Volume 3 Issue 1
Spectrum High School
THE ACCOLADE TIMES
Cornerstone By: Clarissa Olson
Cornerstone Montessori school in St. Paul is a small school that educates underprivileged kids in the area. The Spectrum service learning group, Students & Sidekicks, led by Miss Kinney and Mrs. Vogel, goes to visit the Cornerstone students twice a year. Many of the kids come from one parent households; moreover, only one of the Cornerstone kids has two parents, so many of the kids see the Spectrum students as parental figures. Before the first visit to Cornerstone in December, the Spectrum students made pillows to give to the kids. They also sorted through and wrapped books to give as well. On the service learning days that Students & Sidekicks don’t visit Cornerstone, Miss Kinney and Mrs. Vogel have their students write letters to their Cornerstone friends. The Cornerstone kids love to receive the letters from Spectrum; the letters are the highlight of their week. The visits from the Spectrum students are eagerly awaited by the Cornerstone kids; they constantly talk about the visits to their teachers. The Cornerstone kids were so excited on March 15 that they screamed and chanted “Spectrum!� when the bus pulled up; they were eager to find their Spectrum friends and include everyone in their games. Everyone had a wonderful time playing outside, until it was time to go. They all waved good-bye as the bus drove away. It was a good day for one last visit to Cornerstone, especially for the seniors. Most of the seniors who are in the group have been in it since freshman year. Everyone enjoyed themselves and now eagerly await the next year for familiar and new faces.
Lives Are In Their Hands By: Lauren White and Sierra Anderson Every student that signs up for it thinks that it won’t be worth their time. When their hands touch the wheel, they don’t know what will happen. It’s one of those silly things that adults make us do, but most students don’t realize how much the class can impact how you drive on the road. “When I got signed up, I thought the class was going to focus on the signs and road signs, but I realize now after I have taken the class that it is a lot harder than it looks. When I was younger, I thought it was super easy, and now I know that I actually have to focus in more depth when driving,” Marcus Grund (10th) recalled. Driver’s ed isn’t supposed to be fun; it is supposed to be serious because when you drive, it is either life or death. The class
went through worksheets, watched videos, and also got to hear some very personal stories. “My favorite part of driver’s ed was when Linda handed me my blue card, and I was done! Something that will stick with me is how everything looks while wearing drunk glasses. Never drive drunk. If you do, you most likely are going to kill someone or yourself!” stated Maggie Heino (9th). Driving is a privilege and not a right. You have to be careful because you are going to have people’s lives in your hands. The laws and rules that are in place are the things that can help save lives. “I loved driver’s ed because I got to see things through other people’s eyes and learn the best parts about getting a little bit more freedom,”
Tori Mercer (9th) expressed. “The red asphalt video and not wearing my seatbelt... it can cause some major damage.” Overall, the students that took the driver’s ed class learned a lot and were glad when they got their blue cards. Taking a driving class is very important, and it is the law. Students learn all the rules and laws and get to hear stories from real people. Lives are in the hands of everyone who drives.
Meet and Greet Time!
