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The student voice of Hopkins High School Volume 38, Issue 1 November, 11, 2021 www.hopkinsrp.org
Top: Football players Jaxon Draack, senior, Max Johanning, senior, Robert Buckingham, senior, and Daunte Ndemo, sophomore, hype up from the sidelines as the cheerleaders perform their annual pepfest routine. Left: Jessie Kurus, senior, showing her trumpet skills as LMPM contributes to the homecoming magic with a range of exciting pieces. Right: Student Council member, Clyde Retish, senior, emcees the fall pepfest. Energy was high, as he riled up the crowd in anticipation for the homecoming football game. Bottom: The Junior class decked out in red from head to toe embracing their class spirit at their very first pepfest.
Photo by Sam Levitt
Coming home Tess Brimmer Web, Editor-in-Chief Homecoming is, perhaps, the quintessential high school tradition in America. Students use the week to celebrate their communities and come together as a group for pepfests, football games, food and the dance. It’s clear the 2021 Hopkins Homecoming was making up for the lost time of the pandemic, quarantines, limited school activities and car parties, that couldn’t replace actually hanging out with classmates.= With the impact the pandemic has had on big event dates over the course of the past two years partnered with the remarkable alternation of day to day high school life, the loss of these fond traditions sparked some worry amongst students. The senior class only experienced the magic of homecoming week once and the juniors and sophomores not at all. Navigating the coordination that went into rekindling these forgotten traditions was surely a challenge. Despite having had to approach the planning of these activities with a new perspective accounting for the COVID restrictions set in place, the week was successful nonetheless. Taking part in spirit days, the pep fest, the homecoming football game, and the semi-formal dance, the week was representative of quintessential Hopkins pride that was deemed to be far from forgotten through the time of the pandemic.
Photo by Sam Levitt
Photo by Aidan Swartz
In print, online
Photo by Aidan Swartz
We’re committed to share the community’s stories in print and online at Hopkinsrp.org. Please join us. This has been a challenging issue to get out, with new staff reporters and the newly combined classes of both Yearbook and Newspaper. The majority of our staff reporters have never experienced an in-person version of this class, and the transition into in-person school has been difficult. Despite the obstacles faced as we get our feet under us with this first issue, there was no shortage of content as the start of the school year completely in-person after nearly two years has made for many exciting things to report. From concerts coming back to reports of vaccinations
amongst students and faculty, this issue is reflective of the level of normalcy making its way back into our everyday lives. Moving forward, The Royal Page acts as our school’s news platform, where we want to hear from you. As the voice of the Hopkins community, it’s important to us to report about things you care about, things you’re happy about, and anything that is of interest to you. As the year progresses, we will continue to upload content weekly ohe the royal page website, hopkinsrp.org. We hope to produce print editions more frequently and are eager to hear your feedback.
Ayse Ozturk
Print, Editor-in-Chief
Tess Brimmer
Web, Editor-in-Chief
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
02 news
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the royal page I got the vaccine, and I think everyone should get vaccinated to keep the people around them safe.
Raleigh Koritz, senior
Royal vaccinations, or lack of
Ayse Ozturk Print, Editor-In-Chief
A return to normalcy seems farther and farther away as the Delta variant runs rampant and vaccination rates have started to plateau. Despite vaccines being accessible to anyone over the age of five, COVID cases continue to rise. COVID vaccines have received emergency approval by the FDA, as well as the Pfizer vaccine being fully approved. Despite encouragement from doctors, scientists, and government officials, only 71.2 percent of Minnesotans who are eligible for the vaccine have received all doses according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Although masks are still required and many other safety procedures remain in place, HHS is no exception to the continued spread of COVID. COVID rates in Hopkins Schools are not nearly as high as other MN school districts, but the categorically high transmission rates still continue to increase. HHS encourages vaccination and provides resources, which are posted around the building; however, the school’s website lacks lots of information regarding COVID or vaccinations outside of the number of cases in the school. Vaccination rates of students in secondary schools in the Hopkins District are relatively low compared to the state percentage, at a slow-growing 55 percent of students fully vaccinated. Staff rates look much better
HHS combats student tardiness Joelle Kurus Staff Reporter
at 80-90 percent of fully vaccinated, with some now receiving booster shots as well. The vaccine is supposed to help our community return back to normal through herd immunity, so why don’t more people have it? Those who are anti-vaccine, known as “anti-vaxxers,” are not a new concept, but a new wave of said anti-vaxxers have emerged. Fears about side effects and lack of medical independence have pushed many Americans away from the COVID vaccine. False news has also spread many misconceptions about vaccine side effects as well as the validity of COVID as a whole. From microchips to infertility to COVID being a ¨government hoax,¨ fake news has made it very difficult for people to trust many sources and find truthful information about this constantly changing topic. The politicization of COVID, especially of the vaccine, has caused even more polarization during this emergent public health crisis. Vaccination is so closely correlated with political affiliation that conversations with strangers about vaccination are avoided just as much as political discussions. “I encourage everyone to get vaccinated,” Nurse Chris Niederer said. “I know there has been a lot of concern regarding it, but the science has proven its effectiveness. Students who have been exposed to COVID and are vaccinated are either not contracting it or
experiencing little to no symptoms.” Those choosing not to get vaccinated put not only themselves at risk, but also those who cannot receive the vaccine. People with severe underlying conditions and young children are still unable to get vaccinated. Ms. Lisa Sohn, Spanish, is high risk, and despite being vaccinated is still concerned for her health and safety. “My risk of developing dangerous symptoms are definitely increased,” Sohn said. “Though I am vaccinated and getting my booster soon, I still worry.” Schools in the state of Minnesota require students to receive certain vaccinations before attending school unless they receive an exemption on the basis of medical needs or philosophical beliefs, so why is the COVID vaccine any different? Multiple school districts in Minnesota already require anyone in contact with students to be vaccinated or have a negative COVID test. California has become the first state to require a COVID vaccine for
students 12 and older and President Joe Biden has encouraged companies to mandate vaccination for their staff. With such a large debate over the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, a decision has yet to be made over the mandate of the COVID vaccine in Minnesota schools among students. In order for this to be enacted, the Minnesota Legislature must agree to implement this into law, something very unlikely to happen due to the great political divide regarding the vaccine. The only other way is for the Minnesota Department of Health to develop a case then put in a request to the state. Though this is possible, it would take over a year due to the great community input needed in order for the public to support the final rule, which even then the governor can veto. With these restrictions in mind, the only way for schools to return close to the normal that was pre-COVID is for students and staff to get vaccinated as the threshold of herd immunity nears.
