Nov. 1 issue of the Royal Page

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Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 Volume 31 Issue 2

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POLITICAL SURVEY RESULTS

C-spread 8-9

The more prominent issue that this debate has illustrated is that people refuse to understand each other.

-Will Burnton

opinion 5

Students share comfort levels expressing political opinions

news 3

Sammler livens learning

By Phoebe Cohen Staff Reporter

Mall antics break out before fourth block, distressing the climate of HHS. Administration is considering policy changes because of this.

Photo by Cydney Froehlich

Behavior problems cause potential change Mall disruptions cause danger, leading administration to question current rules regarding passing time and food restrictions

By Josh Gallop News Editor

T

he mayhem that took place in the mall between third and fourth block caused the adminstration to consider rule changes.

Students were throwing food and drinks off the balcony into the middle of the mall below earlier this year. “It’s a safety issue and disrespecting the school’s property,” said Ms. Patty Johnson, principal. “I’ve never seen this kind of disre-

spect across the student body in this way.”

In early October, Johnson announced to the school, “During lunch time, water has been thrown, coffee spilled, and garbage dumped in our mall.

Please remember that coffee and drinks are a privilege here at Hopkins High School and privileges can be taken away.”

In addition, Johnson and other staff members are considering shortening passing time between blocks, blocking off the

stairways, and forbidding food and drink outside the cafeteria.

A few years ago, passing time at HHS was increased to eight minutes. “We increased passing time to eight minutes to allow students to go to the bathroom, to go to their lockers, and even socialize with other students” Johnson said.

“If behavior does not improve, we may make some changes to the passing time,” Johnson said.

Andre Martin, junior, won-

ders if changing passing times is appropriate. “The only thing shortening passing time would do is make kids late for class.

The problem is coming from the lunchroom, and the length of passing time has nothing to do with it,” Martin said.

In addition to finding the potential new rules inconvenient, some students question if they would be effective.

“Changing rules isn’t going to to help anything. It’s just a couple of kids looking for at-

tention, and it’s unfair to punish everyone. Plus, by changing rules, you’re giving those kids what they want,” said Christian Dahl, senior.

But Johnson said she sees it as a bigger problem. “I see us as a community, and it may only be a few kids participating, but a lot of students are laughing and cheering and not working to stop the problem,” Johnson said.

-RULE CHANGES continued on page 2

Room S246 looks just like any other science classroom at HHS. A smart board hangs in the front of the class, students’ scribbles cover black lab tables, and plants and posters plaster the walls. Yet something about room S246 has a very different energy than is normally found in a typical classroom at HHS. Mr. John Sammler, Science, stands in front of the class, his voice rising and falling almost methodically. He moves around the classroom with such excitement, making lively actions and using his voice to capture the attention of every student in the room.

Although Sammler seems to have a natural talent for teaching, becoming a teacher was not his intended path.

“Originally I had planned on going to college for science,” said Sammler, “My plan was to do zoology and work with wildlife, but as I got older I realized I liked the teaching component so I mixed the two together.”

Sammler earned a masters in wildlife preservation from the University of Minnesota, and went on to teach there as well as at Penn State University and Dunwoody College of Technology.

“I was convinced by the end of high school that I would never set foot in my high school or any high school ever again,” Sammler said.

However, Sammler did return to high school and has been teaching at HHS since -SAMMLER continued on page 10

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2 news RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012 New policy tightens entrance requirements at HHS

By Domitille Biehlmann Staff Reporter Maddie Renneke, senior, faces a new hassle every morning when entering school.

Due to the new school policy, students that come after the first bell rings are required to show their student IDs prior to entering the building.

As a student with senior release, Renneke saw the new policy as an immediate complication, because she often does not bring her student ID to school. She enters school after first block so if she forgets her school ID, under the new policy, she is given detention.

“I, among some other students, have thought that it’s ridiculous to come to school and get a detention when I could simply go home and receive an excused tardy,” said Renneke.

HHS staff put the detention in place as a safety measure and to increase the amount of students bringing student IDs

in general.

“One time, I came to school [after lunch] and I completely forgot my ID so I just went home to get it but as it turned out I would come back to school with only an hour left. Instead, I decided to stay home and had my mom excuse me,” Renneke said.

The regulation was implemented in order to provide a safer environment for HHS. Once students begin bringing their student IDs everyday, the issue of being given a detention will be irrelevant.

“Obviously, our goal was not to complicate the matter.

We had intended on just implementing the most minimal consequence so that students would, in later times, bring their ID and then we could eliminate the detention all together,” said Traci Meyer, Dean of Students.

HHS staff believes that it will increase security in the school. The quick precaution prevents people who are not a

part of the HHS student body access to the grounds.

“I think it’s an effective way to just have an extra security measure for our school. I feel safer knowing that people who are not a part of the student body are not allowed in,” said Kayla Lindquist, Senior.

This security measure has been in place at HHS for nearly a year now. However it was not enforced as severely as it is now.

The consequences, however, fall disproportionately to students with PSEO, senior release, and other activities that require re entry into the school.

“We aren’t looking for tension among students and staff but we do want it taken seriously. We are taking it seriously and enforcing it to create a safe environment for our school. We want a quick flow in and out so the ID is really a way to make sure that they safety precautions are being met and handled efficiently,” said Meyers.

Behavioral problems cause potential change Rule changes continued from page 1 In her announcement, Johnson advised students “to not support this type of behavior in our school. Instead of watching, use your control and walk away.

This will discourage students from polluting our school.”

Not all students have found the behavior in the mall entertaining. Students and staff members alike have complained

to administrators, according to Johnson.

“I think it’s ridiculous. The staff needs to step up. This is happening day in and day out, and something’s obviously wrong with the system,” said Ricky Johnson, senior.