Welcome to Spectrum High School conferences! When parents arrive, they go to the different teachers to communicate with the teachers to see how their kids are doing in school. Sometimes teachers have long lines because they are popular teachers, and parents want to see them and talk to them. “We hold conferences so parents and teachers have the opportunity to connect in a face-to-face setting about their student and their progress in classes. We hold conferences in the fall and spring, so they take place during each semester,” said Mr. Anderson. Spectrum High School has done conferences during the fall and spring for a very long time. It gives parents the time to go and communicate with the teachers and give the parents time to have a talk and to know how their students are doing. When having conferences, it is always good to do a grade check, to meet the teachers, and to express how you think your student is doing in school. By: Hannah Dertinger
Polar Plunge
Small School, Big Rivalries
Written by: Hailey May and Emily Fearing
By: Catherine Mahanna, Morgan Schelske, and Jena Jakubiec A small soccer tournament held in tornado-like winds on a random day at Spectrum High School would seem to have little impact on children in need. However, when joined with Kick for Nick, this tournament, put on by HALO, helped collect soccer balls to donate to those who cannot afford them. Kick for Nick has generously contributed soccer balls to children in 35 different countries. The players on that blustery day were actually helping to spread their love of soccer worldwide.“Dang, it’s windy!” exclaimed Carter Allard, sophomore varsity soccer captain and part of the winning yellow team from March 7th. “I felt like a champion,” Allard stated about his team’s victory. Blowing at a brisk 40 miles per hour, the winds truly were a large part of the HALO soccer tournament. The winds whipped participants with sand and rocks and created universal bad hair days. The players’ feet pounded the frozen ground as they raced toward the ball. On the sidelines, players on the waiting team passed back and forth to keep their body temperatures warm.
“My favorite part of the tournament was that it was competitive, but no one was mean to each other. It was friendly competition, and I just had a really good time. Spectrum has never had a soccer competition like this before, and I think this tournament was a good way to start it off,” claimed Alec Staricka, a sophomore soccer player for Spectrum. After a few long hours of sprinting, passing, and scoring, the Kick for Nick fundraiser soccer tournament came to a close. Funds were raised, and fun was had before the players migrated inside for shelter from the battering winds on the field.
When given an opportunity, go for it. They plunged into the icy waters of Lake Calhoun. Like many others, the polar plunge was an experience to not forget. One student in particular had a special story that was unlike any other. “Going into the Polar Plunge was just a normal day for me. I had just expected it to be a fun day, but I didn’t expect it to be as fun as it was.” - Zack Szakatits (9th) Zack Szakatits, along with the H.A.L.O. service learning group and NHS, attended the Cool School Plunge on March 3rd. The Polar Plunge is an organization that raises money for the Special Olympics. Each participant was asked to raise $75 in order to plunge. Many raised the amount needed but some students did not. Zack stated, “I had not raised the money because I just did not. I still feel bad because I knew it was going to an amazing cause.” Even though Zack did not raise the money himself, he still was given the opportunity to plunge.
to just have me sit all day. Then this lady, who I had no idea who she was, started writing a check. Now this is when I was curious on what she was going to do with that. Then when she had finished writing it, she handed me the check and said, and I won’t forget this, “Here take this. Donate it to your cause.” And at this point I was literally speechless. And all the other workers were smiling, and laughing because this woman had just done this for a person she never knew. I was just in shock on how kind she was to me. I had not even gotten her name. It was just so cool. I had not really experienced something like this, and it was just amazing.” Thanks to this nice lady’s donation that she gave Zack, he was able to plunge and more money was given to the Special Olympics. “Now I was so excited to be able to jump in the water. We were in the changing room. I just felt really good, but I also was very nervous. I don’t know why, but I was just so nervous. But eventually we ended up on the beach because this year we ran into the water instead of jumped, so we started on the beach. KDWB was there too, and they counted us down from five. By the time they reached one, my heart was racing. But when I got into the water, it was amazing. I really just can’t put it into words; it just has to be experienced. But it really was amazing. I will never forget how cold that water was. It was just wonderful.”
