December 2015

page

the

ROYAL

Thursday, December 10, 2015 Volume 34 Issue 2

The Last of the Junior Highs

by Ross Womack page 4

In-Depth:

Life of the Party

Teen partying is increasingly being advertised and discussed through social media, but continues to have legal and health consequences.

Pleading the First

by Michael Korsh page 12

Concussion Destruction

by Max Weesner page 15

2 contents

the

RPThursday, December 10, 2015

The Last of the Junior Highs

High schools across the state are transitioning to be grades 9-12.

4

BY ROSS WOMACK, STAFF REPORTER

Pleading the First

8 IN-DEPTH

Life of the Party BY ADDIE LENNON

AND TRIANNA DOWNING, PRINT EDITOR IN CHIEF AND MANAGING EDITOR COVER PHOTO BY ADDIE LENNON, PRINT EDITOR IN CHIEF

NEWS

3 AFTER HOURS

From wedding receptions to body building competitions, HHS offers more than just educational opportunities.

5 SENATOR AL

FRANKEN VISITS HHS

FEATURE

6 DANCING QUEENS 7 CAUGHT IN TWO

WORLDS Students that speak a second language feel that it provides them added opportunities, but also struggle to balance two worlds.

Michael Korsh discusses his opinions about use of the First Amendment.

12

BY MICHAEL KORSH, STAFF REPORTER

Concussion Destruction

Playing a high school sport can lead to a variety of physical injuries.

BY MAX WEESNER, STAFF REPORTER

15

OP-ED

SPORTS

Andrew Zhou believes science is not something we should fear.

JV sports are valued in the HHS community.

10 PLAYING GOD

11 HERE TO PROVE A POINTE Abby Doeden explains that dance is, in fact, a sport.

13 JUNIOR VARSITY 14 ONCE A ROYAL

Reed Fischer, 2013 alumni has continued his running career at Drake University.

16 CROSS COUNTRY

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After hours:

by Morgan Downing News Editor

W

edding receptions, bodybuilding competitions, beauty pageants, and bead bazaars are just a few activities that take place in the school building after hours.

According to their respective websites, the city of Hopkins and Minnetonka have over 50 community centers, conference rooms, and facilities combined, all of which are open to organizations or companies to rent out.

However, the availability of these spaces has not stopped HHS from becoming one of the main contenders for those looking for space. According to Mrs. Susan Easton, the District Facility Use Coordinator, about 50 to 60 groups and organizations rent out spaces in the school over the course of one week to a month.

Easton, credits the variety of spaces Hopkins has to offer.

“People ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ when they walk into our high school and see the Royal Rock Café, the auditorium, the Little Theater, the Lindbergh Center and other wonderful, well-maintained spaces in other buildings,” Easton said.

HHS began renting out some of its spaces

Upcoming Events at HHS

Tierney Sutton: Vocal Portraits in Jazz Sunday March 13, 2016 at 3 pm in the HHS Auditorium.

Ticket prices range from $10-$37.

Metropolitan Ballet: Cinderella Saturday and Sunday March 19-20, 2016 at 7:30 pm on Saturday and 3 pm on Sunday in the HHS Auditorium.

Ticket prices range from $19-$49, 25 percent off for seniors and students.

When the doors close to students and staff, they open to various events and organizations

after the auditorium was built and other spaces in the school, such as the dining room and Royal Rock Cafe, were remodeled. Since then, Hopkins Conference and Event Services (HCES) has been dedicated to renting out spaces in the district to the public.

HCES has continued to rent out spaces since its establishment in 2005. During that first year, the district made 357,089 dollars from renting out the facility, which has gone up to 948,903 dollars in its latest school year.

According to the Hopkins School Facility Handbook, pricing for rooms through HCES varies through four categories: A, B, C, and D. Depending on the how a group or organization is classified, they could be exempt from fees or paying up to 240 dollars an hour.

Category A, or any program connected for district use, is exempt from fees. Category B, the “youth rate,” is specifically for organizations with all Hopkins School District youth. Category C is for nonprofit organizations, faith communities, and educational or recreational activities.

Category D is for private agencies, companies, and individuals using the district facilities for commercial purposes or profit.

Mr. Mike Messer, Events Manager of HCES, said the most popular spaces in HHS are the auditoriums and the courts of Lindbergh.

“There are always a ton of events happening in Lindbergh due to sports. As for the auditoriums, there’s not a lot [now], but coming up in April and May there’s a ton of dance recitals, concerts, and other groups set to perform. All of these groups are usually Category D [groups],” Messer said.

One returning Category C group is Mercy Hill Church. Mercy Hill has been congregating every Sunday for the past four years in the Little Theater. Pastor Drew Johnson, one of the head pastors of Mercy Hill, said the location is one of the reasons why the church settled at HHS. “We were planning on starting a new church west of Highway 100 and east of Interstate 494 so that we could reach out to people in St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Edina,” Johnson said. “We settled on Hopkins High School after a few months of explorations because the facility is really excellent, centrally located and easily accessible.”

Johnson added that access to the little theater and the staff were some more bonuses of renting out space at HHS. “My two favorite parts [of the building] are the Little Theater space and the staff. The Little Theater space is a very unique venue that has done a lot to shape who we are as a community.

Last year alone, HHS has been according to the used for: District’s financial Church Services report, the facility Concerts Performances rentals totaled almost one million dollars, Bodybuilding competitions which is triple what was brought in eight Meetings years ago.

Wedding receptions

Music is really important to our community and the acoustics [sound] really nice [in the theater],” Johnson said. “The staff are great people; they take great care of the space and they are really kind and generous to us.”

Easton believes the HCES staff are a crucial part of what keeps current renters to continue their services with the company.

“Ninety percent of our current renters are repeat customers because we provide exceptional customer service. We don’t just unlock doors and let them fend for themselves; our building supervisors, custodians and theater technicians do a great job setting up rooms, accommodating equipment requests and assisting them with details to make their event run smoothly,” Easton said.

Like Johnson, many musical groups and organizations have used HHS as a space for their concerts and presentations. Messer said a fanfavorite has been JazzMN, a professional jazz orchestra based in Minnesota. “[JazzMN] performs a few times a year, and they’re very good. I’ve seen them play earlier this year in September. They’ll be returning in November and in March [of next year]. When they

came [in Sept.], they had a lot of people sitting in the balcony because they basically sold out the bottom seating.” Messer said.

Messer believes that, by opening the doors to the public, a greater sense of community is presented.

“We have such beautiful venues that when we know the district isn’t using them, we ask ‘why not let the people of the community use them?’”

Messer said. “It brings them into the building, exposes them to other things that might be going on that the students might be doing in the building, and therefore creates more of a community atmosphere.”

The last of the junior highs:

by Ross Womack Staff Reporter Recently, the Edina and Osseo Area school districts made a significant change that leaves HHS in a lone position.

