy

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Because BSM's students live in many different areas across the Twin Cities, it is difficult to predict what traffic will be like for the student body on their way to school.

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ith students coming from all across the Twin Cities and suburbs, BSM is at the intersection of major roads - Interstate 394, Highway 100, Highway 62, Highway 7, etc. However, with many students from different areas making the drive to school five days a week, the traffic on these highways can make it difficult for students and faculty alike to make the daily trip to BSM. With students driving to school, many people are also on the roads due to rush hour happening right around the time school begins. School begins at 8 am, so some students are late due to the intense traffic on BSM’s surrounding highways and roads. “I definitely find the mornings to be

the worst time for traffic around BSM, especially on the frontage road,” senior Lauren Chevalier said.

This is when 100 going north is completely stopped, so people use the frontage road to get ahead of traffic, which then creates more traffic for BSM. Those who enter BSM from the south or (sometimes) the east get to bypass this traffic line. For students coming from the north and the west, this line appears to be the only way to get into school. The highway 100 frontage road is tough - especially when Highway 100 is backed up in the morning. “The worst route to take is easily the frontage road if it’s past 7:45 in the mornings, that is when the line of cars is so long that you some-

times are late to school,” Chevalier said.

What does this mean for BSM students, faculty, and staff? Is leaving earlier the only option? Or must everyone brave the extensive line to get into school? For some who have been at BSM for a long time, they found shortcuts and secret ways to avoid the traffic. “Whenever there is a long line to turn onto the frontage road, I turn into a back neighborhood to avoid the line and slim down my drive time,” senior Nikki Clark said.

Others have found different ways to steer clear of the traffic. “When I run into traffic in the mornings on the frontage road, I turn off of it and go around the school to the Calhoun area and enter from the other

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side to avoid traffic and save myself a few minutes,” Chevalier said.

Not everyone is aware of the different back roads to BSM, but they still have different ways to bypass the traffic. “There really is no secret way when you come from the north. There are not too many side streets, but I get on the ramp on 100 like I am going on 394, but keep going down to Cedar Lake Road then I can pass slow traffic on 100 South,” science teacher Ms. Jennifer Roushar said.

Besides mornings, there are multiple reasons as to why traffic is held up at BSM. “When it is snowing and during early release, the traffic can get really bad. Parents are coming all at one time trying to pick

up their kids, and the snow makes everyone move slower,” Mr. Joe Creer, Traffic Director for BSM, said.

In Minnesota, we are no stranger to the occasional snow, but it drastically affects the drive time of students and staff. “When it snows, I have to leave fifteen minutes earlier than usual, at about 6:45 am; it takes about an hour,” senior Sami Kalman said.

Besides the usual Minnesota-snow traffic, special schedules like early release days can cause major traffic problems. “During early release, parents are coming all at one time trying to pick up their kids, so the parking lot and the streets around BSM get very backed up,” Creer said.

No matter the traffic, the weather,

or the release time, BSM is a community. On days of intense traffic, teachers are informed to hold attendance as the traffic makes a lot of students late. “And when you think about a community, a community has to learn to give and take, and help each other out… That’s a way that our community operates, we must... help each other out, be patient with each other, work together, so that we can all get to where we need to be,” BSM principal Dr. Susan Skinner said.

Writer: Frannie Scherer Photographer: Jack Shields Designer: Jack Shields

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Together in Ch

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ome of the most intense competition in sports, standardized test scores, and academics is between private Catholic high schools. However, despite the competitive nature between the same type of schools, these institutions work together to improve the teaching in Catholic schools, volunteer, and better prepare students for college.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s is a LaSallian school along with DeLaSalle, Totino-Grace, Holy Family, and Cretin-Derham Hall. The principals of these and other Catholic high schools including St. Thomas Academy, Visitation, Holy Angels, Hill-Murray, Cristo Rey, and Saint Agnes meet every six weeks. “We meet about every six weeks and just talk about different topics that are unique to us as Catholic schools, and then share best practice, and just developing those relationships,” BSM Senior High Principal Dr. Susan Skinner said.

These schools also agreed to bring in their coaches to talk about incorporating faith into their coaching through a program called “Play Like A Champion”, introduced by the University of Notre Dame.

“It’s very natural that faith should be a part of the overall school experience and that would include in the classroom and on the playing fields,” BSM’s Athletic Director Mr. Jerry Pettinger said.