“We had just arrived, and I had just expected to watch the other participants going into the water. But once we got into the registration lines, that was Overall, Zack had quite the amazing experience, and he, when something pretty cool happened. So as I got along with the rest of the group from Spectrum, got to into the building, I saw an open spot to check in. help a good cause. I just walked over, and I started talking with the people who sign you in, and they started asking questions. They asked me first my name, so I replied with Zachary Szakatits. Then they said how much money had you raised. I responded slightly less enthusiastic and said zero. This is when they start to figure out what to do with me. Whether or not to let me in because my group had went ahead without me, so I could reunite with my group members, or
Homework Help
Every year our school has two school-wide homework help class period sessions. When this happens, students are to choose three teachers that they would like to go have homework help with or to go get help from. Teachers are to select certain students to be requested into their classroom during homework help to do their homework. The point of homework help is to help kids who are struggling to get their grades up, or if someone is behind from a vacation they took, then they can make up work. Hanna Opay and Kelly Mitchell
Pop Culture Have you ever thought about how much pop culture influences people? Here at Spectrum High School we sent out a survey to all the students to gather their responses to pop culture. It is intriguing to see which areas of culture (whether it be food, music, TV, or social media) impact middle and high schoolers. According to the survey answers, teens typically spend one to two hours watching TV per day. Subway and Taco Bell are two popular fast food places. The majority of students at Spectrum favorite app is Snapchat with Youtube following close behind.
“Approximately how many hours do you spend watching TV each day?”
“Which app is your favorite?”
PAGE TITLE TV Favorites All Around Spectrum!
“What type of music do you prefer?”
“How do you listen to music?”
Written by: Hannah Skistad and Hannah Dertinger
Everybody loves music, right? Music in our culture has become a staple of the generation. Pop is the most commonly liked genre of music at Spectrum High School. Many students’ favorite way to listen to their music is on Spotify - sadly, the school blocks that website. It was interesting to see that so many people listen to their music on the radio. With the media continuing to switch over to a more digital based age, will radio eventually go out? Or will people continue to embrace traditional ways to listen to music?
Helping Others is What We Do!
Service Learning
By: Nicole Larson
Service learning is a large part of the Spectrum family. We want to make a difference in our community. So, what can cause a change in the community through proper service? More specifically, what is considered valuable service? I sought out to find what a suitable service learning group is from students and teachers in our own school. Lexi Reese (11th) says, “It is important to learn how to reach out to the community without expecting any rewards.” Because of the experience that students had from doing service, they realize the importance of service in everyday life. A student’s perspective is important, but we also need to know why our teachers are so willing to put hard work in for a class that is dedicated to improving the community. In an exclusive interview with Mrs. Stelten, she says, “A good service learning group has a clear purpose and works toward that purpose regularly and makes a difference in the community and through developing relationships.” When asked why we do service learning and why it is important, she answered, “I think service learning is important because you are going to be a member of a community for the rest of your life, and you need to find a way to become a part of that community [.] And [it] makes a difference and make a contribution.”
Photo by: M. Schelske
Photo by: C. Mahanna
From this, I have learned service learning in school is more beneficial to each student in different, unique ways. Since the students can choose the service group they wish to be in, they have the ability to use their skills completely. Service should be unique and pure. Spectrum’s goal is to make children truly learn what community service should be and how to successfully help people.
Photos by: C. Mahanna
Alumni and Managers
Leah Dehn, a former softball player
Ellen Voiss is a sophomore at Spectrum High School. She has been playing softball for three years. This year she is managing the girls varsity team. She has a voice that you can hear for miles, and she has the much needed positivity that radiates throughout the field.
and alumni of Spectrum High School, is back for another season. This time she is on the flip side of the game. She is the assistant JV coach and a huge help to both teams. Leah has been playing for four years, and she was Spectrum’s varsity captain last year. “Each week we get together before or after practice, and the coaches tell us a story and bring a life lesson out of it. We are not only learning to be better softball players, but we are learning how to be better leaders, how to create good character, and how to keep a positive mindset throughout life. Good character comes first, not softball” -Alisa Johnson, 12th Alisa Johnson is a senior at Spectrum High School. She has been involved with Spectrum’s softball team for five years.