On March 18, 2014, the Osseo Area Schools board voted to reconfigure the grade layouts of their junior and senior high schools. On June 16, 2014, the Edina school board followed suit.

The “Strategic Plan” aims to move freshmen into the high schools and sixth graders into the middle schools.

It’s a change that’s been long considered and fiercely debated. Recently, the public opinion in the Edina district showed a significant level of support for the proposed realignment.

In an Edina Schools web article explaining the move, the district referenced a 2013 preliminary survey that showed that 54 percent of the community rated a comprehensive grades 9-12 experience as a top or high priority.

Bruce Locklear, the Edina High School Principal, explained the primary motive of the reconfiguration was to create greater opportunities for students. “[We’re reconfiguring] to ensure a stronger alignment with curriculum and to provide 9th graders greater opportunities with both academics, athletics and fine arts,” Locklear said.

In a FAQ section of the Edina School website the district states, “Placing sixth grade students in a building with seventh and eighth graders offers a number of benefits for the students. Middle-level programming provides students with access to appropriate state-defined learning opportunities.”

The Osseo Area School district had a different problem that motivated their move. In the article “Grade Configuration Planning Advances,” featured on the district’s web page, it is stressed that if the ninth grade was not added to the high schools, overcrowding and boundary changes will occur throughout the lower level schools.

The article concluded with the following explanation: “Moving 6th grade to the middle level will create needed space at the elementary level and will allow staff to design a program that offers more developmentally appropriate programming for students in this age range than the current junior high model.”

Osseo’s decisions come as part of a long string of metro schools abandoning the Junior High system. This pattern has left HHS as one of the

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4 news

Hopkins is one of the last districts to house freshmen in the junior highs as five other metro districts change their organization

Freshmen on the move within a few years, each of the 50 largest high schools in the state will have a 9-12 structure, except HHS. Edina’s $124.9 million plan to switch to a 9-12 high school starting in 2017 will leave Hopkins alone in the Lake Conference and other neighboring districts.

At the start of the 2015-16 school year Osseo began construction on all three of their high schools in a project that is scheduled to cost up to $19 million.

On May 12, Stillwater approved a $97.5 million project to renovate the high school and build a new elementary school in preparation of reconfiguration.

On Nov. 3 the Forest Lake school district approved a $143 million project to improve and prepare the schools for restructuring.

The Shakopee school district passed an $89 million bond to build a second high school in the district set to open in 2017 to accomodate the change. only major Twin Cities metro school district still holding on to the 10-12 system.

According to niche.com, of the 50 most populous Minneapolis-St. Paul metro senior high schools, only eight don’t adhere to a 9-12 grade structure. Of those schools, one is a joint junior and senior high school with a 6-12 grade structure, one is a K-12 online school, and five are already implementing reconfiguration plans.

That leaves HHS as the only top 50 metro high school with a 10-12 grade structure and no plans for reconfiguration.

The idea of adding ninth grade to HHS isn’t

new to the district’s administration and school board. It also isn’t a new topic for students. For years, students in the junior high schools have voiced annoyances with having to take their high school freshmen courses outside of the high school.

Riley O’Neil, freshman, believes that taking her high school classes in the junior high puts her at a disadvantage.

“I would want to be at the high school my freshman year. It’s hard to get in the mindset of getting into college, keeping up a GPA, and just being in high school in general when you are still

in junior high,” O’Neil said.

Nik Lightfoot, Hopkins Director of Administrative Services, explained what he called the primary reason that a grade reconfiguration has not yet occurred at Hopkins.

“The present structure fits our enrollment numbers and space availability. Potential space impacts are present at Hopkins High School, were we to add a 9th grade level,” Lightfoot said. “We would need to evaluate where and how we would add or create additional space for the increase in students, and the costs associated with any configuration change.”

Certainly large scale changes could be made to accommodate the change, however, the potential cost of the necessary changes is a major factor in the feasibility of reconfiguration.

According to the Star Tribune, to prepare their district for the reconfiguration, the Osseo Area Schools district plans to spend as much as 19 million dollars to build additions at the three high schools and make other classroom renovations.

Although at the moment there are no major considerations for a grade reconfiguration at Hopkins, Dr. Lightfoot sees it as a future possibility.

“Should the enrollment numbers allow for a consideration of a different grade-level configuration, the administration would be open to considering the possibilities of grade restructuring,” Lightfoot said.

“I would want to be at high school my freshman year. It’s hard to get in the mindset of getting into college, keeping up a GPA, and just being in high school in general when you are still in junior high.”

- Riley O’Neil, freshman

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news 5

Senator Franken takes time off from Capitol Hill to visit HHS

Senator Al Franken visits HHS to discuss his policies, including No Child Left Behind. Senator Franken also took time to tour the school, visit classrooms, and give a presentation to various students and staff. Read more on Senator Franken’s visit at hopkinsrp.org. photos by Ruby Krietzman

RPThursday, December 10, 2015

The Royal Page 2015-2016

the

6 feature

Dancing queens Check out hopkinsrp.org

Print Editor in Chief

Deeply Royal performs their way to the top

Web Editor in Chief

by Matt Molnar Staff Reporter

Addie Lennon Claire Benton

Managing Editor Trianna Downing

News Editor

Morgan Downing

Opinion/Feature Editor Andrew Zhou

Sports Editors Noah Kaplan Jordan Zaroff

Photo Editor

Ruby Krietzman

Videographer Andrew Fern

Staff Reporters

Sydney Craven Abby Doeden Grace Dosdall Seth Eliason Mikey Ewing Joshua Freeman Ellie Fromstein Dylan Judge-Steuck Alex Kim Michael Korsh Luci Miller Matthew Molnar Kennedy Pierre-Toussaint Mo Robblee Fatima Sall Adam Segal David J. Sheldon Campbell Teigen Max Weesner Ross Womack

Adviser

Mr. Kocur The editorial represents the opinion of the newspaper staff. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body or the advisor.

Signed viewpoints represent the view of the writer. The Royal Page operates as an open forum student publication, and student editors make editorial decisions regarding content.

Advertising information available by mail, fax and phone. Annual Subscriptions are available for $20.

The Royal Page encourages letters to the editor. Letters are not guaranteed publication, are subject to editing for content and length, must be signed and meet deadlines.

Compliments and suggestions are also welcome.

Deeply Royal, the popular hip hop dance team, is taking HHS by storm. Led by captain Ja’Shae Johnson, senior, Deeply Royal has undergone many changes over the past few years.

Deeply Royal began in 2000 as a club where both male and female students were invited to express themselves through dance.

Their f i r s t

advisor, Ms. Jennifer Heimlich, Social Studies, was interviewed for the position when she first arrived at HHS. “Back when I first became the advisor, there were a lot more students than there are now, around thirty-some,” Heimlich said.