If administrators do shorten passing time, some students think a change could exacerbate

the situation. “If they cut passing time, it would make people mad and just make a bigger problem,” said Sierra Zellmer, junior.

There is also the convenience factor. “With eight minutes, I don’t always have enough time to do everything I want to, so cutting passing time would make it impossible,” said Kaylee Grunseth, junior.

Passing time at schools around the area in minutes

Photo illustration by Josh Gallop

Photo by Domitille Biehlmann

Maddie Renneke, senior, presenting her ID as she comes into school. Renneke comes in after the bell rings every day due to her senior release.

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news 3 RPThursday, Nov.1, 2012 College bound students face decision of SAT or ACT

By Stefanie Gedan Staff Reporter

Neil Stein, senior, took the November SAT but did not like the formatting of the test and switched over to the ACT. He took the ACT three times before he was satisfied.

Last year 73 percent of HHS seniors took the ACT while the previous year had 79 percent of the graduating class taking the ACT. Two years ago, just 11 percent of HHS seniors took the counterpart of the ACT, the SAT. Last years numbers have not yet been released by College Board.

“During the test I go into this mode where I’m super concentrated and think faster and better than I normally do,” Stein said.

Students prepare for the test in various manners. Stein rented a book from the library and studied from it. Other people get tutors to help them.

“My tutor gives me practice tests and then we correct them and he gives me certain tricks to get a better score,” said Gretchen Muus, junior. “In the science section he wanted me to treat it like the reading section

so just read the questions first and then go back and find the information.”

“If I wouldn’t have taken the ACT/SAT prep, I probably wouldn’t have known what the difference was between the two tests,” Burgess said. Students need to specifically ask from a teacher or a guidance counselor to explain the difference between the ACT and the SAT. There are many factors students take into consideration when deciding which test to take. Brandy Burgess, senior, took the June and October 2012 ACT because there was no point deduction for wrong answers, and she had one college say it prefered the ACT over the SAT. Burgess was also enrolled in the HHS course ACT/SAT Prep which helped her prepare for the test.

“The ACT has traditionally been more popular in the midwest. It was developed in Iowa whereas the SAT was developed on the East Coast in New Jersey,” Hansen said.

Previously universities on the East coast would only accept the SAT and universities in the Midwest would only accept the ACT. However, now more

universities will accept either one or do not take the standardized tests into consideration.

“Hopkins is a testing site for the ACT, but not the SAT,” said Mr. Nick Abel, guidance counselor.

“It’s probably more comfortable and convenient for students to take a large test like these at their own high school.”

“We give our students practice ACT tests in 9th grade (Explore) and 10th grade (PLAN), so perhaps they feel more comfortable with it than the SAT,” Abel said. The PSAT, given to juniors, has only been mandatory for the last two years.

Juniors used to have to request and pay to take the PSAT. The ACT is a 3 hour test composed of a reading, math, English, and science section and an optional 30 minute writing section. “This gives students a chance to show their breadth of knowledge across all of these areas,” said Mrs. Dawn Hansen, Reading.

The SAT is a 3 hour and twenty minute test composed of critical reading, math, and writing sections. The major difference between the two tests, other than a lack of a science

Photo illustration by Brit Stein section for the SAT, is the SAT deducts points for every wrong answer while the ACT does not.

The ACT is offered this year in December, February, April, and June. The SAT is

offered this year in November, December, January, March, May, and June.

Students feel pressure to hide their political beliefs

By Brit Stein Staff Reporter

Kyle Johnson, sophomore, was attacked with comments on his instagram after he posted a picture stating his support of Vote Yes on the marriage amendment.

“It started off as a little joke,” Johnson said, “But then everyone kept commenting.

I don’t understand why when people post Vote No they don’t get s**t.”

As HHS students reach or get close to voting age, their political leanings start to become more defined. Students, like Johnson, have faced consequences for sharing what they believe.

“This [our school] would be, could be, a great place if we were respectful to each other’s beliefs, but sometimes I feel people at our school harass others.

People have firm beliefs and sometimes they aren’t willing to

think outside the box,” said Jake Beggin, senior.

What happened to Johnson happens elsewhere too.

Samantha Pawlucy, sophomore at Charles Carroll High School in Philadelphia, was harassed by her teacher for wearing a Romney Ryan t-shirt to school.

Pawlucy’s Geometry teacher, Lynette Gaymon, upon seeing what Pawlucy was wearing, told her to get out of her classroom. The teacher stated that Pawlucy’s wearing of the Romney shirt was analogous to Gaymon, who is black, wearing a KKK shirt.

The teacher’s comments, prompted other students in the class to shout obscenities at Pawlucy and her family. Pawlucy later stated that she was afraid to go to school, fearing that she would encounter more harrassment.

Teachers are in a more

precarious situation as they have a position of power over the students.

“It’s not my right as a teacher to assert my political opinions in the classroom. I hope that [students] as individuals can challenge and learn from each other, as long as the dialogue is rooted in respect” said Mr. Ryan Hogan, English.

Some students at HHS, show their support for certain political candidates or issues by placing political bumper stickers on their cars, backpacks, and notebooks. Of the 317 cars in the student parking lot on Friday, October 10, no car had a Vote Yes or Romney bumper sticker. Two cars had Obama stickers and 6 had Vote No. “I probably wouldn’t put a political sticker [on my backpack or car]. Not because I’m ashamed, but because it’s human nature to see something

and judge it. People are going to see it and judge me even though they don’t know anything about why I believe or think what I do.

When people get to know me, and how I feel about my faith, then I have a little more leverage to explain why I think a certain way,” Beggin said.

“When you put your opinion out, especially in school, people say you’re dumb for thinking that way. You just have to know that people won’t always agree with you. Sometimes I think that kids, especially with Vote Yes and Vote No don’t really understand the complete issue” said Peter Williams, sophomore.