In 1982, the former Lindbergh High School was successfully changed to Hopkins High School, as referred to today. Opened in 1996, the fitness center reclaimed the title creating The Lindbergh Center, which has its address on Lindbergh Drive. Within recent years, the reconsideration of building names and monuments has increased significantly in hopes to divert attention away from the memorialization of problematic figures. The Lindbergh Center is no exception. While the decision to rename the Lindbergh Center is finalized, to what it will be renamed is not. Hopkins Schools and the City of Minnetonka, who jointly own and operate the building currently known as the Lindbergh Center, asked the community for feedback in the
form of a survey as to the criteria to be considered in selecting the new name. Options include naming the facility after a former Hopkins coach, educator or administrator, seeking a corporate partner with whom to collaborate and presumably offering naming rights in exchange for funding, and honoring the Native American land the building sits on with the new name. Speculation amongst recent Hopkins alumni favors The Novak Center as the new name honoring the longtime Hopkins boys basketball coaches Ken Novak, Senior and Ken Novak, Junior. The Novaks coached Hopkins to eight state championships. Novak, Sr. was head coach at Hopkins from 1957-1970, then coached Hopkins Lindbergh from 1970-82 when the Hopkins district split into two
schools. He won 459 games as a head coach and is in the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Novak, Jr. was a social studies teacher at Hopkins High School and is considered one of the most accomplished high school basketball coaches in Minnesota history. Novak was named the ESPN RISE National Coach of the Year. Last season, Novak Jr., who became the Royals coach in 1990, achieved his 900th career win. “Being a varsity boys basketball player and having been in the presence of Coach Novak, I’m definitely in support of the name being changed to the Novak center. He’s a hero and has contributed so much to our team”, said Tyrell Sappington, senior. Although viewed as a hero to many within the Hopkins community, some suspicion
Graphic by Maya Bozicevich
HHS’ past tardy policies were like any other school’s: simple and not always listened to. According to a Cambridge College study and The Brown Daily Herald, 3.3% to 9.5% of students are tardy everyday, and ¼ of students skip class at least once a week. Many students come in late, and admit to doing so, but they don’t always realize how disruptive it could be. “I don’t get many late students, and they know to be quiet when coming in, but the amount of disruption depends on how late they are when they come in, the manner in which they come in, and how many of them there are,” said Ms. Fatuma Ali, language arts. The new administration has now enforced policies to encourage students to get to class on time. For the first football game of the year the principal herself was at the gate to make sure that students with any tardies from that week were not allowed in. “This is one tool in the toolbox to make sure that students get to class on time,” said Ali. “So far I’m in favor of the policies she’s put in place.” One problem contributing to tardies is morning buses. For the first few weeks of school many students would come into their first block late as the buses were behind schedule day after day. Some stops were missed on those routes and not all of them were able to catch a ride to school.
Graphic by Ayse Ozturk
“A lot of students are having a hard time getting to school on time because of the buses,” said Ali. Students aren’t always to blame for being tardy, but it is important for them to know what to do when they are. “I’ve only been tardy two times this year; once when my father drove me in, and the other when my bus was late,” said Dorothea Watson, senior. Most of the time a teacher will excuse the student if they have a legitimate excuse, such as the bus, as well as if they have a pass from the front office or other staff. Some teachers will send out their personal policies at the start of every term to ensure that students know what is expected of them. “In my syllabus the attendance policy is as the school has laid in the student handbook, which changes from year to year, and that if you are more than ten minutes late you will be marked absent,” said Ali.
Problematic history leads to the renaming of Lindbergh Center Tess Brimmer Web, Editor-In-Chief The Lindbergh Center, located on the campus of HHS, which encompasses 92,000-square-feet of fitness and event space accessible for a range of athletic endeavors, now rethinks the historical title in its relations to the antisemite who bears its name. Charles Lindbergh rose to international fame in 1927 as he became the first person to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean in his monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis. Although deemed an American hero in that regard, and a local favorite son of one time having been raised in Little Falls, Minnesota, his involvement in the nazi party begged the question of whether or not he should be honored at all.
has arisen about how naming the center after another white male may not reflect the level of progressiveness Hopkins hopes to achieve through the name change. “As a community, we want to preach equality and inclusivity which has to be represented in our actions,” varsity volleyball player Leiauna Hayman, junior, said. “While I respect Novak and everything he has done for the community, I think if we want to preach a communal message, we also have to act on that message.” On the other hand, many care solely about the contribution made by the person selected to carry the name of the fitness center. “As both a varsity dancer and a person of color, I think that it’s most important we name the center after someone who has made a change in so-
ciety for the betterment of not only themselves, but other people,” Camryn Mcneal, sophomore, said. It doesn’t matter if it’s a white man that it’s named after, so much as did the white man do something or change something to benefit the community.” Noted in an article by the University of Michigan regarding the practice of renaming buildings, the suggestion on defining a set of principles involved in the changing was viewed as the best way to approach the process. Hopkins hopes to implement a similar approach with the renaming in order to make a smart and popular decision. As feedback rolls in and suggestions continue to be made, it’s likely a new name will stand outside the fitness center coming 2022.
the royal page
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
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Earth Club is a great community of people who also love being in nature and doing what they can to protect the planet.