Over the years, the number of members in Deeply Royal has declined (especially the number of male members), and the team has been forced to change advisers and adapt to continue performing.

After Heimlich left the position, Ms. Jamie Woods, Paraprofessional became advisor, who has now been replaced

by Ms. Sharina Mudd, Special Services.

Read the full story at hopkinsrp.org

Long panels from left to right: Project Focus volunteers at Feed My Starving Children, the HHS Technocrats compete at a robotics tournament, and HHS students participate in No Shave November.

Square panels: Foreign exchange students arrive at HHS.

“[Deeply Royal] expresses a love of dance, and they want to bring an energized performance to ignite the crowd.”

- Ms. Jamie Woods, Paraprofessional

photo by Ruby Krietzman

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photo by Ruby Krietzman infographic by Josh Freeman

by Josh Freeman and Dylan Judge-Steuck Staff Reporters HHS touts its status as a diverse school. The students on campus have roots from all over the world, and with them comes their culture, clothing, and language.

For some students, home life and school life can feel like two different worlds. Alan Reyes, senior, learned to balance the two when he began learning English.

“I learned to speak English in first grade, mostly from my brothers, but I was also put in a program called ESL, now ELL,” Reyes said.

When a non-native English speaker enrolls in a school, they are required to take the Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment. This test determines if they need to be put in an English-Language Learner program (ELL) to help them learn to speak English.

“A disadvantage about speaking two languages is not wanting to speak Spanish at school,” Reyes said. “Not because I’m embarrassed, but because it’s weird seeing people not understand what I say.”

Though English is the most spoken language in the US, there are over 300 different other languages spoken in the US. And despite many attempts, there is no official national language.

Language can be a large gateway for people who speak more than one language. Speaking two or more languages fluently opens a lot of job opportunities. According to Indeed.com, over 1,000 job openings are available in Minnesota for people who are bilingual.

For Rajeep Lamichhane, senior, his ability to speak many languages benefits his current life and future. Born and raised in Nepal

for seven years of his life, Lamichhane is fluent in Nepali and speaks a little Hindi.

“I can communicate to a lot more people than people who only speak English,” Lamichhane said. “When it comes to resumes, I can say I speak more than one language. Employers love it when their employees can speak more than one language.”

HHS honors global languages by offering four to be taught at the high school level: Spanish, French, German, and American Sign Language (ASL). For Reyes, it was important for him to take French in order to broaden his knowledge in languages.

“Although it seems great [to speak another language], it’s not all perks.

Sometimes it can be hard separating the two worlds.”

- Alan Reyes, senior

“I took French because I already know Spanish and wanted to learn something new. Plus, my brother took Spanish and he failed,” Reyes said.

Reyes was also compelled by defeating the language barrier he feels between atmospheres.

“There are a ton of countries that speak Spanish, and it’s cool knowing that I can go to those countries and not let the language barrier effect me.” Reyes said.

However, Reyes admitted that it is not easy to remember which language to speak in certain areas of his life.

“Although it seems great [to speak another language], it’s not all perks. Sometimes it can be hard separating the two worlds,” Reyes said. “I actually don’t really even like speaking Spanish at my house, I only do it because my Ma’s English. She can’t speak it that well.”

Lamichhane expressed the similar difficulty of switching languages in different areas.

“It’s actually hard for me to speak Nepali here at school, and speaking english at home. It’s like an on and off switch.” Lamichhane said.

According to the 2011 American Census, about 21 percent of Americans over five years of age speak a different language at home.

More than 58 percent of them speak English “very well.”

Lamichhane believes the most important aspect of speaking multiple languages is being able to help people using his gift.

“I remember once when I was on an airplane, a woman could not communicate [with others], so I had to speak Spanish and help her through the airport,” Lamichhane said. “It made me realize how many people I can help through communicating.”

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Teen partying is increasingly being discussed and advert social media, but continues to have legal and health con The party starts 1/3 of teen partygoers report that parents are rarely or never present at parties they attend In 2012, there were 3,914 arrests for every 10,000 youths ages 10-17.

Mike Triplutt is a member of West Medicine Lake Community Center, which promotes healthy living through dance classes, yoga classes, church services, and a community garden. On Oct. 31, 2015, he spent the evening at the center as songs like Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” blared through speakers.

10-53 (@1053parties) is a Twitter account run by Max Steinman and Joe CrowShoe, seniors. It was created with the intention of providing regular, drug and alcohol free parties for teens.

For their highly anticipated Halloween Party, Steinman and CrowShoe rented out the West Medicine Lake Community Center.

“I think the idea to have a party [at

Keepin’ it legal Nearly 10 million people age 1220 reported they have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.

The average college student attends nearly 60 parties a year infographic by Trianna Downing and Addie Lennon information from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Every 10-53 party thrown thus far has ended with the arrival of the police.

The cops’ arrival, however, never comes as a surprise to Steinman or CrowShoe. In fact, they notify a local police department of any given party prior to the event.

“We try to work with the police department. I feel like a lot of problems come in when kids think that they can outsmart them,” CrowShoe said.

“You’re not going to win.”

Although the police are used to getting calls regarding teen parties, these calls typically do not occur until after the event has gone too far. Underage substance abuse, reckless behavior, or noise complaints can all be reasons for the police to intervene.

“Generally, we go into a party after getting called. We get calls from either someone at the party or a neighbor.

It’s less common that we just show

the Community Center] is excellent.

Most of [the members] are dancers and appreciate the vibe the boys are bringing,” Triplutt said.

The party began at 8:30 pm, however, over 100 students were lined up at the back door at 8 pm. Steinman and CrowShoe had planned for 250 guests, the maximum amount of guests they could fit inside the venue.

Triplutt was joined by fellow club members Linda, Dodee, and Sally, all of whom requested not to have their last names published. One of the chaperones, Dodee, expressed concern for the lack of supervision.

“There should have been more chaperones,” Dodee said. “[We were] the only ones there overseeing the party.”

However, at previous 10-53 par-

ties, there had been even less of an adult presence. Previous parties had been held at a student’s house, a field in Golden Valley, and the Overpass Skatepark, all without chaperones.

“We go to different places, and if a sign says ‘For Lease,’ we’ll definitely just give them a call and ask them, ‘would you mind having a party here?

This is what’s going to happen, this is how many people will be there, and this is what we’re willing to pay.’ And if they say no, we have to move on to the next one,” CrowShoe said.

After obtaining a location, CrowShoe and Steinman begin selling tickets. Pricing varies depending on where the event is held. All money made off of ticket sales go towards the rent of the location and paying Asher Weisberg (DJ Micro P), senior, to DJ the event.

“We budget to break even every time,” CrowShoe said. “All the profit we do make, if we make it, goes to [Weisberg].”