The schools are connected by the faith-based programs they teach and coach through, but they have developed relationships that go far beyond Catholicism. BSM suffered a great tragedy during the 20112012 BSM boys’ hockey season when Jack Jablonski was illegally checked during a game that left him paralyzed from the chest down. “When Jack Jablonski got hurt, the other Catholic schools helped us out a lot,” Skinner said.

The Catholic schools and others sent in pictures of white or red outs in support

of Jablonski and the BSM community.

“They were very supportive,” Dr. Skinner said.

The BSM boys’ hockey team eventually made it to the state tournament that year and gained support for the team and Jablonski as they went on to win the Class AA title.

Maintaining these relationships are crucial for Catholic education because all of the schools are connected in one way or another. There is unity in the faith because all these schools are able to pray as a community, have faith formation activities, religion classes, and celebrate mass. “Last year we had a speaker, a national speaker, come here, and the five LaSallian school faculty and staff… came here in October, and we did a shared speaker day,” Skinner said.

It creates this sort of bond in values that all these Catholic high schools hold.

“We are all cousins,” Skinner said.

The all-boys school Benilde and DeLa-

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Christ

Salle had a brutal rivalry rooted in the late 50’s and early 60’s. In honor of the rivalry between the two schools, the Christian Brothers Cup was created around 2011 and 2012. The trophy is given to the winner of the annual BSM vs. DeLaSalle boys’ basketball game. The rivalry has since cooled down, and it is now a part of both schools’ rich history. In fact, the rivalry is taught in freshmen religion classes at BSM and DeLaSalle. “I learned about the schools’ rivalry in my freshman year of classes,” DeLaSalle senior Shannon Wagner said.

Along with learning about the rivalry, BSM students learn about how BSM differs from DeLaSalle. “We learned about this rivalry freshman year in our religion classes, and we were taught about the differences between BSM and DeLaSalle private Catholic schools,” BSM senior Lauren Chevalier said.

This connection and relationship between Catholic high schools has resonated

with the students at BSM, along with other schools. “I believe BSM and DeLaSalle have a healthy, competitive relationship, where at the heart of everything, we want each other to succeed,” Wagner said.

BSM and Totino-Grace meet regularly when competing in sports and activities because they are similar in size. “The only relationships I’ve personally noticed between TG and BSM are the rivalries between our sports teams,” Totino-Grace senior Marie Miller said.

However, BSM does have some characteristics that makes it different from other Catholic schools in the area. BSM is set apart partially because it is the only Twin Cities Catholic school that does not have uniforms. This has elicited different opinions from other schools about the uniform vs. no uniform debate. “I think not having uniforms is a great aspect [BSM] has because it prepares you to look professional during school and for the future as well,”

Wagner said.

Nonetheless, some students prefer having a uniform. “I think that having a uniform policy can place a more equal ground and helps students feel more comfortable and welcome,” Miller said.

Despite the differences that all Catholic schools have, all are neighbors in faith because of the Catholic Church’s beliefs that are woven into the curriculum and the relationships between schools. These schools are advocates for the continuation of Catholic education and learning in a community that supports and encourages the practice of the religion. “We know that at the end of the day, we’re all brothers and sisters in the faith, because we are Catholic school people,” Skinner said.

Writter: Caroline Pauly Photographer: Cece Golinvaux Designer: Cece Golinvaux

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The Little Kni

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SM’s preschool program, the Little Knights, is far removed from the rest of the student body. They spend most of their time at the far end of the North Building. However, they do have a large amount of interaction with areas around the school. These interactions have created a little neighborhood unique to the Little Knights.

The physical neighborhood around BSM is one that the Little Knights frequent.

In their travels to the park just beside BSM, the Little Knights have met many neighborhood residents, both adults and children. However, they have not formed deep bonds. “The [Little Knights] have played at the park with other neighborhood kids, but we haven’t really had a continued relationship with anybody,” Little Knights lead teacher Ms. Heidi Wolf said.

Besides playing with neighborhood kids, the Little Knights have made friends with students here at BSM. When students

go outside for wellness classes, they will occasionally interact with the Little Knights.

In addition, the Little Knights meet with their ninth grade reading buddies frequently; this has been a long-standing program at BSM. “We meet with them once a week and… the Little Knights bring their books and backpacks,” Wolf said.

The Little Knights have also formed connections with the BSM faculty and staff. They know Officer Maki, BSM’s liaison officer. Many of the teachers interact

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nights Community

with the Little Knights as well, particularly in the science department. “Sometimes [the science teachers] bring out a bowl of worms that they’re working on, or something [from] the science room to show them,” Wolf said.