Ava Stahl, junior
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HHS students “Deserve a Shot” at $200 Jade Hutton Staff Reporter
“Kids Deserve a Shot” is a Minnesota program that was launched by Governor Tim Walz. The program gives $200 visa cards for 12-17 year olds who are willing to get their COVID vaccination. HHS students have recently been exposed to this incentive. Teachers have been promoting it in hopes of raising the vaccination rates not only throughout Minnesota but specifically within the school district. “I’ve made signs, put them in my classroom, and sent it out to all staff members in order to continue promoting it,” Mr. Rick Rexroth, social studies, said. “I’ve also talked about it with my students and staff department.” Rexroth isn’t the only one that wants to see this incentive get out, students such as Devin Altic, junior, have supported the push of vaccine incentives.
Altic is a student of Rexroth’s who was positively affected by his continuous awareness of the incentive. “I think it’s a great idea because I know that an incentive will definitely help influence people to go out and get vaccinated,” Altic said.
Hopkins isn’t the only district that is participating in the Kids Deserve a Shot program. It is government implemented, meaning all Minnesota schools are eligible. As of right now, 55 percent of Hopkins students are vaccinated and with this incentive being promoted vaccina-
tion rates could potentially rise. “It’s a cool program targeting the age group of highschoolers,” Rexroth said. “Our school is only halfway vaccinated, and ideally we would want to get it up to 80 or 90%. Although, I do think we need to do more to promote it.”
It is likely that there may be some sort of pushback or controversy with this incentive, but as long as those who are comfortable getting the vaccine are able to get it, vaccination rates are headed in the right direction. During the summer, the
Minnesota State Fair had initiated a $100 incentive for adults to go out and get their vaccine. It was deemed successful considering a noticeable rise in vaccination rates. “It’s an incentive, $200 is a lot for a teenager, but it’s definitely a good way to encourage vaccines because the state fair had done something similar,” Rexroth said. In order to receive the $200 visa card, parents/guardians must register their fully vaccinated child. The vaccine eligibility window for the first dose is to be received between October 18th and November 19th and the second dose by November 30th. Registration opened at 8:00 a.m. on November 9, 2021 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2021. While the future of this pandemic is uncertain, it is clear that the HHS is working hard to make it a safe place for everyone.
Gifted musician of HHS shines in top symphony
Aidan Swartz Staff Reporter Justin Kadet, senior, is the most musically gifted person in the world. That may be a stretch to say, but Kadet is easily one of the most gifted at HHS. Kadet plays for HHS band and has since his freshman year, when he came to the Hopkins district. He participates as a trumpet player in Great Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS), the top symphony in Minnesota. He has been playing the
trumpet since he was very young. He started at just three years old and learned from his older brothers. His parents have helped Justin with his musical talents ever since he was born. His dad has always loved to hear Justin play deep into the night, so he was always excited and willing to support Justin’s musical dreams. “My family has always been there to support me,” Kadet said. “Sometimes I would stop playing for short periods, but then I would play again be-
Photo provided by Justin Kadet Justin Kadet, senior, practices his trumpet as he prepares for his next performance on November 13 with GTCYS.
cause my parents wanted me to play a certain song for them.” Kadet’s talents don’t stop at the trumpet, he is also an adept piano and guitar player as well. Kadet also has the ability to play the piano and trumpet at the same time with one in each hand. To do this he must read the sheet music in a half note higher for the trumpet and keep the standard note for the piano without mixing the two. “It is a really good party trick,” Kadet said. “I love playing both instruments and I thought why not put them both
together?” The guitar is the latest instrument Kadet has mastered. During COVID he would spend time in his basement with his brother Ryan, switching off every hour from Xbox to guitar. Justin enjoys music and plans on continuing to play in college. Kadet does not know if he will play through his future school or for fun, but one thing is for sure, it is always great to hear him play.
HHS Earth Club takes action for environmental change Annabel Lyons Social Media Manager As 2022 approaches it’s widely recognized that there are a lot of environmental issues that need to be addressed that aren’t given the attention they need. Earth Club Co-Presidents, Ally Butz and Kenna Brandt, juniors, and Vice President, Cole Kehrberg, senior, are doing what they can as high school students to spread awareness and take action about these issues. According to the Co-Presidents, there isn’t any kind of “typical” meeting of Earth Club; each meeting looks different. “One week we’re inside watching a documentary, and the next we’re out picking up trash around the campus,” Brandt said. For a meeting this November, they took the members
on a single night camping trip in Frontenac. They went on a hike, made s’mores, and learned about the area in the process. Their most anticipated event of the year is Earth Jam. Every year Earth Club hosts an event filled with music, food, friends, and fundraising. Local bands perform, including ones from HHS. The money made from the concert goes towards
a number of different environmental causes. One cause in particular is the Stop Line 3 movement, which protests the expansion of the Line 3 pipeline. This is considered a priority to the club, as it violates Indigenous rights and according to Kehrberg, this expansion would damage communities both socially and economically. “Building a new fossil fuel
infrastructure is just about the worst thing to do for a society trying to prevent climate change.” Kehrberg said. The three leaders hope that before they graduate, they can raise awareness for the Stop Line 3 cause and inspire others at HHS to volunteer for environmental causes.