Steinman and CrowShoe plan to continue to host 10-53 parties throughout the school year. They believe that by supporting a substance free environment more students can enjoy a teen party.

“We wanted to provide people with a reliable party because, normally, high school parties aren’t very reliable, and they get busted or people bring alcohol and drugs,” Steinman said. “We’re trying to maintain that; keep it clean for everyone.”

10-53 is currently planning their next event, “*A Large Party*”. It will be held on Jan. 30 at Aria Event Center.

up somewhere,” said Lieutenant Steve Johnson of the Golden Valley Police Department.

The police department also may check social media accounts in order to locate teen parties.

“We found a few undercover police officers trying to follow [the 10-53] Twitter account and get information,” Steinman said.

After arriving at a party, Johnson’s main priority is making sure that teens are not partaking in unsafe and or illegal behavior.

“The safety of the kids is what’s important,” Johnson said. “Are they drinking or putting themselves in some sort of health risk?”

From there, officers must assess the legality of certain activities at a party, such as the consumption of alcohol.

“Are those kids, and I say ‘kids’ loosely, they could be young adults, old enough to be doing what they’re doing?

If not, we might end up giving kids mi-

nor consumes or tickets,” Johnson said.

In order to keep future parties safe, CrowShoe hopes to maintain an open dialogue with the police.

“We’re on pretty good terms with all the cops in the area. We want them to be aware,” CrowShoe said.

development. Teens who abuse substances are not only affected while using, but potentially damage their ability to be self aware in the future.

One in five students reported binge drinking in the previous two weeks.

However, the notion that all teens abuse substances is still substantially high.

“I feel like kids are more knowledgeable about drugs and alcohol,” Lee-Dohse said. “I get a sense that the perception by students is that many of their peers are using chemicals, but when you really look at the data, it shows a different story. Most high school students at HHS are not using drugs or drinking alcohol. I think the belief of high use may come from the fact that the students who are choosing to use are talking about their use, whereas the students not using, are not sharing stories of their non-use.”

The HHS Health Science Department teaches students about the dan-

A health perspective The effects of teen partying go beyond police supervision and a good time. Many students and parents are concerned about the mental and physical drawbacks of teen partying.

“As soon as you involve drugs and alcohol, it may not be you making [negative] choices,” Ms. Marit LeeDohse, Health Science, said. “You know if you have drugs and alcohol on board, you’re not who you are because you were under the influence.”

Alcohol is a sedative, and slows down the brain of teens. The alcohol affects sleeping patterns, emotions, and

in-depth 9

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RPThursday, December 10, 2015

gers and precautions students should be informed of before leaving the high school. Towards the end of the oneterm class, students learn about binge drinking and partying.

“Our focus is on college binge drinking and the atmosphere at college,” Lee-Dohse said. “We want to make sure that kids have the information. and it may not be too different from high school parties, but sometimes kids leave for college and they attend these parties and don’t get what they’re seeing or they’ve never experienced that environment before.”

Luckily, teens have found ways to throw parties and exclude drugs and alcohol from the scene.

“I think it’s awesome if you can get together and have fun in a way that isn’t hurting yourself or hurting other people,” Lee-Dohse said. “If you can take out drugs and alcohol and [you’re you] and [you] know what’s going on that’s awesome. I think parties are great.”

are super gropey and will touch any girl they see, which is weird.”’

Studies have found that drug and alcohol usage have influence in sexual assault cases. About 97,000 students between the age of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault.

According to Indiana University, as many as one in four women experience unwanted sexual intercourse on campus.

However, the dangers are enough to keep Griggs away from trouble.

“The consequences are relevant,” Griggs said. “I don’t want to to fall into any bad outcomes.”

Life of the party

by Addie Lennon and Trianna Downing Print Editor in Chief and Managing Editor

ie Fro mstein

- Max Steinman, senior

Teens don’t stop partying after graduation. In fact, for some students, party culture isn’t introduced until college.

The average college student attends 62 parties per year, according to CollegeStats. Adna Jahic and Rose Griggs, seniors, have already experienced the next level of partying. Jahic and Griggs attended a fraternity house party at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities accompanied by Jahic’s older sister.

“College students are a lot crazier and you can tell they drink more than

typical high schoolers,” Griggs said.

Statistically speaking, she’s right.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, college drinking is common in college students. About four out of five students drink alcohol, and about half of college students who drink consume alcohol through binge drinking.

Jahic also notes differences among boys’ behaviors at college and high school parties.

“In both [high school and college parties,] there’s dancing, grinding, jumping, and fist bumping. But high schoolers kind of respect girls more, in a weird way,” Jahic said. “College guys

by Ell

“We wanted to provide people with a reliable party because, normally, high school parties... get busted or people bring alcohol and drugs,”

What comes next

photo

tised through nsequences.

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10 op/ed

Having faith in science, tech, future:

by Andrew Zhou Opinion/Feature Editor Repeat after me: Science is interesting. Science is important. Science will save us.

It’s just a little mantra to think about when somebody tells you that high school physics courses are useless or yet another mad scientist in yet another movie creates yet another abomination.

“Science is important,” I whisper to myself as the T-rex from “Jurassic Park” chomps down on a Ph.D. in a suit. “Science will save us.”

There have always been books and movies that demonize scientists and their creations. This trend dates all the way back to 1818, when the real monster in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” turned out to be man all along. Gasp.

I must admit, however, that that fear is actually extremely valid. For all of the excessive gore of the “Terminator” movies and the slow motion martial arts of “The Matrix,” at their cores, all science-fiction franchises are concerned with very real dangers: Artificial intelligence, the loss of free will, and most pressingly, our obsession with technology.

The debit card goes beep into the ATM. The baby monitor goes buzz crack in the mother’s ear.

The tablet goes whiz bang pop in the little girl’s eyes, who is hiding under the bed sheets until the sun comes up.

Our world runs on flashes of color and light, on tiny pieces of metal that fit in our pockets, and still, most people have no idea how they work. So who knows what they may become one day? How long until they turn against us?

According to a survey from Chapman University, the second largest fear of American adults is technology. Among other things, technology was ranked to be scarier than cyberterrorism, public speaking, and death itself.

Christopher Bader, a co-author of the study, explained those results in an interview for The Atlantic magazine, stating that people tend to be the most frightened of things they depend on but cannot control, which is “a perfect definition of technology.”

But it is important to remember that, no matter how often movies urge us to stop “playing God” and meddling with increasingly powerful technology, “playing God” is the exact act that will save lives, enlighten us, and power progress into the future.

Imagine printers that can create functional human hearts. Imagine a computer that can read minds. Imagine flexible smartphones or driverless cars or personal jetpacks or stem cells that can regenerate human limbs.