The Little Knights are also very engaged in the community. Beth El, the synagogue next to BSM, maintains close ties with the school, and the Little Knights are no exception. “Two years ago we were invited to… Beth El to see their sukkah [a

temporary hut constructed for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot]… The preschool program kids there were also there with the same sort of interactive program,” Wolf said.

Beyond the immediate community, the Little Knights have interacted with the city’s community. “We’ve had the firefighter come and bring a fire truck this year, so they got to see that community person working.

That was firefighter Nancy,” Wolf said.

The physical setting is integral to the

Little Knights’ neighborhood. It encompasses BSM’s campus, Beth El, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the wild area behind BSM’s athletic fields. “I think being outside and exploring nature is really important, even if it’s a tiny grove of trees…

We go out in all seasons; we take advantage of that sort of wild space outside,” Wolf said.

Writter: Jackie Bucaro Designer Emily Barron Photographer Alice Petty

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THE HABEN CENTER

Writer: Quinn Elsenbast Photographer: Cece Golinvaux Desinger: Vincent Di Perno

Sports teams use a variety of facilities outside of BSM.

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SM offers a wide variety of sports for students to participate in. However, due to this ample selection, BSM is unable to have on-site facilities for all of these teams. As a result, many teams use other facilities in the neighborhood surrounding BSM. There are around fifteen different facilities used

by BSM teams.

Some of these areas have been used

by BSM for a long time, whereas others just recently came into use. In order to use

these complexes, BSM must first apply for a permit. Then, the athletic department at BSM signs a contract with the area they are borrowing from. Many of the terms and agreements are specific to each site, even the price. “Most [sites] we pay for, but a few we do not,” Mr. Jerry Pettinger, head of athletics and activities at BSM, said.

BSM students are expected to treat the sites with respect, as the terms of the contract ensure that students keep the facilities in good condition. By keeping these terms,

BSM is able to continue using the facilities in future years.

Both the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams have been using Aquila Park for all their practices and home matches for over twenty-two years. They are there four to five times a week, and they also practice at Lifetime when they need to be indoors. “I enjoy practicing there; it’s a really good site,” junior captain Joey Trella said.

Both girls and boys swim teams also use sites outside of BSM. The team have

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N R been practicing at the St. Louis Park Central Community Center and St. Louis Park Middle School as long as Jerry Pettinger has been at BSM. Due to limited indoor pool facilities, it can be sometimes difficult to schedule practices. “Whenever we have a day off of school, it can often be difficult to reschedule practices because the pool is usually already booked by someone else,” senior swimmer Annie Valerius said.

Also in need of a pool is the dive team.

However, finding a pool with the required

depth and diving boards can be challenging. Fortunately, BSM’s dive team is able to share the Blake pool with the Bears’ swim and dive team; yet, sharing a pool can create scheduling issues. This year, due to a miscommunication with the other users of the pool, the BSM dive team was required to adjust their practice time. “For two weeks we had to practice from six to seven am before school because another group was using the pool,” sophomore diver Claire Hen-

nen said.

Although it does create some difficulties, BSM sports teams are incredibly lucky to have neighbors that lend facilities for them to use. Many of our sports teams would not even exist without the help of these generous community members. “We are lucky to have a golf course to use, because obviously BSM can’t just build a golf course,” junior Cecelia Braun said.

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VS R

ivalries are a fundamenta l part of sports.

From the Lakers versus the Celtics, to the Red Sox versus the Yankees, comWriter: Sol Doyscher petition pushes teams to Photographer: Em Paquette their limits and showcases Designer: Em Paquette school their talents. High For football is no different. years, BSM sports teams have clashed with St. Louis Park’s teams. Across hockey, track, soccer, basketball and football, the two schools coming game losing streak against St. have gone head to head for years. The most prominent of these rival- Louis Park in a close game. St. Louis Park ries lies in football. At the BSM homecom- also had a homecoming victory, as they ing game, BSM’s the Red Knights, beat the beat Richfield 41-14. The Orioles made it St. Louis Park football team, the Orioles, to State for the first time in their school’s history in 2017. “I don’t know how long 35-13.

The two teams have been playing each Benilde-St. Margaret’s and St. Louis Park other in homecoming games and playoffs have been rivals exactly, but it’s been a long since 2008. In 2013 the Red Knights won time. Probably since before the 2000s, maya streak of games, including one against be in the 1990s,” senior punter on the Red the Orioles, in September of that year. Knights football team, Carlton Cronin III The BSM football team appeared in State said.