The Makings of a Family
“I like the team of girls and how they work together to accomplish things but still have fun together at the same time.” -Ellen Voiss, 10th
By: Jena Jakubiec, Catherine Mahanna, and Morgan Schelske
Forced by the frigid cold to tryout indoors, the softball girls began to warm up their throwing arms and batting skills for the successful season to come. Softball tryouts lasted a two days, March 14th and 15th. A total of twenty-one girls tried out for the team and, fortunately, all
Photo by: R. Rogers Writing by: E. Voiss and E. Fonder
twenty-one girls made the team. Emily Fonder, a JV softball player, voices her hopes for the future season to come, “I think the season will be successful; yesterday we had our first game, and we beat PACT 14:0, so that was a pretty good start, so I’m hoping we have that record and that high of scoring every game to come.” The team is very optimistic, and they believe that this future season to come will be one of the best seasons they have ever had.
"Softball is fun because of all of the laughs the team shares in games and at practice." -Abby Thompson
“The aspect of the team is great because I get to witness such great players do what they love, and it makes me so happy knowing I get to be apart of the 2017 season.” - Abby Thompson, 9th Abby Thompson is a Spectrum High School freshman. She is new to managing softball this year, but she always helps to feed balls, helps fill out the score book, and brings laughter to anyone who is near. “I am really excited for the weekend softball retreat. I have heard it’s a lot of fun, and I am really excited for this year. I am excited to be involved in the sport and see the players that I don’t normally get to see in the year.” -Elise Berry, 9th Elise Berry is a freshman at Spectrum High School. She has played softball before but has chosen to take a different route. She is managing the JV team and is very excited about the adventures that come.
St.
St. Olaf College Field Trip By: Emily Fearing and Hailey May
The AVID high school students went to St. Olaf college for a class field trip in Northfield, MN. This was an interesting college to go to because it was very far away and seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
liked. “I had a positive experience on this trip. The college was beautiful, and the people were very welcoming. I decided to go on this trip because I always enjoy going on college trips, to see what the college would be like and if it would be somewhere I would like to go in the future. Also, my favorite “The most interesting part of this college was part was the food.” the fact that you can make your own degree and that they have students from forty-nine Students found that St. Olaf was a very interesting states and numerous countries” - Kirsten college. Even though the college is in a small town Olson it’s still a good choice. It could also even be a potential choice for college. Many students took part in this trip but one in particular decided to share their story with us.
Kirsten joined AVID as a freshman last year. She is still in AVID and participated in the St. Olaf field trip. “I joined AVID because I heard that it would help me stay organized, prepare me for college and help me with the challenges of school.” said Olson. Most students like taking the break off of school to go out and go on field trips. Kirsten told us some of her favorite parts about the campus and what she
Huy Nguyen (10th) and Kirsten Olson (10th) snap a snapchat on the bus to St.Olaf.
Food Fight by Jena Jakubiec, Catherine Mahanna, and Morgan Schelske
"I got involved when I contacted CAER Food Shelf to ask if they would like to work with us as a service learning group, and they gave us several pieces of information, and one of them was that March is Minnesota Food Share Campaign Month, and so they are starting this year a big Independent School District 728 (even though we're not part of that) Food Fight against each other, so they asked if I wanted to be involved with that, and when I asked our service learning group, they said "yes," and they were very excited about it. I think that we did well considering the size of our school and that we had like a week to prepare, and I feel like next year, it is going to be even bigger and better as we have more time for planning." - Ms. Kemnitz, Empty Bowls Service Learning Teacher
You might be thinking to yourself, “How can I impact my community?” Or maybe you are thinking, “How can I, one teenager out of all the other millions of teenagers around the world, really impact and change the world for the better?” It might seem like a large task for such a young person and such a small part of this large world, but it is possible. Spectrum’s Empty Bowls service learning group made it possible and put on a fundraiser to compete with other local schools to raise the largest amount of food donations. But the main goal was not to win; the main goal was to donate food to give to those in need to make the community a better place for everyone to live in. This fundraiser lasted an entire month, from February 27th to March 31st. Spectrum ended up collecting 575 pounds in total. Spectrum also took 5th place out of eleven schools in the competition. All of the donations went to CAER Food Shelf to be given to those in need.