Photo provided by Ally Butz
Photo provided by Ally Butz
Top: Hopkins Earth Club’s logo, designed by Co-President Ally Butz. Left: Earth Club picks up trash around HHS as they do what they can to help improve the community’s environment. Right: Last year’s Earth Jam was full of lots of excitement as they raised over $500 for Stop Line 3.
Photo provided by Ally Butz
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
04 variety
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the royal page It was a little embarrising being posted on @_hhsparking, but it’s fun to know I’m not the only one who can’t park
Ruby Kruse, junior
A taste of fame and fast food in modern marketing Katerina Kruse Staff Reporter In such a fast-paced, technology-based society, staying relevant is at the forefront of many companies’ minds, especially in the food industry. As an effort to draw in new business, as well as keep long-term customers intrigued, many businesses have taken an approach surrounding influencer marketing. Fast-food giants such as McDonald’s and Burger King are no exception. One of the first celebrity-endorsed meals, paving the way for current influencer marketing, was the McDonald’s McJordan, named after Micheal Jordan in 1992. A return of this tactic hit in October of 2020 when Mcdonald’s released the Travis Scott meal. His featured meal took the internet by storm. On social media platforms, such as Tik Tok and Instagram, videos spread of people reviewing and supporting the meal. Some even played the popular Travis Scott song “SICKO MODE” at the drive-through window, establishing a viral trend. “McDonald’s definitely does lots of research before they choose the star to determine if 9/10 people would like their meal,” said Jesse Theirl,
Business. “From there, they really played into their market to ensure that people will come to try it, as well as stay competitive in their space.” After proving that influencer marketing is more than successful at drawing in business from a variety of crowds, this has become a norm in the quick-service food industry. Since last fall, McDonald’s has launched celebrity meals endorsed by J Balvin, BTS, and most recently rapper Saweetie. The Saweetie meal included a Big Mac, a four-piece Chicken McNugget, fries, and sprite paired with Tangy BBQ and limited edition Saweetie N’ Sour sauce. Burger King, who has also jumped onto the influencer marketing trend has partnered up with three musicians/influencers to create custom meals. “I think that Burger King is getting into this a little late, but if it works for your competitors why not?” Said Thierl. “In any field, people would say to work smarter not harder, if someone is doing something really well and it’s working; steal it and make it yours”. One crucial element of Burgers King’s campaign was that the influencers used their real names instead of their
stage names to tie into the brand’s “Keep It Real” campaign. Their new program will ban 120 artificial ingredients from their menu. “People are much more educated now on what is in their food and tend to stray away from certain things. So I think the more Burger King advertises simpler foods, people will like the company for that,” said Theirl. Now that Americans are far more conscious of what goes into their food, this Burger King announcement will lead them to even more success in their future. The Chase Hudson meal, featured a Spicy Ch’King with cheese, a four-piece order of mozzarella sticks paired with a chocolate shake. Though more commonly known as Lil Huddy, he has 33.2 million TikTok followers, who opened the door for his music career and endorsements. Popular American rapper, singer-songwriter, Nelly, was in on the action too. The Cornell Haynes Jr meal included a flame-grilled whopper with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo, and ketchup, with a small order of fries and small sprite. The Larissa Machado
HHS parking problems exposed Katerina Kruse Staff Reporter
With students returning to HHS this fall, the parking lot has returned to its usual chaotic status. The influx of young drivers causes the infamous long lines as well as some questionable parking jobs. The Instagram account, @_hhsparking, decided to take action into their own hands. This account anonymously exposes cars around the HHS parking lot that didn’t exactly ace their parking that morning. This account takes their own photos, but also receives a majority of their submissions from HHS students sent through Instagram DM. Whether cars are over the lines, parked diagonally, or are even taking up four spaces, @_hhsparking documents it. Each post includes a date, small comment, and overall rate of the parking job. At first many thought this was an original idea, though it turns out that similar accounts have been made for many surrounding high schools. Schools like Minnetonka, South St. Paul, Armstrong, and Waconia all participate in this comical style of account. Although something as arbitrary as a fun-loving parking
Graphic by Kat Kruse
meal included an Impossible whipper with lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, and mustard, again paired with a small fry and sprite. You also may know her by the name of Anitta, the Brazilian singer with 55.7 million Instagram followers. Visible through the selection of influencers chosen to represent Burger King, it is apparent that they are attempting to intrigue a variety of people from diverse age groups and
backgrounds. From a popular teenage social media star, a legend in the rap community, to an international icon, Burger King is making wise selections to stay fun and relevant in the eyes of many. “So many athletes and influencers have been endorsing products for so many years, they’re just taking it to the next level,” said Thierl. “There’s enough curiosity to recognize that the meals are something
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different but because people’s favorite celebrities eat it, they’ll jump on it.” The increase of influencer marketing being utilized in big corporations has brought nothing but success and prosperity to the fast-food market; once again proving that social media has no limits.
Swaggiest Accesories
10 Quavo’s Grill 9 RiFF RAFF’s Pit Vipers
8 Adam Sandler’s shorts 7 Ariana Grande’s ponytail Every water bottle that’s not a Hy6 dro Flask 5 Jack Harlow’s sunglasses
4 3 account may seem unimportant, these small things have allowed students to regain the feeling of the tight-knit community that was HHS preCOVID.