Imagine a spaceship, Christopher Columbus 2.0, discovering life beyond our planet, reaching out to humanity’s very first friend.

A n d y e t , de-

2 ^ c m = 2 ^ t E a ½ ) + t 0 0 x v x− ) ( n a / 2 1 + 1 ( lim

spite those infinite possibilities, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the U.S. remains underdeveloped. A 2015 Pew Research report discovered that most people believe high school STEM education to be merely average or below average, an assertion supported by the relatively poor performances of U.S. students on international assessments.

According to that same report, a fourth of the nation cannot distinguish between astronomy (think solar systems) and astrology (think horoscopes and tarot cards), and two-fifths of the country cannot interpret a simple scatterplot graph.

“Well, that’s nice,” I hear some students say.

“But, like, I don’t want to draw circles for a living, so why do I have to take geometry to graduate?

What’s the practical application?”

Knowing. Knowing is the practical application here, people. If we only learned things to practically apply them in the world, we’d still be sitting around rubbing sticks together and paging each other.

Thomas Edison didn’t invent the lightbulb in 1878 through “practical application.” Steve Jobs didn’t take over the entire globe by shunning the theoretical. Maybe practical studies ground us in the present, but theoretical ideas take us to the future.

STEM promotes curiosity; it promotes learning for the sake of learning, one of the few traits that make humans unique. But protests against STEM education have still risen from various groups, including certain politicians, poets, and even outspoken scientists.

And apparently, God. According to a 2014 Pew Research report, about two-thirds of white Evangelical Christians completely reject evolutionary theory.

“Playing God”

“God created us,” they’d probably say. “I know this to be true.”

But faith doesn’t have to exclude scientific reasoning. God never said “Thou shalt skip chapters two, three, and five in AP Biology.”

Faith and science are just two ways to talk about the same issues: Who are we, and how do we interpret the world around us? Scientists and pastors alike are looking for the answers to life’s questions, but unfortunately, their search has become a race without purpose.

A scientist can tell you how gravity works, describing mass and the attraction of objects, but he cannot tell you why gravity exists in the first place without a priest who points to angels and celestial beings. So rather than being mutually exclusive, these two explanations are complements, neither telling a full story without the other.

Priests analyze, mathematicians believe, and the world keeps spinning.

In fact, many astrophysicists now believe that the universe is mostly made up of some invisible, indecipherable matter known as dark matter. Everything that we can see, feel, and experience (visible matter) only makes up a mere five percent of the universe. Thus, the vast majority of existence is completely unknown to us.

We know nothing about anything, really.

So repeat after me: Science is interesting. Science is important. Science will save us.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

HHS students share thoughts about a no-snow November “I love summer.” - Abigail Martin, sophomore

“I’m Minnesotan. We love snow.” - Dixon Hopp, junior

“I really can’t stand snow.” - Maria Montero, senior

“I’m already listening to Christmas music.” Mackenzie Dahlmeir, senior Infographic by Andrew Zhou

op/ed 11

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RPThursday, December 10, 2015

to do when the Here to prove a pointe: Top 10 : Things party gets busted

It’s time for dance to leap into the ranks of its fellow sports

10 Check @1053

9 Hit up the after-party

8 Perkins

7 Go to confession 6 Jump the back fence

5 All aboard the party bus 4 Just keep partying

3 Call the cops on the cops 2 Swallow the evidence

1 Call mommy photo by Ruby Krietzman

by Abby Doeden Staff Reporter When I think of a sport, I immediately think balance, memorization, kicks, and stamina.

But what really defines a sport? Is it the amount of skill required or the amount of sweat produced? Or does it depend on speed and agility? Maybe it’s the type of coverage it gets; is it televised, or broadcasted on the radio?

We can all agree that there are many different definitions of a sport. And according to most of them, chess, golf, and yes,

even dance, are all sports.

So, why is the definition different for everyone?

In America, people tend to focus their attention on the main sports, and cast the others away. Football, basketball, baseball, and hockey are pushed into the limelight, and others are forgotten.

Sports like cross country and swimming require an extensive amount of training to be able to compete in their event. Although the training may be different than a major sport like football, it is still extremely difficult, and requires a lot of dedication.

When it comes to dance, there are many similarities to football. In dance, each person is assigned specific positions on the floor, and follows specific choreography to achieve the final goal. While in football, each player is assigned a position and follows choreographed moves in order to win.

Similar right?

People’s reactions to me calling dance a sport is the same as when they hear that chess and golf are sports too. While neither sport will cause a person to sweat, or make any physical contact, both meet the require-

ments of most definitions; following a specific set of rules, and competing.

Just like chess, golf, and other sports, dance follows a certain set of rules put in place in order to compete. In swimming, a swimmer competes in different strokes, just like in dance where a dancer competes in many different styles.

In dance, a dancer may choose to compete with a studio, or on a dance team. Within these two areas, ballet, hip-hop, and jazz, along with many other types of styles of dance, are taught.

At dance studios, you are

trained more traditionally, and become more of an artist. It’s as if the dance is a canvas and your movement is the paint.

Your moves slowly create the ins and outs of the painting, until the work of art is complete. As a studio dancer, you are required to take multiple ballet classes where you learn the technique of the many hard skills you are asked to perform.

Dance team requires more athletic dancing. Performing only two dances; a kick routine and a jazz routine, which are both extremely difficult. This means that conditioning is a

must in your regular practice schedule.

Instead of kicking another person, like in kickboxing, in dance, dancers work on kick drills, increasing the number of kicks by ten percent each week.

And instead of shuffling down a field, practicing turn combinations as fast as possible is what improves performance.

Read the full story at hopkinsrp.org

RP Thursday, December 10, 2015

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12 op/ed

Editorial: Starbucks holiday cups are not a statement

The staff editorial represents the viewpoint of the Royal Page

ous mass-produced coffee cups.

On Nov. 3, Starbucks introduced their 2015 red holiday cup, an annual tradition the company began in 1997. While the red cup is usually celebrated for its festive holiday designs, such as reindeer and snowflakes, this year’s cup was more minimalistic.

The cup retained its color, but the vibrant designs that usually adorned it were gone.

Although some paid no attention to the cup’s new design, many Christians disapproved.

As the holiday season approaches, it seems that the world is becoming embroiled in universal controversies, such as the Syrian refugee crisis, the Paris attacks, and illegal immigration between nations.

In the US, however, some seem to be hung up over the new Starbucks holiday cup design.

That’s right: one of the biggest controversies of the season revolves around the design of a mass-produced coffee cup and the way it deviates from previ-

They voiced their opinion on various social media sites, stating that the cup lacked “Christmasy” designs and therefore lacked Jesus Christ.

The Starbucks protesters seem to believe that America is a Christian nation, and by not recognizing that fact (which Starbucks never has), Starbucks is insulting Christianity.