Both BSM and SLP have other rivals, during 2015. In 2016, the Red Knights however. BSM and DeLaSalle compete frebroke a five-year home-

With a history of playing against each other, a resilient quently in fall sports, and St. Louis Park has played Orono in past homecoming football games. However, Cronin considers the games played against SLP to be the most challenging. “I think, for sure, the game is more intense when we play St. Louis Park.

There’s more talking and wanting to beat the other team. The fans get more energized, and when they are more energized, the team gets amped up and wants to play better,” Cronin said.

Cronin also assures that there is a lot that BSM’s team can learn from the Orioles. “I think they work really hard, and

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VS rivalry, both teams get along well. “I don’t personally know many people on the team. I talk to a couple of my friends and I think that goes for most girls on the team. Some girls even have siblings on the other team.

We like to keep things positive and happy, without losing sight of the competition.

I’m sure they are a great group of girls, we don’t really see them as a whole team outside of swimming,” Argenta said.

Another girls’ swim team captain, Elle Dickey, talked about the way SLP motivates the BSM team and their interactions.

“Neither of us wants to lose, and we are about the same speed, making the swimmer push themselves to their limits. Swimming is a very inclusive sport. Once high school season is over the majority of girls go to club swimming, which is year round, and it doesn’t matter what high school you go to. There are only so many club teams that you end up swimming with everyone.”

Dickey said.

silient rivalry exists between BSM and St. Louis Park. they threw a lot of formations at us that we have never seen before. They tried to beat us with trickery and new techniques. I think in the next couple years they’re going to be very good; they’ve got a lot of young talent,” Cronin said.

Senior Maya Argenta, a captain of the girls’ swim team also told us about the BSM swim team’s relationship with SLP. “We’ve been rivals for as long as I can remember, but I think it really started when we switched conferences in 2014,” Argenta said.

Argenta talked about how she admires

the team’s chemistry. “I thought they bonded well, and everyone participated and was included in cheers, which is awesome for such a big team like that,” Argenta said.

Argenta talked about the resolve that SLP instills in the BSM team, and how that translates into a power they can harness.

“We each want to win against each other, so it pushes each team to try their best. It’s a great competition, and our teams are very close in strength! It was a great meet with them,” Argenta said while recalling former meets with the SLP girls’ swim team.

She assured us that despite the intense

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BETH EL BSM and Beth El are immediate neighbors with a longstanding history and a beneficial, friendly relationship.

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hile BSM has cultivated many alliances with the places and schools in the surrounding neighborhood, the long standing bond between BSM and Bethel Synagogue would have to be the most prominent. The connection between BSM and Bethel is the epitome of a healthy neighborly relationship, one consisting of mutual respect and founded in a love of the same God. BSM and Bethel have had a longstanding friendship that dates back to the 1960’s. The Christian Brothers played a substantial role in the initial construction of the synagogue. “Beth El and BSM has a long relationship, as the very land that Beth El is on used to belong to current

day BSM. Beth El bought the land for our synagogue from [the Christian Brothers] in 1960 and the deal was made on a handshake. Beth El began construction, and moved to this location from Penn Avenue in Minneapolis in 1968. From there, we have housed each other during construction projects, consulted each other on community issues, and have volunteered time to each other to assist in events and meetings,” Lucas Newbauer, Facility Director at Bethel Synagogue, said.

Since then BSM has had many positive experiences with Bethel and its staff. The school and the synagogue have helped each other in many various ways, from parking arrangements to sharing

&

common spaces. “We share their parking lot; sometimes they use our parking lot.

We’ve shared spaces before; they’ve come over here for space, we’ve gone over there for space...on their high holy days they’ll have some events here,” Dr. Susan Skinner, Senior High Principal of BSM, said.

Newbauer also elaborated on his knowledge of BSM. He has coordinated many matters with BSM staff, and has had many but favorable experiences.

“Dean Laird, BSM’s Facility Director, is great: always helpful, always has an answer, and always more than happy to help. Cami Dahlstrom, one of your vice principals, is attentive and flexible and has already been extremely helpful and kind in her short time at your school,”

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&

Writer: Kailyn Pedersen Photograher: Jack Sheilds Designer: Jack WilliamsEWW Newbauer said.

However, the relationship between BSM and Bethel extends past just parking arrangements and common niceties.