The HHS parking account makes many students feel more connected to their classmates and has given them a new way to have fun at HHS.
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Gabe Kahn and his sockless Birks
The Charizard in Aidan Swartz’s phone case
Bobby Smurda’s fitted NYC hat Kanye’s Hennessy bottle at the MTV Viedeo Music Awards
the royal page
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
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My favorite local pizza place is Punch Pizza, and I really enjoy their margherita pizza.
Masha Alexeev, junior
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Who really has the best pizza in the area? Samuel Levitt Staff Reporter
Photo by Sam Levitt Sam Levitt, senior, on his first stop on his mission to find the best pizza at Pizza Luce.
Winter is almost here, football is back and what is better than to hang out with your friends while eating a nice warm pizza. But which local pizza spot has the best pizza for the best price? I decided to take many different factors into account: crust, sauce, cheese, consistency, and customer service/ speed. The journey to find the best pizza consisted of five different local pizza spots: Pizza Luce, Station Pizza, Olive’s Fresh Pizza Bar, Black Sheep, and Punch Pizza. Pizza Luce: 210 Blake Road N Overall 7/10 Nine minutes away from HHS, Luce was the first stop on this journey, and it did not disappoint. I ordered a slice of the day which is extremely nice if you are dining alone, and at a good price point of $4.50 a slice.
The crust on this pizza was superb. It was made perfectly with great consistency and taste. The one issue I had with this pizza was the cheese pull. It did not stay on the pizza very well and got cheese all over my car. The sauce was very mediocre. It was nothing that got me very excited, the overall experience of eating this pizza was a pretty positive experience that fulfilled my stomach. Station Pizzeria: 13008 Minnetoka Blvd Overall 5/10 The next stop on the journey was just seven minutes away. Station Pizzeria has a cool layout as you walk through almost a garage door into the outside seating area. This pizza experience was very mediocre. I ordered just a slice of pizza at the same price as Luce at $4.50 and I had to wait 10 minutes to get this slice.
When this pizza finally came out the pepperoni on the pizza was burnt to a crisp to a point where it crunched in your mouth. The crust followed in that pattern, it was very Krispy and Krunchy (shoutout Circle K) which made it not the most enjoyable to eat. However, I thought that the cheese was very solid. Unlike Luce, it did not have cheese pull and was just great mozzarella cheese. The sauce on this pizza stood out compared to the rest. It had a lot of taste and gave off a little bit of a sweet flavor. The experience I got from this pizzeria was kinda negative with the service being pretty slow and it left my stomach feeling saddened. Punch Pizza: 1313 Wayzata Blvd E Overall 4/10 At 11 minutes away from HHS, Punch Pizza is a bit further away. First off this place sells solo make your own pizza and for a pretty reasonable price starting at $8.25 for a very basic pizza going up to $13.50 for more toppings. When I arrived at this Punch at 6:10 on a Monday night there was a 30-minute wait for the pizza. Contrary to a lot of people’s thoughts, I was not a huge fan of this pizza. It came out in my opinion undercooked. The crust was a bit more doughy than usual, however, it still was very tasty from it being firecooked. The cheese was hard to compare to the other since it was a margarita pizza, but it definitely had a lot of taste and was enjoyable. The sauce on this pizza was very bare. There
Graphic by Max Wolfe
was not much of it on the pizza and it felt like I was eating cheese and bread. The experience of having to wait so long and not being very satisfied with the pizza definitely makes me put it lower on my list. I got sick of this pizza before I finished it, leaving my stomach frowning. Olive’s Fresh Pizza Bar: 287 Water St Overall 6/10 Being in Excelsior, Olive’s had a very good vibe and cool layout. They are not very well known, but they do have solid pizza and good service. I called ahead and they had my pizza ready right away. They sell solo pizzas that are significantly bigger than punch pizzas for a price of 10.50 and have the option to order medium or large pizzas as well. It is a woodfired pizza so it gives you a nice smokey taste that blends perfectly with the cheese. The cheese on the pizza was astounding. It was a threecheese mix that was super
yummy together. The rest of this pizza however was sub-par. Started off with them having a square cut pizza which makes the overall experience of eating worse. The crust and sauce were both quite mediocre and did not add anything to the taste of the pizza. The cheese was the only signficant aspect Eating from Olive’s was middle of the road. It is in a great location where you are next to the lake or walk down the street for some ice cream, but still the cheese was the bright spot and the rest was really just okay. Black Sheep Pizza: 600 Washington Ave N Overall 9/10 Black Sheep is 14 minutes away, and it is worth the drive. This pizza is the cream of the crop. they have mastered how to cook their pizzas. To go along with that their solo pizza is only $10.50 which is great for this pizza. The crust on this pizza was “al dente.” It was just
right. It was cooked extremely well with great consistency and slight garlic hint to the crust that really added a great flavor. The cheese and sauce follow right after the crust. The sauce will really blast your taste bud. It is the perfect amount of sauce and has the perfect amount of spices and flavoring that paired very well with the cheese and the crust. Likewise, the cheese is cooked perfectly by the woodfire stove. The cheese was burnt to the perfect point where it starts to crisp just a bit All in all, this is just a great pizza establishment. I would highly recommend it if you have not tried it yet. There really were no weak spots in this pizza and it is located in a cool spot downtown. In the end, there are many great local pizza spots around HHS that you can go and try out. But to no suprise Black Sheep has to come out on top of this list and is the best local pizzeria. As J-Law would say, “Where’s the pizza!”