In a survey conducted by the Royal Page, almost 75 percent of students said that they affiliated themselves with the democratic party. Around 71 percent of students stated that they are voting or would ‘Vote No’ on the marriage amendment.

“Too often the minority perspective gets shut down,” Hogan said, “But, that person still deserves a voice in our community and society.”

Students with a minority opinion at HHS have said they are afraid to voice their political views. “I don’t like sharing my political views at school because I’m really Republican.

If I told people I’m Vote Yes they’d jump me and call me a homophobe, which I’m not,” said a sophomore who wished

to remain anonymous.

“It’s such a touchy subject, especially because this school’s very liberal,” Beggin said. “Since my religion says man was made for woman that’s why I think that way. I’m not here to judge, I’m here to love, but that’s just what I think. I have to be careful about what I say because everyone believes something different. I don’t want them to think I don’t respect them or that I’m offending them.”

Beggin said.

4 opinion

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RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012

Adderall is an unfair advantage Everywhere, everyone, and everything Nike Is it really fashionable if we all wear the same?

Your appearance dictates a lot of what people think about you.

Not wearing Nikes is social suicide.

Finding someone who doesn’t own a piece of Nike clothing is about as hard to find as tofu at a hot dog eating contest. With our state winning basketball team being sponsored by Nike, its popularity is undeniable.

Walking down the halls it’s nearly impossible to not be able to find anyone wearing Nike. The guise of company loyalty which students say is their reasoning for wearing the product is masked by a deeper meaning. The desire to be included in ‘the next big thing’.

While everyone claims to want to be an individual, how is that possible when they are wearing the exact same clothes?

Humans by nature are afraid of actually standing out. By wearing Nike or any other large clothing brands it allows you to blend into the group.

This flow of attraction to these large brands does have some positive externalities however. If a student who is normally bullied or thought down on wears the same clothes as the aggressor, the perpetrator loses something to bring them down about and gives them something in common which could possibly create a connection.

These products are not cheap. A pair of Air Jordans can range from 100-300 dollars, while you can find a brandless pair for as little as 30 dollars. Why would someone pay up to 1000 percent more for a logo on clothes?

For some students, purchasing a new pair of shoes is an event to look forward to. Whether it’s the frost of December or a warm summer night, Christian Dahl, senior, can be found camping out for the “freshest” pair of Nike shoes.

“Everyone brings lawn chairs and there’s food and just talk about shoes and wait for the mall to open”, Dahl said.. Buying shoes has created a common interest and has brought together a lot of people.

I admit that I have fallen for their products. They do make high quality clothes and I may have sucumb to buying a few pairs of their shoes, and perhaps more socks than I could even count. As far as a brand goes they make some great shoes.

With everyone getting the same new shoes it becomes hard to wear them proudly. Dahl manages to avoid this by not wearing his new shoes the next day.

“I like to wait a while and then wear them on a random day, because then I’m not matching everyone else”, Dahl said.By buying the most liked product you are, in turn, becoming less unique. By definition the most popular thing is also the most common.

Even though it may seem scary, wearing unique clothes that take you away from the herd may lead you to find something you would never have expected.

Why would someone pay up to 1000 percent more for a logo on clothes?

Roy Grossmann is a staff reporter for the Royal Page

The mentality of people believing it’s okay to damage their brain so they can achieve higher academic scores is ludicrous. Adderall is becoming one of the most common abused prescription drugs throughout society.

It is prescribed to those diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and is constructed of amphetamine salts (controlled substance used in meth). This pill is classified as a stimulant, which causes the central nervous system to speedup and enhance alertness.

For the abusers of this drug, the side effects may seem harmless. Loss of appetite and sleep are the most common. The effect that people are trying to achieve by using it is to be able to focus.

During an interview, a student misheard my question in the hallway and thought I was selling Adderall. He appeared to be excited at the idea, but was willing to talk about his use.

“It’s the drug that gets me in my zone. I use it for long nights of studying for finals and days when I know I need to focus in class. It’s the perfect school drug. I also took it before my last ACT,” said the student.

Students commonly take Adderall for the ACTs. Long testing days lead people to feel stressed out and as though they may not do as well. The Adderall helps the concentration level to balance it out, so the mentality is that one will do better.

Although, to some it may seem like the perfect study drug, people often forget how it alters the brain chemistry. Ultimately, it will give a person symptoms of ADD/ADHD, if they didn’t have it before.

As the tolerance increases from continuous use, it makes a person more vulnerable to overdosing. Due to the pill, the dopamine level in the brain decreases and will have a person craving the drug, in order to feel normal again.

This is addiction.

An anonymous Adderall dealer felt there was nothing wrong in giving out the prescription pill. He said that if they wanted to be able to focus in class, he didn’t see an issue, as long as they didn’t appear to be addicted.

“It’s not about the money. I feel like I’m doing a good deed and helping out teenagers to do better in school,” he said.

Some people aren’t aware of the consequences that are held for possessing or selling Adderall. If a person without an Adderall prescription is caught, they risk the chance of being convicted of a felony. The dealer and buyer will both be held

responsible, due to intention to sell and possession of a controlled substance.

Health is more important than test scores. If someone is not prescribed the pills, they should not be taking them.

Dr. Michael Anderson (New York Times), doesn’t believe in the diagnosis of ADD/ ADHD but is essentially still willing to prescribe these pills to young children.

“We’ve decided as a society that it’s too expensive to modify the kid’s environment. So we have to modify the kid,” said Dr. Anderson.

This is incorrect for many reasons. Hooking a child’s brain at a young age on an amphetamine, will never allow their brain to develop at the rate it should and it will depend on this drug for the rest of their life.

The abuse is becoming more known within high school and college students as a cognitive enhancer. People fail to remember that this drug doesn’t make you smarter, it only increases the ability to stay focused.

In the last couple years, prescription drugs have killed more people than street drugs. Society should be aware of the prescription abuse, how it’s effecting others and attempt to stop the use.