The cup is being dubbed as Starbucks’ “War on Christmas.” Some Christians began to “prank” Starbucks by telling

baristas their name was “Merry Christmas” so the baristas would acknowledge the holiday when they called the name.

We at the Royal Page find the outrage against the red cup to be an outrage itself. The holidays are supposed to be a time for giving, thankfulness, and family.

Not anger over a silly red cup.

In fact, the new design could be a step in the right direction for the holiday season. Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, and other various holidays fall

around the same time as Christmas, and none of these are recognized through Starbucks’ (or just about any coffee chain’s) holiday cup. While the new cup may still feature Christmas’ main color, it could also be a step towards the future, acting as a universal holiday season design.

And Starbucks doesn’t hold a coffee embargo. There are other coffee shops that offer more traditional holiday cups: Dunn Bros., Caribou, and countless privately-owned coffeehouses

around Minneapolis. Finding a simple alternative has never been easier.

But whether intentional or not, the controversy surrounding the new cup has garnered Starbucks massive amounts of publicity. Not only was Starbucks’ name trending on Twitter, but, “Starbucks red cup” produces 7.7 million different results on Google.

That translates to Starbucks receiving the greatest holiday gift of all for any major company: cash.

First Amendment was created to protect Americans’ basic rights.

Pleading the First: The But can it protect our morality?

by Michael Korsh Staff Reporter

T

he National Rifle Association advocates for the Second Amendment’s “right to bear arms.” An accused criminal cites the Fourth Amendment to prevent their car from being searched. An actress shouts “I plead the Fifth!” to prevent selfincrimination during a court case on a TV show.

Americans relish in the liberties given to them by the Constitution in as many ways as they can. The First Amendment is one of the most frequently used and controversial statement of our rights. However, in some cases, the amendment is used for the wrong reasons.

The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

It’s that amendment that allows us to practice any religion, petition a law we believe negatively affects us, or verbally protest something we feel is unjust. It’s the same amendment that allows me to write this very article and voice my opinion.

But, especially in modern society, the First Amendment is often misused to morally justify people’s

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actions.

In the 2011 Supreme Court case Snyder v. Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church, a religious group notorious for its homophobic and anti-Semitic beliefs, won a lawsuit against them for protesting outside an army funeral with signs such as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and others including several homophobic slurs. Among other damages, they were sued for causing “emotional distress.”

The Church dismissed these charges as “hurting someone’s feelings.”

A s a Jew, it’s scary to know that anti-Semitism such as that of the Church’s is legally protected, as well as hate speech towards any other minority group.

But as hateful as those words were, the protection of even the Church’s rights to say them is part of the political structure that makes this country the United States of America.

If their rights aren’t protected, then neither are anyone else’s.

Last August, Kim Davis, a county clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky, refused to grant same-sex couples marriage licenses after the Supreme Court decision Obergefell v.

Hodges legalized same-sex marriage in the United States.

Davis, a devout Christian, declared that issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples would violate her religious beliefs, citing the First Amendment. In the lawsuit filed against her for violating the Supreme Court’s decision, Judge David Bunning asked Davis under whose authority she was violating the law.

“Under God’s authority,” Davis answered.

But, in this aspect, Davis is wrong. Though she may be guaranteed freedom of religion, that doesn’t mean she is guaranteed the right to instill her beliefs onto these same-sex couples. They, as well, have the First Amendment right to believe what they choose, re-

gardless of Davis’ denial of their own rights.

The 2015 Supreme Court decision also allows same-sex couples to marry under the Fourteenth Amendment. Just because the First Amendment is first doesn’t make it the most important. This is why Davis was jailed for contempt of court, despite objections from many religious groups and presidential candidates such as Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz.

Even the First Amendment has restrictions. Students, especially, can lose some of their First Amendment Rights if they violate certain standards. If this article, for example, was deemed “unsuitable for immature audiences,” it could be censored by HHS administration.

The First Amendment isn’t always misused to the extent that Davis did. Once, at summer camp, I heard someone say something particularly rude to one of my friends. I confronted them and objected to their comments.

“It’s a free country,” they retorted. “I have freedom of speech.”

This brings up the vast difference between legality and morality. While there may not be legal consequences for the Westboro Baptist Church to hatefully protest, the group has gained notoriety.

Their religion is quite accurately seen by the world as an embodiment of hatred.

If moral consequences and legal consequences were aligned, then people would be arrested for telling an offensive joke or for teasing another person. Or it would be “morally acceptable” to smoke tobacco. The law would be much more restrictive, and our rights would diminish.

We can’t just let the law or our religion dictate what we do. If we allow “freedom of speech” to permit us to say the most vulgar, offensive statements, then we damage our reputation, our credibility.

And if we only live our lives according to the explicit beliefs of any religion, we lose our individuality, and oftentimes our morale.

As Americans, we’re lucky to have these First Amendment rights that are rarely found in other countries. But don’t use them as an excuse to be offensive, rude, or to restrict other people’s rights. Because while the First Amendment may be there to defend you in court, it won’t defend your morality.

Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.

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RP Thursday, December 10, 2015

JV: The importance of junior varsity sports at HHS

by Noah Kaplan and Jordan Zaroff

Sports Editors Junior varsity; a school team that consists of players who lack the qualifications or skill necessary for the varsity level.

At HHS, JV is more than a team, it’s a community which is used to enable participation, and progression for student athletes. Those who are working to either improve their skill to reach the varsity level, or want to be a part of a high school sport.

Brenna Falk, senior, has been on JV for cross country her entire high school running career. ¨It isn’t about being in a sport that I am the best at, it’s being a part of that community,¨Falk said. ¨JV athletes are really what makes up the program. They help build the program which helps the varsity teams succeed.¨ Dan Johnson, HHS Athletic Director, believes that JV athletics are crucial because at HHS everyone who wants to play a sport can get involved through JV. “The best part about JV sports is that anyone who wants to get involved in sports, can participate through JV,” Johnson said.

JV athletes get a chance to develop their skills in different ways, whether it be on or off the field.

“There are a lot of student athletes who start on the JV and make their way up to the varsity level,” Johnson said. “It

would be awfully boring around here if we didn’t have JV and B squad teams around here because you would never be able to see someone’s progression through their sport.”

But on the other hand many of the student athletes may be known as “lifers.” A lifer is a student who spends their entire high school athletic career on the JV level or below. ¨There are a lot of kids where JV might be as far as they go,¨ Johnson said.¨Those are the kids who are not doing it for the exposure or the recognition, they just want to play.¨ For Falk, being on JV for her entire high school athletic career does not faze her. ¨I feel it is very important for JV athletes to stick with their sport, even if they aren’t the best. That shouldn’t diminish their passion for that sport,¨ Falk said. ¨Even the whole stigma of oh I’m a senior so I should be on varsity, that doesn’t matter to me. Just the fact that I’m sticking with the sport makes me feel a step ahead of the kids who didn’t stick with their sport.¨ Many times, upperclassmen on JV are looked as leaders for the underclassmen, because the upperclassman are sought out as “teachers” and can teach teammates new skills that they can end up using forever.