Long awaited return of concerts brings a new normal Annabel Lyons Social Media Manager
After over a year and a half of COVID, things are beginning to return to normal. Schools are back open, indoor restaurant seating is available, and live shows have returned. But what is it like to go to see live music amid this transitional period of the pandemic? Many artists have returned to the big stage, announcing shows for their canceled tours and for music they’ve released in the past year. Catriona McKim, senior, has already been to a few concerts since the start of the pandemic. She’s seen The Jonas Brothers and Harry Styles. To compare, the Jonas Brothers show was held at an outdoor venue, while the Styles concert was held indoors at the Xcel Energy Center, made for high
Photo provided by Annie Kim Above: Before the start of the Harry Styles concert, stands were packed as fans were excited for the show to begin. Left: Harry Styles performed at Xcel Energy Center to an almost full stadium. Photo provided by Cat McKim
attendance and big events. The processes for getting in were pretty different. “The Jonas Brothers didn’t require any proof of vaccina-
tion and a lot of people were not wearing masks despite the large attendance and no social distancing,” McKim said. The Harry Styles concert,
however, required a CDC issued vaccination card or negative COVID test from the past 48 hours. Despite all of this, McKim reported that almost everyone wore a mask, even when it got hot indoors.
I myself just went to see St. Vincent at the Armory. Similar to the Harry concert, the show was indoors. I thought it was interesting how efficient the process was for getting in the door. They checked for a
vaccnation card or negative COVID test, stamped theirhand, and managed the regular security procedures-all within a couple of minutes. At St. Vincent though, most people were not concerned with wearing masks like they were at the Harry Styles concert, though Styles had a much higher attendance. “I definitely felt more comfortable at the Harry Styles concert, even though it was indoors,” McKim said. “The lack of COVID precautions at the Jonas Brothers made me a little concerned.” Though venues like Xcel Energy and the Armory seem to be adjusting to this new way of hosting concerts, questions remain as to what the Delta variant aspect will bring to events with large crowds like live shows.
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
06 opinion
“
the royal page The time off from COVID has allowed me to expand my horizons in music, and it’s been so cool to get into different styles of music.
‘Certified’ loving The Boy Abhinav Kumar Staff Reporter Drake recently released his 6th studio album, “Certified Lover Boy” (CLB). This album has received mixed reviews, and this one will be no different. I did enjoy the album more than almost every album I listened to this year, but CLB doesn’t hold a candle to what Drake’s best work can be. This album is enjoyable in many aspects. For one, the features on this album perform well. The best feature came from 21 Savage on “Knife Talk.” However, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Lil Durk all delivered average performances for their skill levels. Not to say that these artists weren’t enjoyable: even average performances from them aren’t bad by any means. Drake also displays many of his vast array of talents on this album again. His melodies on songs such as “TSU” (my favorite song on the album), “In The Bible,” and “Fair Trade” were very catchy: they’re the first songs I tell someone to listen to when they ask about CLB. On “7am On Bridle Path,” Drake asserts his dominance as one of the best lyricists and users of subliminal messaging in the industry right now. In general, Drake makes
sure everyone knows that even though he’s been in the industry for decades, he’s still one of the greats. Now about CLB’s downfalls. The first issue I noticed is that the production on this album was a sort that we’ve already heard many times over from Drake. Instead of coming out with a new or even altered sound, Drake delivered a sound he’s used repeatedly throughout his entire career. There is variation in the production across the album — songs like “In The Bible” and “No Friends In The Industry” sound very different — but we saw a similar dichotomy on his previous studio albums as well. This leads into the second and most glaring flaw in this album, the lyrics. Drake’s lyrics on this album are extremely forgettable. Almost every one of the 21 songs on the album rap about his experiences with women, what the music industry is like, and his success. This makes the messaging of the album unclear. I still don’t know what the album’s really about. As much as I don’t like to critique lyrics heavily, it got to a point where I felt bored listening to the album midway through: I could almost guess what the next song was about before even hearing it. It’s impossible that Drake doesn’t have something else
to talk or rap about at his level of talent and experience. If we saw Drake trying a new sound with more novel lyrics, something he most definitely is capable of as we saw on “Views,” this album would easily have been the album of the year for me. Before giving my final rating, I should make a few points. First, the album wasn’t “trash” by any means. In fact, I enjoy it a lot — I have and will be listening to these songs no matter what. Hence my message with this review is that while the album isn’t bad, it could have been better for a Drake album. Second, the album has shown us how famous Drake really is. In its first day on Spotify, the album got 155 million streams in comparison to the 132 million his previous album, “Scorpion,” reached. This beat his own record for the biggest album debut in Spotify history. The song “Girls Want Girls” with Lil Baby had the biggest debut of all time on the global Spotify chart. CLB is seen by many sources to be one of the most streamed albums of the year. In other words, Drake can’t lose. With that out of the way, the album was an 8/10 for me.