Teenagers tend to forget that their wellbeing is more important in the long run, rather than destroying their brain at a young age due to the study drug.

Caroline Ravits is a staff reporter for the Royal Page

Photo by Cydney Froehlich

I’m a donor, need anything?

You should let unfortunate people have a second chance at life.

They were out for blood recently at HHS, but I’d rather they take my kidneys. Well, not yet if I can help it. But if I ever have a grand-finale wipeout on my longboard, they’re welcome to take my kidneys, and anything else that is still looking good too.

The recent blood drive hosted by HHS got me thinking about that little box we check on our driver’s license for organ donation.

If you haven’t gotten your license yet, pay attention, this is an important box!

For those of you too caught up in the celebration of passing your driver’s exam (or too in awe that you actually passed), you may have overlooked the box.

It’s never too late to change your mind and check it since renewal is just around the corner.

The day I got my license I wasn’t certain that I had the cash to pay for it, but I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be an organ donor (make note that it is indeed free to become an organ donor.)

And you should too!

Every month approximately three hundred new transplant candidates are added to the waiting list. Although there are a lot of people like me who are registered organ donors, there is still a shortage of organs and tissues.

Sadly, nineteen people a day die waiting for an organ transplant.

Did you know that a single organ donor can potentially save up to eight lives? By simply checking that box and registering to be an organ donor, you are gifting life! It’s that simple.

As an an organ donor, I can eventually (and effortlessly) help others without adding to all the other stuff I have to do today!

Let’s get one more thing straight about organ donation. There’s a myth that if you sign a donor card you will not get adequate medical care in an emergency. That’s false! The medical team that will be trying to save your life will be independent of the transplant team.

I know that when they scrape me off the pavement they’ll do everything they can to remove that pesky longboard embedded in my stomach. But when all reasonable efforts fail, I’m confident that my organs will be responsibly transplanted.

Who knows, someday you may need something and I’ll be your donor. Just don’t ask for my pancreas- my diabetic little brother already has dibs on that!

Chandler Luhowskyj is a staff reporter for the Royal Page

opinion 5

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RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012

No “Girls can dress however they want”-Corbin Boyd, Sophomore

Yes “They try and meet everyones needs”- Dareon Anderson, Senior

No “No one listens at this school”Chaise Dennis, Senior

Yes “They are really strict on sweeps”-Justine Walker, Senior

Joel Ratner is the Opinion Editor and Hillary Donovan is a staff reporter of the Royal Page

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op 10

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

:

Scariest things at

Hopkins High School

Trying the frozen peaches at lunch

Standing in the middle of the mall before 4th block Old gym bathrooms Forgetting your school ID and getting detention Tossing food in the air before “Muscles” comes and gets you Jay-Dixon without a beard Smuggling ice cream through the border Benji Mosow running Senior girls powderpuff team

Will Chizek shaking his butt better than the real dance team

Vote yes/no controversy It’s difficult to say anything that hasn’t been said on the subject of the Vote No/Vote Yes debate. Both sides of the argument have expressed themselves clearly. However, the people arguing over this have denied to listen to each other’s words.

It’s easy to see that the school’s popular opinion leans towards the Vote No side of the marriage amendment, looking at people’s backpacks or Twitter accounts shows the more liberal viewpoints of our school.

If one were to express their approval of the Vote Yes amendment they would be shot down and possibly yelled at by much of the student population, as many have seen on certain Facebook accounts.

Although I am in favor of the Vote No amendment, I beleive students should be allowed to express their viewpoints without fear of being harassed by their peers.

These two sides have done a lot of arguing, but few are trying to understand and listen to each other. If someone has a Vote Yes sticker on their car and you disagree with them, have a conversation with them instead of criticizing their ideas.

The more prominent issue that this debate has illustrated is that people refuse to understand each other.

The popular Kinsey report stated that one in ten Americans have homosexual tendencies.

There is some debate as to how accurate this is, but a 10 percent population of gay and lesbians represents a large portion of our country.

I’m not going to write up a lecture on why I believe gay and lesbian couples deserve basic human rights, because you either already agree with me, or strongly oppose my viewpoint and won’t even consider what I’m saying.

But for those of you who do oppose I want you to consider sitting down with a gay or lesbian person and discussing your feelings. Setting aside your anger and talking through the issue could help create a better understanding of each other.

People should feel the need to be divided into the two main viewpoints our country has established for us. It promotes argumentative topics that don’t leave any grey room, when in reality, no argument, especially gay marriage, is just black and white.

So don’t listen to your parents’ favorite politician, or your place of worship, or whomever, and find out what you truly believe in. If you find you still don’t believe in gay marriage, you are entitled to that opinion. But learn to think for yourself.

Will Burnton is a staff reporter for the Royal Page

Appreciating quiet time The last thing I expected to hear in my This summer, I went on a 22-day canoe trip calculus class was the chime of a meditation bell. in the Canadian wilderness with four other girls, Let’s face it, math isn’t exactly the most relaxing none of whom I knew before the trip. topic for all of us.

At first, I was constantly trying to think of But my teacher started the class with a topics to discuss or games to play as we paddled moment of silence - in fact, two whole minutes and paddled for hours each day. of silence.

As the trip went on, I made peace with the Two whole minutes to breathe, collect our silence and even came to appreciate it. thoughts, and think in the present moment.

Having quiet time allowed me to take in all I was reminded of two things. First, we the beauty around me and reflect on who I am don’t incorporate nearly enough quiet time into and what’s important to me. our days.

The combination of good conversation and Why did two minutes of silence in class feel silent reflection brought me even closer to my so foreign to me? Second, silence is extremely trail mates. important and perhaps one solution to the stress We all understood that two people silently of our hectic high school lives. paddling a canoe is by no means “awkward.”