It is founded on the love of the same God and the same moral values. “What is fascinating about the relationship [between BSM and Bethel] is that Christianity is rooted in Judaism, and so Jesus was Jewish, and we share the same God... the God of the Old Testament is the God of the Hebrew Scriptures, so we have that religious foundation. Now clearly there’s some differences, but we think of them as our brothers and sisters,” Skinner said.

BSM has been fortunate to have a close, almost familial relationship with Bethel. “Much like with a family, when

BSM somebody needs something, you don’t mind the inconvenience because you want to help your family. So for instance when there’s a funeral, we know we have to just maybe clear some spaces some days... we’re happy to help becauses that’s just what family does,” Skinner said.

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Meet

Rabb

Rabbi Avi Olitzky of Beth El Synagogue plays a significant role in introducing Judaism to the Catholic community at BSM.

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hotographs of family, small items, and numerous books all decorate the office of Rabbi Avi Olitzky of Beth El Synagogue. Rabbi Olitzky has been a key part of introducing Judaism to BSM students. Although many students know who he is from the Interfaith Prayer Service or field trips, students don’t know everything about his career.

Prior to coming to Minnesota, Rabbi Olitzky lived out east. He grew up in New Jersey and attended college at Columbia University in New York. While there, he did a double degree program, resulting in him receiving two bachelor degrees: one from Columbia in Sociology, and one in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Center. After he graduat-

ed from college, he attended rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Center.

“I wanted to be renaissance man, and I saw becoming a rabbi the last dying profession of the renaissance man... The career [is] a gateway to many different careers, many different options. I loved to be able to do so many different things, and going to seminary to become a rabbi was the door to do that,” Rabbi Olitzky said.

Although the pulpit program has changed since he has been out of rabbinical school, he did greatly benefit attending the pulpit program. He felt that by taking the path of going to rabbinical school, all doors were open. “The seminary really prided itself on a combination of breath and tools as opposed to depth.

As opposed to a student saying that they

are a master in one area... they would be able to have the tools to be able to open up any volume of Talmud [the primary source of Jewish laws and theology], any volume of the legal codes, any volume of anything and have the facility and faculty in Hebrew and Aramaic and legal discourse and unpack that…So there were certain areas that I very much [dug into], whether that was my work in the world of kosher supervision or Midrash, which is sort of Rabbinic lore,” Rabbi Olitzky said.

Rabbi Olitzky was also a part of the pulpit program in graduate school. In this program, he would fly to Canton, Ohio, and while there he would teach, counsel, do worship services, and more. After he graduated, when some of his classmates

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bi Avi were getting their first position of work, Rabbi Olitzky was already working his second position because of his work in the pulpit program.

Rabbi Olitzky ended up moving from the east coast to Minnesota to work at Beth El in 2008. Before he came to Minnesota, he interviewed with other synagogues for a similar position. He had four main offers: Denver, Boca Raton, Peekskill, and St. Louis Park. “Beth El and the community here in St. Louis Park and beyond in Minnesota was the only community of people that my wife and I met, that when we got back to New York, we missed the people we met... Even though there was a foot of snow on the ground when I came here to my interview… the warmth in the community was tangible,” Rabbi Olitzky said.

For Rabbi Olitzky, community has always been an important part of his life, and he values his community greatly. “My father always taught me that our mission

in life is to leave the world in a better place than we found it… But you can’t do that alone. The only way to truly fill ones mission is to do that with others. The only way to connect with others is to immerse oneself and to build a community… I do believe we are created in God’s image not as individuals but as people, not as Jewish people, but as humanity,” Rabbi Olitzky said.

Writer: Mia Rein heck Photogr ap Jack Shie hers: Henry Wit terschie ld n, Designe s r: Jack W illiams

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A Different Perspective Even at a Catholic school, senior Ana McDonough feels accepted and welcomed with her Jewish faith.

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udaism has been a big part of my life and will continue to be for a long time. I never thought that I would end up at a Catholic school. The beginning of 7th grade was frightening for me because I didn’t know if I would comprehend anything in my religion classes. I feared people would look at me differently because I wasn’t Catholic or Christian. I knew it was going to be tough when our first assignment was to write about your favorite Christmas tradition.

My teacher gave me a separate assignment to write about my favorite Hanukkah story. Hanukkah is my favorite Jewish hol-

iday by far. It’s days are filled with family, presents, and food. My favorite part is lighting the candles because it’s a time when my family feels closest.