“Being an upperclassmen on JV puts me in a position of being a role model for the younger kids in my sport,” Falk said.

Brenna Falk, senior, chases the front of the pack at the 2015 St. Olaf showcase. photo provided by Brenna Falk

JV Hockey

“It is a good learing experience. Junior Varsity teaches me how to be a good teammate,” -Eli Goldberg, sophomore.

JV Basketball

“As a JV basketball player, I practice against the varsity players every day. Which really pushes me to be my best,” -Asha Bozicevich, junior.

JV Soccer

“Junior varsity has taught me how to take a loss and move on,” Ben Gunderson, junior

RPThursday, December 10, 2015

HHS sports update Boys basketball The Royals boys basketball team holds a record of 5-0-0 so far this season. Amir Coffey, senior, leads the team in points with an average of 16.8 Points Per Game with Simon Wright, junior, follows close behind with an average of 16.5 PPG. The Royals look to take on the Trojans at Wayzata on Dec. 11 at 7pm.

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14 sports

Once a Royal: A small glance at a big racer

by Seth Eliason Staff Reporter

Girls basketball The royals have not lost a game starting their season off 4-0. As of the first week of December, the Royals contain a point scored vs. allowed differential of 313 to 119, clarifying their number one rank in the state. Nia Hollie, senior, leads the team in scoring with 15.5 PPG. The Royals will host host New Prague friday December 11 at 7:15pm.

Girls hockey As of the first week of December, the girls hockey team is off to a 5-4 start to their season. Kylie Hanley, sophomore captain, leads the team with 18 points; 9 goals and 9 assists. Starting goal tender, Annika Carlander, junior, holds a 87 percent save percentage. Saturday, Dec. 12, the Royals look to hit the ground running in conference play as they travel to Edina to visit the Hornets at Braemar Ice Arena at 7pm.

Boys hockey The Royals boys hockey team holds a record of 1-2-1 this season. Nathan Nelson, senior, leads the team in scoring with 8 goals. Tonight, Dec. 10, Nelson will look to increase his season goal total as the Royals host Minneapolis at the Hopkins Pavilion at 7pm.

If a person took a glance at Reed Fischer, class of 2013 graduate, many would not see him as an athlete, but if they followed his running career they would be surprised by what they see.

Fischer had an outstanding distance running career as a HHS athlete. He was a major factor on the 2012 HHS cross country team that arguably could be one of the best Hopkins has ever put together. He was able to qualify as an individual to the state meet that year run ning a great time of 16:15 in the five kilometer race.

Fischer qualified for the state 3200 meter race his senior year in track, he finished the race with a time of 9:23, which at the time placed him fifth all time for HHS in the 3200.

“That race was one of my greatest memories from high school. It was down to the wire if I was going to make it to state or not and I remember finishing and running to my car so that I could make my choir concert not even knowing if I had qualified for state yet,” Fischer said.

After a successful high school career, Fischer is now continuing his running at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he caught the coaches eye with his work ethic and potential as an athlete.

During his athletic career at HHS, Fischer participated in a range of other activities. He was a committed choir member performing in Geoff and the HHS concert choir and also a committed student.

Though his activities interfered with his ath-

letic career, Fischer was up for the challenge.

“I got into a routine and that helped me get through the hard days,” Fischer said.

Mike Harris, head cross country coach, was always impressed with the hard work Fischer put in during the season.

“Reed was one of our AAA winners he was able to balance his athletics, arts, and academics. There are very few people that could come to a morning practice at 6:00 am and still be be able to make choir at 6:45 am,” Harris said.

Academics were a major part of why Fischer chose to attend Drake. He was also drawn to the location and loved how the University was not too far from home.

“It’s one of the best schools in the nation outside of the Ivy League that appealed to me,” Fischer said.

Fischer has continued his successful running career at Drake University. He has been competing on their varsity track and cross country teams for the three years and has run times that put him at the top with the best runners in the nation, including a 29:59 ten kilometer race during his sophomore track season.

He led his cross country team this year and is looking at a national qualification this spring for track.

When asked how he was able to run so much faster just one year out of high school, he gave credit to the coaches at Drake.

“Once I got to Drake, the coaches made my workout plan much harder, but in a way that would benefit me in a positive way and help me in the long run,” Fischer said Before, Fischer ran 40 miles a week when competing for HHS. Now at Drake, Fischer runs double that amount of miles a week for the Drake University cross country team.

Harris noticed this when Fischer was running at HHS. “He was always willing to put in the miles to make himself that much better,” Harris said Fischer made a positive impact while running for HHS, and inspired many of the younger athletes on the team.

“He was a very positive guy that I loved to be around.

He always made the atmosphere fun and one that I always wanted to be part of,” said Sam Branson, senior Fischer gave some advice for young athletes.

“Always enjoy yourself and just be the person that you know you are. This will help an athlete do their best and achieve great things,” Fischer said.

Fischer is a part of His Sub 17 minute time Fischer qualified for the the Hopkins Boy XC was 16:11.3 at the 2012 2013 state track meet 5k Sub 17 minute Conference meet Club

He ran in the 3200 meter

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RP Thursday, December 10, 2015

Concussion destruction:

by Max Weesner Staff Reporter

Heather Cleary, senior, suffered a concussion last May during an ultimate frisbee game, and the brain injury has greatly affected her life and school work.

While concussions have always been prominent in high school sports, the long-term effects of head trauma are a relatively new discovery.

It is not just the long-term effects that are worrisome for parents and athletes alike. When a student gets a concussion, it affects his/her daily life drastically.

Many assume that once an athlete is cleared to play, his/her life goes back to normal. However, for many athletes, including Cleary, that simply is not the case. Cleary is still feeling the physical effects of her concussion today.

“I still get bad migraines sometimes and headaches every day. I also get nauseous and motion sickness way more easily and often now because of [the concussion.] It makes reading a lot harder because I get headaches, and it’s harder to concentrate,” Cleary said.

An estimated 5.3 million Americans are living with a traumatic brain injury-related disability. According to Head Case Company, one out of every five high school athletes will sustain a sports concussion during the season.

Perhaps the most serious risk of repetitive head trauma is the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a degenerative disease which can only be diagnosed posthumously. Its side effects include depression, cognitive issues, and behavior shifts.

On May 2, 2012, Hall of Fame NFL player Junior Seau committed suicide in his California home. Seau’s family suspected that there was a connection between Seau’s suicide and his brain injuries from his playing days. They were right.