In a recent editorial in the New York Times And once we are comfortable with silence, titled, “The ‘Busy’ Trap”, Tim Kreider pointed it is easy for us to truly listen to one another. out that everyone loves to brag about their ‘crazy Sometimes we hear what someone is saying, but busy’ schedules these days. we’re not actually listening.

It’s true. Not many people proudly go Listening means keeping quiet, focusing, around on Fridays in the mall telling their and not being afraid of silence while others colfriends they have zero plans for the weekend. lect their thoughts.

As high school students, our schedules fill I know that everyone at HHS has a story. up fast with school, homework, sports, clubs, Shhhh. Ask and listen. and friends.

With all these activities, there is constant noise: talking, radio, traffic, phones, computers.

Finding silence in such a noisy world is difficult.

But more than that, I think we have become afraid of silence.

If there isn’t someone talking at all times it’s considered unbearably awkward. Now, I’m Finding silence in not saying there are never awkward situations, such a noisy world and I’m definitely guilty of using the phrase “awko-taco.” is difficult.

However, I think we need to step back and look at what we are calling awkward.

What’s awkward about stopping to think about what we’re actually saying? What’s Naomi Borowsky is the feature editor for the Royal awkward about reflecting and noticing our surPage roundings?

6 variety

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RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012

Como Zoo has much to offer

The Como Zoo Conservatory provides a fun and free weekend experience for students Elise Christianson Staff Reporter When Como Park Zoo was established in 1897, it only had three deer. Now, the Zoo has over 300 animals.

The Zoo has animals that come from a variety of different habitats. There are animals that range from lions to arctic foxes to seahorses.

“Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is the second most visited tourist destination in the state of Minnesota [behind the Mall of America],” said Matt Reinartz, Marketing & Public Relations Manager for the Zoo. The Como Park Zoo is one of the few remaining free zoos in the country, although they do accept donations.

When the Zoo opened a conservatory in 1915, it was renamed Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.

The Conservatory has thousands of exotic plants. It also has the largest public collection of Bonsai trees in the Upper Midwest.

Later on, they received a donation from the

McNeely family, and the Conservatory was named the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.

Shukri Mohamed, senior, visited Como Park Zoo & Conservatory with her younger cousins about a year ago.

“My favorite part [of visiting the Zoo] was when my little cousins actually saw the animals,” Mohamed said. “[Their faces] were extremely lit up.”

Aside from walking around and viewing the animals, the zoo has optional, free events that vary from day to day. Some of these include fall flower shows, talks with zookeepers, and bear programs. A full calendar of all the events can be seen on their website. “...students would particularly enjoy the training demonstrations,” Reinartz said. “You leave the Zoo feeling like you got a special insight about the animal and its care at the Zoo.” During the summer, there is a program designed specifically for high school students called the Nature Walk program. The program allows students to interact with animals like tortoises,

snakes, rabbits, and birds.

“The Nature Walk team is made up of high school students who staff stations with live animals around the Zoo,” Reinartz said.

The Zoo also has a newer exhibit that proved to be a big hit with the public.

In 2010, the Zoo opened The Polar Bear Odyssey. This exhibit was created to expand the home of the polar bears and to make it more comfortable for them. “[When I visited the zoo], we stayed at the polar bears [exhibit] for like 15 minutes because they were interesting,” said Jonah Emerson, junior.

According to Reinartz, the polar bears are among the most popular animals at the Zoo, along with the gorillas, orangutans, giraffes, tigers, and snow leopards.

There is also a section in the Zoo’s Visitor Center that has an exhibit called Tropical Encounters. The exhibit is set up like Central and South American rainforests that include native animals like frogs, birds, and a sloth.

This upcoming summer, the Zoo will open the

Gorilla Forest, a new exhibit that will improve the living area of the Zoo’s gorillas and give the public a better view of them.

“It’s just fun to see animals that you don’t really see everyday, and it’s fun to see them with friends,” Emerson said.

Infograph done by Elise Christianson

Depot Coffee House reserves first Fridays for comedy Gannon Youakim Staff Reporter The Depot Coffee House, a chemical free, people friendly environment that started in 1997, has recently given the opportunity for aspiring comedians to do stand up on the first Friday of every month.

Previously, only musicians were allowed to reserve time on Fridays, while comedians could only perform on open mic nights. Now there is a special Friday reserved for those with a taste for humor.

Stand up on First Fridays was created by the Depot’s Board. They were hoping that it would bring in more kids to demonstrate their talents.

Jesse Pedersen, senior, is Board Chair.

Board Chair is a time consuming task, and Pedersen does not receive pay. According to him, however, it is worth it.

“You have to go to a lot of bi-monthly meetings and keep track of events at the Depot,” said Pedersen. There’s a lot of responsibility but it’s re-

warding.”

Pedersen is also in the Comedy Club well known for his humor. He is one of the students here who has done stand up at the Depot.

“I’ve performed at First Friday’s and have played music too many times to count,” said Pedersen. “I [performed at] open mic a couple of times and was always kind of bad, but when I prepared, people seemed to enjoy it.”

The Depot sports a seven by eleven foot stage to perform on. Vocal amplification is also provided by the Depot. The floor space can be filled with chairs or cleared for people to stand.

Live music is still happening on the rest of the Friday nights. It is a local venue for bands to perform, and it is relatively easy to get to.

“I performed at the Depot ‘cause it’s a great place to play, and they asked us to play,” said Jon Lindquist, junior. “I enjoy how everyone knows the Depot and is automatically comfortable with going there to see you play.”

Lindquist is in a band called Denim Matriarch, along with other students from HHS. Their last performance at the Depot was in

March.

“It has a great atmosphere that has enough room to fit a good amount of people, and whether it’s 100 or 20 people, it still feels perfect somehow.

We had around 60-75 people,” said Lindquist.

Whether present as a comedian or musician, the Depot is an opportune place to perform.