Sonja Milkovich, senior
Top 10
Things Kanye does
10 Produce
9 Ruin Drake 8
“Runaway” that’s it
7
Being late on every album drop ever
6 Living in Wyoming 5 Change fashion forever 4 Change music forever
3 Is GOD (basically)
2 Cut-off Taylor Swift 1 Have a weird sexual obssession with his mom
After four years, sun shines bright on Lorde’s latest album Annabel Lyons Social Media Manager After four years of anticipation, Lorde released her third album, “Solar Power”, last August. This album was received with mixed reactions from both fans and critics. Her debut album, “Pure Heroine,” was released when she was just 16 years old. It broke records and amazed people with the sheer creativity and clever lyricism this teenager was capable of. Her sophomore album, “Melodrama,” was her first pop record, which also received high praise and was nominated for a Grammy. It is safe to say there was a fairly high expectation for the release of “Solar Power.” My theory is that these mixed reactions were the result of people having expectations of a “Melodrama part two,” rather than a brand new Lorde album. Don’t get me wrong, “Melodrama” is one of the best records to emerge from the 2010’s, but Lorde has shown throughout her entire career that she is ever-changing, and
each album so far has had a very different sound than its predecessor. Her critics were not evaluating this record based on its merits, but rather on their prior expectations. The album kicks off with “The Path,” in which she reflects about her time in the spotlight and concludes by emphasizing that people should not praise celebrities, nor turn to them for answers. “Now if you’re looking for a savior, well, that’s not me,” she sings. The title track, “Solar Power,” was the lead single of the album. This song is the musical embodiment of sunshine. It starts pretty slow and gradually builds until the climax in the final chorus, where the song explodes with a choir of Lorde singing until it eventually fades out. “Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All),” is a song that Lorde herself says is her reminiscent answer to one of her older songs, “Ribs.” When making this song, she said she took two of the chords from “Ribs” and reversed them to
symbolize that. The satirical song, “Mood Ring,” covers topics like astrology, veganism, and pseudo-spirituality. She draws connections between the current rise of these practices and the Flower Child ‘60s, and how people will turn to these practices in order to feel healthy or in control of their lives. My personal favorites of the album were the melancholic “The Man With the Axe,” with its poetic lyrics, and “Oceanic Feeling”, an especially personal track about her family, friends, and future. With every album, Lorde blows it out of the water with lyricism that is thought-provoking, even with a genre her discography is unfamiliar with. Solar Power may have taken four years, but this body of work was well worth the wait. Lorde put her heart and mind into this album and it shows. The genuineness and sincerity she put into this record makes each song as emotion-evoking as ever. Despite changes in her music style, this album is a 10/10.
the royal page
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
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The march was very empowering. The diversity of all genders and races coming together made me feel proud of the cause. Nyreuhana Dunn-Riddley, junior
07
opinion
Fight for rights continue as Texas enacts strict ban Abhinav Kumar Staff Reporter States all around the United States are taking a firm stance against abortion. Following in their footsteps, Texas imposed their own laws to prevent abortions in their state. However, unlike the others’, Texas’ abortion laws are the most oppressive since the fight of Roe v. Wade. The law essentially creates a bounty system. If someone submits information to authorities on a woman planning on getting an abortion, anyone transporting them, or the doctor performing the abortion, the person who reports the woman will receive up to $10,000. The motive behind creating such an anti-abortion system is that the workload of identifying those getting abortions is taken off the state. Essentially, the state won’t have to overstep individual liberties by monitoring the communications of their residents to find those planning to get an abortion. Instead, they opt to militarize a part of the civilian population to get information on those planning on getting abortions. This, in effect, achieves the state’s goal of eradicating “illegal” abortions with almost all of the work taken off them. But the law is terrible regarding both its design and its
morality. Starting with design issues. One major flaw is that someone who gets a woman pregnant can report her for planning on getting an abortion and claim the $10,000. In fact, the person that gets them pregnant can be a rapist, a member of her family, or both. To put this in perspective, imagine this. A father rapes his daughter, gets her pregnant, reports her, and claims his $10,000 while his daughter is subsequently tried for breaking the law (all while being pregnant). There’s also another glaring issue: transportation. Many of those who get abortions are lower-class and many don’t own vehicles to get to abortion clinics. Hence, they may take Ubers, Lyfts, or ask friends for rides. The law dictates that those who help a woman get to the clinic can also be stated as defendants when the woman is tried. Essentially, people may have to defend themselves for doing their jobs or just helping a friend in need. Now let’s talk about the bigger issue: the morality of the law. As aforementioned, many of the women who need abortions get them because they can’t financially support or properly raise a child. If a woman gets an abortion she saves the child from living
Photo by Ayse Ozturk Hundreds of people participated in the Bans Off Our Bodies march in protest against the new abortion laws in Texas to make sure these laws do not make their way to Minnesota.
through a poor upbringing and herself from having to raise a child in such poor conditions. Also, raising children is not cheap. For Texas lawmakers to force women who are already poor to bear the financial burden of a child is a form of targeted impoverishment. In effect, the law will simply
maintain or worsen the already ingrained cycle of poverty among America’s poor, especially affecting people of color. From my perspective, as a 16 year old male, this sort of lawmaking is not creating a country in which I want to grow up or raise my future children in. The message that
Texas is sending to our generation is that no choice is the right choice for women. If a woman gets an abortion and makes (financially and morally) the right decision, she’s wrong. If she puts a baby up for adoption, she subjects the child to the broken foster care system and thus
she’s wrong. If she keeps the baby, the child grows up in an impoverished area with a lack of parental, educational, and systemic support in their life, and yet again she’s wrong. So clearly, there’s no way out for her. From a governmental level, women who were already raised in lower-income areas are trapped into staying in poverty and raising kids in that same poverty, hence perpetuating the cycle. However, my hottest take on the law is that it, for the most part, is useless and only endangers women. When in this dire situation, few women will let Texas’ law define whether they will or won’t get an abortion. The only thing the law does is dictate how she does it. See, if the mother needs an abortion she’ll get an abortion in any way she can - especially if the only thing she has to do is hide it from as many people as possible to make sure authorities don’t find out. Thus is my next point: by design, the law promotes secrecy more than actual obedience, and in doing so it endangers a woman getting the abortion because it can’t legally be done in a medical care facility. So in practice, Texas’ law doesn’t decide who gets an abortion - it only decides whether it happens in a clinic or a Motel 6.