At the end of 7th grade, I had my Bat Mitzvah which is becoming an adult in the Jewish faith. I had been preparing for three years just for that one day. It was completely worth it because it was such a special and amazing experience. All of my family and friends joined me as I was at the podium reading the Torah. It’s a moment at the Bar or Bat Mitzvah that everyone looks forward to.

I’ve always felt accepted at BSM for my religion. The teachers and students

have been exceptional, kind, and welcoming. My favorite thing is when students ask questions about the Jewish holidays or my experience being Jewish at a Catholic school. I love to give my outlook because I believe that it’s important to know different views on different beliefs. Being Jewish has made me who I am today, but learning about the Catholic faith has been such an amazing experience as well. I came into BSM knowing very little about the Christian religion, but I am so thankful to have gotten the experience to learn more.

Writer: Ana McDonough Photographer: Alice Petty Designer: Alice Petty

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Dancing for a Cause K 5 e b t i r e h t e Wh r o , g n i t e p m running,co g n u o y h t i w g n i work s e t t e t h g i n K e dancers,th e h t o t p u d e v i l s y a w l a e v a h g n i v i g f o n o i BSM expectat . s r o b h g i e n r back to ou

A

member since 7th grade, I know every in and out of the dance team world. From the changing scoresheet, to the strict costume regulations, to choreography rules, there is an endless list of do’s and don’ts for the sport. However, the biggest aspect outsiders don’t seem to realize is the competitiveness of the sport; we train intensely from May of the previous year.

However, this competitiveness really comes secondary to our team. Something that our coaches have emphasized and the BSMDT

legacy is known for is our sportsmanship, especially towards other teams. “We’ve always told our girls that if they demonstrate grace and good sportsmanship, we are proud of them no matter what,” head coach Samantha Cameranesi said.

Starting off our season in the summer, we showcase sportsmanship and support towards other teams as early as August.

Each year the Totino-Grace Dance Team hosts the Angie Ley 5K Run to honor Angie Ley, former E’gal, and her fight against metastatic cervical cancer. Although To-

tino-Grace is consistently our biggest competition at the State Dance Team Tournament, we continue to support the team and their loss each year by running the 5K. This past summer was my 6th and final 5K, and I can honestly say I’ve loved it more and more every year. I’ve realized how positive it is for my team to meet dancers from other schools and show that when we’re not battling it out on the dance floor, we’re actually very nice people. Totino-Grace is a private Catholic school very similar to BSM, making it all

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or

We’ve alway s told our girls that if they demonstrate grace and good sportsmanship, we are proud of them no matter what anes r e m a C m a S

the more important to display camaraderie and respect. In a strange way, our biggest competitors are also our closest neighbors.

“Ever since our team has attended the 5K, we have not only grown closer with each other but [with] fellow AA and AAA teams, all for a good cause,” senior captain Lauren Chevalier said.

In addition to building healthy relationships with our competitors, we also make specific efforts to support fellow Catholic dance teams. One way we do this is through the annual Catholic Jamboree.

Amidst our crazy, busy winter season, we always find time to attend this special event.

“Catholic Jamboree is one of the best meets of the year because we are dancing for the cause, not the score,” senior Lily Nederveld said.

The Catholic Jamboree is a fundraising dance team meet that highlights a spe-

i

cific cause of the host team’s choice. The meet perfectly balances competition with camaraderie as only coaches receive scores from official judges after the competition.

Typically, scores and placements are announced at the end of every meet; however, at Catholic Jamboree, these scores are not announced to ensure that dancers and highly involved parents don’t lose sight of the real purpose of the event. After dancing at the meet for the past ten years, BSM will be hosting Catholic Jamboree for the third time this upcoming December at BSM. In honor of the passing of John Beutz, father and uncle to two Knightette dancers, the other dance captains and myself have chosen to give all proceeds to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Just as we have supported other Catholic dancers and their choice of charity, this year we hope that our neighbors will continue

to support us. All Catholic dance teams are welcome at this event, and the College of St. Benedict Blazers will even come to perform and contribute to a good cause.

On BSMDT, we don’t just consider current dancers as our neighbors, but we also extend a neighborly invitation to future Knightettes with our annual Kids Clinic.

We welcome ages ranging from 4 through 12 and host an afternoon to show younger members of the BSM community what our team is all about. With lots of planning and patience, we choreograph and teach a routine for each age group, and we end the day by performing one of our dances for the kids and their parents. “It’s fun to share our talent with younger dancers and hopefully inspire them to become a Knightette one day,” senior Ashlyn Virginia said.

Writer: Molly Segner Designer Emily Barron

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