“It’s an awesome place to play, and a lot of bands that are now playing bigger venues have said that they got started with playing shows at the Depot,” said Lindquist.

The Depot has a quite a lucrative deal for those looking to perform, if they purchase advance tickets.

“It’s a fun experience, a good way to start for publicity, and you can make money,” said Pedersen.

Advance tickets can be bought in simple bundles, starting with 10-20 for $2 each. The tickets can then be sold at the buyers discretion.

You must purchase at least 10 advanced tickets to confirm your timeslot.

The Depot sells beverages, such as coffee and soda, and food. Not only is it open Tuesday and

Friday nights, but also open seven days a week from 6 am. to 7 pm.

“We want people to be involved, so they can find out that the Depot is actually a pretty nice place to hangout,” said Pedersen, “You just have to keep grinding. Don’t believe the hype.”

Infograph done by Gannon Youakim

Yearbook Senior Portraits Check the list at the bottom of the stairs near the media Center to make sure your name is listed on our list of portraits.

-You should also check to make sure your name is spelled cor

rectly. If you have any changes, please see Mr. Kocur in S200 dur

ing your lunch.

Flash Portraits will be here on Nov. 8th during lunches for a free make-up day.

the

RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012

‘Looper’ circles into theatres Thomas Heegard Web Czar Simply put, “Looper” is a mind-bender.

A mind-bender that twists, turns, layers, and loops over itself in a plot complex enough for even the best movie-watchers. Looper encompasses the brains of a science fiction film, the grip of an action thriller, and even subtle traces of horror, all while intriguing the viewer with the larger themes it presents.

Director and Writer, Rian Johnson sets Looper thirty-two years in the future in the midst of an economic collapse. Mob bosses control major cities, while the average citizen has been reduced to stumbling homeless in the streets. A “Looper” is a new brand of assassin.

In the year 2074 time travel will have been invented, and in the interest of killing off their enemies without a trace, the Mob sends their targets back in time to be finished off. These “targets” arrive hooded and tied up, where the Loopers kill them and dispose of the bodies. The catch lies in the fact that when the mob decides to retire their Loopers, they do so by sending their future selves back in time to be executed in a sort of forced suicide.

A Looper’s eventual death is known as “closing the loop”. Needless to say, as Joseph Gordon Levitt’s character points out, Loopers are not particularly “forward thinking people”.

Enter Joe Simmons: a drug addicted, penthouse-dwelling party goer who works as a Looper for local crime boss Abe. When Joe’s future self arrives to be executed, he manages to escape only to begin wreaking havoc in the past.

As Future Joe explains, a mysterious character known only as the “Rainmaker” has been “closing all the loops”. Thirty years in the past, Future Joe believes he can restore his life by murdering the infant “Rainmaker” before he can begin his reign of terror.

Looper has the potential to appeal to a variety of audiences, something not always found in sci-fi films. Containing enough suspense and raw excitement for any thrill seeking movie-goer, all the while still considering the questions of nature vs. nurture and the definition of time itself, Looper is an anomaly of recent Hollywood trends. In the final scene of the film, the nature vs. nurture

`

Gripping, visually appealing and thought provoking, Looper deserves four and half out of five stars despite a few lulls in pacing.

comes to a head when Future Joe and Young Joe battle over whether the Rainmaker should live, and which of their actions would create the correct future.

A highlight of the film lies is the detail and precision Johnson took in laying out the future City Joe lives in. Expensive floating motorbikes rocket past the homeless in the towering metropolis, paying homage to sci-fi classics such as Blade Runner and Star Wars. Future partiers drop hallucinogenic drugs through specially engineered eye drops; even the classic suit and tie Levitt’s character sports is viewed as a throwback, “eccentric and archaic” way to dress.

Looper’s universe is just unique enough for audiences to be amazed by Johnson’s vision of the future while still forcing them to shudder at its eerie similarities to today’s society.

Blunt performs with her usual talented control, while Willis shows he can deliver more than his iconic “Yipee-kay-yay” to the screen. Despite

Upcoming Events: Bassnector Concert: Nov. 3

the respectable performances of his peers in the movie, Levitt dominates the film through a level of “beliveableness” and comfort with his character.

Tackling the role of a drug addicted, pleasureseeking assassin who manages to show his moral side toward the end of the film, would be a difficult job for a less talented actor.

Despite the overall sucess of the film, the flashbacks and specifics of the time travel remained hazy throughout, easily leading a casual viewer into confusion. While not perfect by any means (the farm scenes in the last third of the film slow the pace considerably), Looper will surely rank among the best sci-fi films of the decade. However, Looper is far from simple eye-candy; avoid this movie if your interest lies in explosions guns and one-liners.

Looper deserves four and a half out of five stars and demands a second viewing at least. A well acted, reasonably well paced film, Looper’s strong final act makes it the movie to see this fall.

New Releases:

Macklmore Concert: Nov 30, Dec. 1

Mesa Pizza appeals to many students Tarina Gartner Business Manager

Movies: Taken 2 Bob Dylan Concert: Nov. 7 Paranormal Activity 4 Minneapolis Shrine Circus: Nov. 23 Alex Cross Argo Fun Size The Who Concert: Nov. 27

variety 7

Music: Taylor Swift, ‘Red’ Cities 97 Sampler Muse, ‘The 2nd Law’ Brandy, ‘Two Eleven’ G-Eazy, ‘Must Be Nice’

With 46 different pizzas, and four different salads, Mesa Pizza has brought pizza to three different locations in Minnesota.

Mesa Pizza is located between TCF Bank and Fedex Kinkos on W Lake Street in Uptown as well as in Dinkytown and St. Paul.

Dakota Schlaeger, sophomore, eats at Mesa Pizza often because his sister lives a few blocks away.