November Horoscopes
Content by Annabel Lyons Grpahic by Sam Levitt
NOVEMBER 11, 2021
08 sports
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the royal page I loved watching all the fall sports because it was a great way to connect with the HHS community
James Davis, sophomore
Girls varsity soccer’s season of success Sam Levitt Staff Reporter
HHS girls soccer has had nothing short of a magical year this season. Finishing the regular season with a record of 6-21, they finished first in the lake conference and secured the number one seed in the section. Lead scorer, Abby Hoiska, junior, believes the close bond among teammates was the key to their success. “The team camaraderie has been great this season,” Hoiska said. “We have all come together and built great chemistry on the field.” But possibly the true success is from Hoiska’s pregame ritual. “I wear two necklaces before every game day, and take them off during the same pregame drill every game,” Hoiska said.
HHS squared up with their rival Wayzata in the section championship, the number two seed in the section who during the season went 1-0-1 against them. Unfortunately, they fell short in the championship game and lost 2-0, failing to beat their rival. Goalie Luci Rock, senior, for the team sustained a head injury in the second half on a very scary play after completing a shutout in the first half. Although the girls did not make it to state this year they had nothing less than an incredible season, and accomplished a lot throughout the regular season and continued it through the first two rounds of sections. This however is not the end of the Hopkins girls soccer dynasty; they are just getting started as they have a ton of
Photo by Sam Levitt Captain Lizzie Norman, senior, competes for the ball that will lead to a victory against Robbinsdale-Cooper at the first sections game.
young talent on the team. Their leading goal scorers this year were Hoiska who scored 15 goals and 11 assists,
and in a close second was Avery Petty, sophomore, scoring 14 goals with 13 assists. The Hopkins Girls soccer
may not have finished with the results that they wanted this season, but their future is brighter than ever. As strong
freshman and sophomores emerge as new leaders, sucess is likely for this ever-growing team.
Boys basketball’s newest star Nunu Agara, Stanford commit Aidan Swartz Staff Reporter
Maya Bozicevich Production Manager
CJ O’Hara, junior, is a transfer from Totino-Grace, and HHS’ newest basketball star. O’Hara is a six foot four shooting guard with a strong passion to win. He’s felt that HHS was the best place for him to develop his academic and athletic career. “Any team I’m on we have a chance to win,” O’Hara said. “There is a different energy here, and I really enjoy it.” Elvis Nnaji, senior, believes that O’Hara is the missing piece they needed to help them bring the championship home. “CJ brings a lot of versatility to the team with his size, brain, skill, and history we have since we’ve been playing with him since we were kids,” Nnaji said. Coach Ken Novak was also a large reason for O’Hara’s transfer to HHS. Novak wants players who work hard on and off the court, and O’Hara is
“I knew the coach and had some friends at the school that reached out to me to come to Hopkins,” O’Hara said. Playing basketball at HHS is a completely different experience than anywhere else. Hopkins has a winning culture and the whole state knows it.
Nunu Agara, junior, has committed to play basketball at Stanford University. Stanford has won three NCAA national championships, the last one was in March of 2021. Agara will be playing for head coach Tara VanDerveer, who holds the record for the most women’s college basketball games won. “The ball is going to stop bouncing soon,” Agara said. She puts her education first, and Stanford will give her the chance to play at the number three women’s basketball team in the nation and attend the sixth best college in the nation. Agara hopes to become a criminal defense attorney someday, and a Stanford education will do nothing but bring her closer to this goal. With an acceptance rate of 3.67 percent and a total undergraduate population of 6,336 people, Agara toured the campus and instantly fell in love with it.
Staff Reporters Said Abdi Hanad Ahmed Adam Allison Crown Bisan Lizzy Burke Melissa Castro Gonzales Rahmatullah Dem
Rosa Greenwood Zane Grieder Makenna Harris Jade Hutton Cliffton James Blake Juntunen Taylor Katzenmeyer Kat Kruse
Photo provided by Kobe Bohr CJ O’Hara, junior, dribbles down the court for Grassroots Sizzle, a top AAU team with a history of succesful alumni.
prepared to do just that. “School here is a totally new experience,” O’Hara said. “It’s a lot of hard work but I’m ready for it.” Coaches and fellow teammates alike were pushing for O’Hara to join the legacy that is HHS basketball.
staff
Ayse Ozturk Tess Brimmer Maya Bozicevich Annabel Lyons Jeff Kocur
Print, Editor-in-Chief Web, Editor-in-Chief Production Manager Social Media Manager Advisor
Editorial Policy The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of the Editorial Board. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body, or the adviser. Viewpoints with a byline represent the view of the writer. The Royal Page operates as an open forum student publication, and student editors make editorial decisions regarding content.
Photo provided by Nunu Agara Nunu Agara, junior, excited to be done with the recruitment process and proud to now be a part of the Stanford family.
Agara will become an icon to many young women who look up to the Stanford women’s basketball team. “Anything is possible, with
hard work and dedication, and if you put the time in, I think you can achieve anything,” Agara said.
Abhinav Kumar Joelle Kurus Sam Levitt Kevin Machogu Lakiah McNair Khalen Pierre-Toussaint Payton Radtke Tyrell Sappington Drew ScottRussell Emily Specht Annabelle Speers Leah Sperling Aidan Swartz
Edward Taylor-Collins Ivan Thao Max Wolfe Atticus Wolford Madeline Wood