It was concluded by multiple independent neuropathologists that Seau’s brain showed definitive signs of CTE. It is believed that Seau’s depression which led to his suicide was directly related to repeated head trauma.

While most concussion stories do not end the way Seau’s did, there is little doubt that concussions have become an increasingly worrisome issue, especially among youth athletes.

In the 2015-2016 fall sports season alone, HHS athletes have experienced numerous concussions.

John Denhartog, Hopkins’ varsity football coach, has observed a shift in concussion awareness in HHS athletics.

“The definition [of concussions] has really changed. As a result, the amount of concussions diagnosed has changed too. About two or three years ago, it was at its highest point. However, I think the trend is pointing downward, in football at least,” Denhartog said.

While many associate concussions solely with football, Scott Westermann, HHS’ athletic trainer, believes this is a misconception. “[Concussions] can [happen] in any sport,” Westermann said.

“Any place where you have a chance to hit your head.”

Though concussions do occur often outside of football, the sport still serves as the face of head injuries. In the last year, Ben Hamm, a junior from Wesleyan Christian School in Oklahoma, and Kenney Bui, a senior from Evergreen High School in Wash-

How concussions have changed sports as we know them ington, have lost their lives to traumatic brain injuries sustained in football games.

Despite the perceived decline in concussions, there has also been a marked decline in participation in the Hopkins football program. Denhartog believes there may be a connection.

“I think [football and concussions] are related. I think if you look across the United States, in every state, the percentage of kids going out for football is down. The media doesn’t talk so much about concussions in other sports, so I think all of those things have made people concerned and reduced numbers,” Denhartog said.

All around the United States, parents are being faced with the decision of letting their children play a contact sport and risk brain injuries, or holding them out.

“It’s always tough as parents and coaches to see people get hurt from any type of injury,” Denhartog said.

While the number of concussions may not be on the rise, the awareness and concern over them has skyrocketed in recent years.

The concern is well-founded, because the athletic future of young athletes depend on their health.

Repercussions:

The number of concussions per 100,000 athletes per sport

Football

76.8

Hockey

54

Basketball

21.2

Soccer

19.2

information found on headcase.com

Alex Bowers, senior, goes through concussion protocal with trainer Scott Westermann. Bowers has played football since third grade and has seen firsthand the number of participants drop.

photo by Alex Kim

RPThursday, December 10, 2015

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16 sports

Left: The boys team huddles at the end of their warm-up.

Right: Owen Hoeft, senior, runs in the customized Nike orange singlet at Nike Cross Nationals. photos by Alex Kim

Boys cross country chases down history

By Alex Kim and Max Weesner Staff Reporters On Thursday, Dec. 3, the Hopkins Royals boys cross country team traveled to Portland, Ore. to compete in Nike Cross Nationals.

However, their journey to the national competition began in July, when the cross country teams participated in a running camp in Buffalo, Wyo. “[Running camp] helped us realize how hard we needed to work to get to where we wanted to be,” said Owen Hoeft, senior.

After that week in July, the teams were on a mission to be the first Hopkins cross country team ever to qualify for Nationals.

The boys began their season with a good start, winning their first meet at St. Olaf College. Their success continued throughout the season, as they won every regular season meet they competed in.

The boys began their postseason by competing in the “section of death.” The “sec-

tion of death,” or the 6AA section, consists of perennial cross country powerhouses Wayzata and Edina. The section became tougher as Washburn High School emerged as another team worthy of national recognition.

Despite the high level talent, Hopkins won the section by five points, advancing to the state meet for the second year in a row.

The boys breezed through the state meet at St. Olaf College, emerging as the favorite to win the Heartland regional race in South Dakota. The boys continued their success at Heartland, winning by 64 points.

Their season-long goal had been achieved. The boys team had finally qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals.

“It was just a testament to all of our hard work, and it showed us how dominant we can be when we’re working together,”

“

said Jack Henschel, senior. “It had been a huge goal of ours since last year, and we were just happy to make Nationals.”

After settling in to the all-expenses-paid hotel that Thursday afternoon, the boys attended the opening ceremony. The team heard from a panel of Olympic cross country and track athletes, such as Mo Farah, Matthew Centrowitz Jr., and Galen Rupp.

On Friday, the boys visited the Tiger Woods Center, along with other competitors and Nike sponsored professionals.

The boys were surprised when Farah, two-time Olympic gold medalist, approached the team and challenged them to a game of FIFA on the Xbox.

“Mo won, and it was kind of crazy because the whole room came over to watch,” said Hunter Staack, senior.

On Saturday, the boys lined up at the start of the course to

compete in the biggest race of their lives and in the history of Hopkins distance running.

Due to constant rain in the days leading up to the race, the course became a trail of mud.

On race day, temperatures dropped below 45 degrees and rain continued to fall.

“It was a great race to be a part of because of the talented competition and the difficulty of the course,” said Sam Branson, senior. “The wet and muddy conditions really slowed us down, but we battled and all still ran solid races.”

After the first mile, the boys were back in 13th place out of 22 teams. In the next two miles, all of the Hopkins runners moved up, passing runner after runner as the team advanced to hold seventh place.

The efforts of the Hopkins runners earned them a seventh place finish out of 22 teams.

Hoeft was the first runner to

cross the line for Hopkins, finishing in 56th place out of 195 competitors. He was followed

by Henschel, who finished in 66th place, Seth Eliason, junior, in 82nd place, Staack in 103rd, Branson in 115th, Eli Hoeft, freshman, in 182nd, and Bridger Pavelka, senior, in 183rd.

The Royals weren’t the only competitors representing Minnesota at Nationals. Of the top 100 finishers, eight runners were from Minnesota. Additionally, fellow 6AA members Edina and Wayzata high schools finished 13 and 14, respectively.

After making school history, the boys hope their efforts this season will pave the way for future Hopkins runners.

“I think that, going forward, this is going to make other runners at Hopkins work harder to try to achieve the greatness that I think we proved was possible,” Henschel said. “I think we put

”

Being a part of something this great makes you realize that the world doesn’t revolve around you, and that you’re part of something bigger than you or your team.

-Owen Hoeft, senior

cross country on the map at Hopkins this year.”

While the boys received honors and recognition for their success this season, the team believes the goal is more than just the awards.

“Being a part of something this great makes you realize that the world doesn’t revolve around you, and that you’re part of something bigger than you or your team,” Owen said.

“This experience made me realize that this whole season hasn’t been for us. It’s been for not only the Hopkins community but for the Minnesota community as a whole.”

With five seniors from the seven-man team graduating this year, Eliason will continue to be a leader going into the 2016 season.

“For next year, we have to rebuild, but that might be a good thing,” Eliason said. “Hopefully the rest of the team was inspired by our performance this year and will get the drive to put in the work for another outstanding season.”