“When I go there I always hope that they are serving the Chicken Penne Alfredo pizza,” Schlaeger said.

The Chicken Penne Alfredo pizza is topped with breaded chicken, penne pasta and alfredo sauce.

For a single slice of a specialty pizza, which is any kind of pizza except for the pepperoni or cheese, it costs $3.25 and for a single slice of pepperoni or cheese pizza it is $2.25.

Mesa Pizza has a variety of four different salads, which one can add grilled chicken for an upcharge of $1.50 to the cost of $4.50 for a salad.

Mesa Pizza categorizes their pizza in four different categories: Specialty Meat, Specialty Chicken, Specialty Vegetarian or Specialty Steak.

Specialty Chicken pizzas from Mesa will all have a similarity of chicken as a topping. On their chicken pizzas they use spicy, barbeque, marinated, breaded, honey mustard, cajun or grilled chicken. They have a variety of 13 different pizzas in the Specialty Chicken section of the menu.

There are four different pizzas that all have steak as a topping which are all in the Specialty Steak portion of the menu. One is able to get BBQ Steak and Fries, Philly Cheesesteak, Triple Smoked, or a Southwest Steak and Guacamole pizza.

One is able to order a Macaroni and Cheese pizza from the Specialty Vegetarian category.

There is a total of 17 different pizzas that don’t have any type of meat as a topping.

“Being able to get a whole meal for under $5 and getting quality food makes me never question going to Mesa,” Schleager said.

The pizza isn’t cooked until you order it, however, the pieces of pizza are pre-made. Six pizzas sit out and each pizza is topped in four different ways.

After the pizza is choosen an employee places a customers individual slice into the oven as the customer goes to pay for their pizza. “Visa and MasterCard accepted. Cash preferred. Business checks welcome,” can be found on the menu.

One will then be offered a can of pop from coke products or a bottle of water for $1 to pair with pizza or salad.

Your slice of pizza, after being cooked, will then be placed on a counter where one can pick it up and either eat it or take out.

50%of HHS students identify themselves as

DEMOCRATS

d e m o c r a t s

51%

sophomores

b y

48% juniors

g r a d e :

50% seniors

70%

of HHS students say they would vote no on the marriage amendment

79% of HHS democrats say they would vote no

The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment is supposed to protect the privilges of its citizens. This amendment takes them away.

-Harrison Robinow, senior

Who is voting for BARACK OBAMA?

70% of total students 65% of males 75 % of females

A survey cond Royal Page rev

DIVI

Mr. John Unruh-Fries students win a four year lotter ment in an election year.

“Everything in the tex the world,” Unruh-Friesen said students are able to apply the t Whether it’s Facebook election talk is everywhere, an matter how short, is an influen According to our surv find their political views most parents. “[Students] tend to fo not surprising. Just think abou table,” Unruh-Friesen said.

Additionally, students of politically influential social blew up with opinions over th one wanted Obama to win the crushed it,’” Unruh-Friesen sa In a time where candid unavoidable, AP Government else. “There’s no discussion or beliefs,” Unruh-Friesen said.

Students are instead ta election and American govern on the way America works. Th to understand that and to be a senior.

AP Gov. students are e seek out candidate information which candidate is best.

According to our surv this candidate is Obama. This to be consistent, with the last m overwhelming vote for Obama statement here that year,” Unr This results in the crea republicans in our school. The environment that makes it diff out. “There are many vocal lib cans don’t speak out as much, However, no definite p actual election. “It will be a n could be very close, we might Unruh-Friesen said.

Lydia Wilson and Editors-in-Chie

*NOTE - Roughly 350 surveys were margin of error. Not all students an Percentages not included: 33% of “Independent”, “Other”, or chose dents said they would vote for “Ot

ducted by the veals a political

IDE

Who is voting for MITT 22% of males ROMNEY?

sen, social studies, believes that ry when they take AP US Govern-

xtbook is happening out there in d. Because it’s an election year, text to current events. k, Twitter, or friends and family, nd every discussion or post, no nce. vey, over half of HHS students tly or completely align with their ollow their parents’ opinions, it’s ut what they hear at the dinner

s are exposed to a constant flow l networking posts. Twitter feeds he course of the debates. “If somee debate, they tweeted ‘Obama aid. date discussion is practically students discuss everything r unit on Romney and Obama’s

aught the inner workings of the nment. “I think it has a big impact his is my home and I would like part of it,” said Piper Leary,

encouraged to independently n and draw conclusions about

vey, most have concluded that democratic trend at HHS tends mock election resulting in an a. “Obama t-shirts were a fashion ruh-Friesen said. ation of a silent minority of e democratic majority creates an ficult for republicans to speak berals in AP Gov, but the republi,” Unruh-Friesen said. predictions can be made for the nail biter on election night. It t not know until the day after,”

Ursula Arhart are the ef for the Royal Page

e counted. There is a +/- 4.6% nswered each question. students identify themselves as e not to respond. 9% of stuther”, or chose not to respond.

20% of females

21% of total students God loves everyone, but he doesn’t love everyone’s choices. I’m not trying to hate anyone, it’s just what I believe.

-Tyler Johnson, senior

20%

of HHS students say they would vote yes on the marriage amendment

55% of HHS republicans say they would vote yes

17%of HHS students identify

REPUBLICANS r e p u b l i c a n s b y 15% g r a d e : seniors 22% 15% juniors

themselves as

sophomores

10 feature The Royal Page 2012-2013

Editors in Chief Ursula Arhart Lydia Wilson

News Editor Josh Gallop

Opinion Editor Joel Ratner

Feature Editors Naomi Borowsky Rachel Alter

Variety Editor Maddie Shaw

Sports Editors Sam Bloomfield Eli Badower

Back Page Editor Casey Pasko

Photo Editor

Cydney Froehlich

Business Managers Tarina Gartner Joe Greene

Web Czars

Thomas Heegaard Hannah Vaughn

Staff Reporters

Maggie Abel Domi Biehlmann Will Burnton Elise Christianson Phoebe Cohen Hillary Donovan Alex Felemovicius Stefanie Gedan Roy Grossmann Sam Hromatka Chandler Luhowskyj Ellie Maag Sam Parker Caroline Ravits Brit Stein Gannon Youakim

Adviser

Mr. Kocur

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.

page theROYAL

the

Abraham advocates for arthritis relief

By Ellie Maag Staff Reporter Every morning, Rachel Abraham, junior, sets her alarm 30 minutes before she starts her daily routine of waking up. She uses her extra time to stretch her joints and take a variety of medications.

Rachel Abraham has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis is a condition in which one or more joints are inflamed.

It affects an estimated 2,000,000 adults in the United States.

“A lot of people think that arthritis is a disease that affects old people. They don’t know that kids

get it, too. Arthritis has no age,” Abraham said.

294,000 kids in the United States also have arthritis. 13,000 of them live in the Midwest Region, with 5,000 in Minnesota alone.

“There are 100 different types of arthritis, and one of the most common is juvenile arthritis. Unfortunately, there is no cure because scientists have not found a finalized reason on why kids develop this condition as well,” said Lix Truax, Community Development Manager of the Arthritis Foundation.

Abraham was diagnosed with

juvenile rheumatoid arthritis 13 years ago. However, she experienced no symptoms for three years and entered a state of remission.

Then, in 9th grade, her knees couldn’t hold up her body, and arthritis was found active again in five of her joints.

“It’s like living life every day in pain, and I have to find ways to deal with it,” Abraham said.

For the past 13 years, Abraham has made a lot of adjustments. She has an extra set of textbooks at home and a locker in the middle of the school so her backpack remains light.

Some days, Abraham will wake up and find that she can’t even hold a pencil, much less sit in a classroom for 86 minutes.

“Adjustments will have to be made every

Photo by Ellie Maag

Abraham promotes awareness about juvenile arthritis, a condition that affects her along with many other youth.

day, but the most difficult step in the process is awareness.

Arthritis is an invisible disease that you can’t see, so Rachel has to explain her condition to friends and family,” Truax said.

Up until 9th grade, Abraham kept her condition a secret.

“Kids didn’t get it. You can’t tell she has it just by looking at her.

I told her that if her friends didn’t get it, they’re not good friends,” said Erica Abraham, Rachel’s mother.

Gradually, Rachel started to talk about her struggle with arthritis, and now she’s planning to gather support from within the school.

“My plan is to sell ribbons for $1 each at lunch time and hang them up on a poster outside of the lunchroom. The money will go to the organization for juvenile arthritis,” Rachel said. “The ribbons will be teal blue because that’s the national arthritis color.”

Her dream is slowly coming alive through her work with the Business Department, the administration, and the student councils at both North and West Junior High.

Rachel hopes to involve the school in various ways such as a half court throw during a basketball game to generate funds, and to have people from the community come and support

students.

“Most people will get arthritis in one form or another as they get older. Rachel hopes to raise money for research so people don’t have to experience the pain she goes through,” Erica said.

Not only is Rachel promoting awareness at our school, she is making a difference throughout the country.

Rachel was recently nominated as the 2013 Juvenile Arthritis Honoree. Now, she gets to tour around the states and tell her story.

“Some people don’t realize it, but it’s a really big deal. I get to talk to different organizations and really tell first hand what it’s like to have arthritis as a teenager,” Rachel said.

Throughout her journey, Rachel has become more open about sharing her story and encouraging others to talk.

“My hope is that anyone can come and talk and be more open. Talking really helps,” Rachel said.

Now that her secret is out, Rachel plans to continue finding ways to use the support she’s gathered to help others.

“I have had arthritis nearly all my life, but for these past three years and in the future, I’m making sure that it doesn’t have me,” Rachel said.

Sammler livens learning with enthusiasm SAMMLER from page 1

The editorial represtents 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.

RP Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012

2005. This year he is teaching one block of Honors Biology and two blocks of AP Environmental Science (APES). “[APES] is really relevant. I think people like it because it is an AP class that deals with real issues that you can actually see in the news on a regular basis,” Sammler said, “And it relates to choices that you will make in your everyday life. And not just choices about what you want to be when you grow up but choices about how you will live even if you choose not to be a scientist.” “[Sammler] puts a lot of effort into preparing for class,” said Sam Weisberg, senior, “He really puts in 150% in terms of planning engaging lessons for

the class and having enthusiasm.”

“The class is really difficult but it’s also really entertaining,” said Melina Sotro, junior.

“We’ve already gone on a field trip and we go outside a lot. It’s awesome.”

“I try to add variety on a regular basis. It’s hard, especially in an AP class when I know that I have to get through a certain amount of materials so that people are best prepared for the exam,” Sammler said.

“He’s really funny,” Weisberg said, “I think humor is really important for a teacher to have.”

Whether or not students enjoy science, many students would argue that Sammler is one of the funniest and most engaging teachers they’ve ever had.

Sammler tries to create an

atmosphere in his classroom that is full of positive energy and kids feel comfortable asking questions and participating in discussions throughout the hour.

“I would recommend [APES] because it’s really relevant. Even if you’ve never really been a science person, this is the science class to take,” Weisberg said.

“I try to make it seem like stuff that’s not interesting is actually interesting, or funny, or relatable,” Sammler said, “I think the most rewarding part is seeing people get really interested in stuff.”

Years of teaching at HHS: 7

Favorite scientific phrase: Charismatic Megafauna - Glamorous or flitzy animal that gets lots of attention Photo by Cydney Froehlich

RP Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012

feature 11

the

New Jewish Student Union meeting Mondays

By Maggie Abel Staff Reporter As students wandered into W208, the first thing they noticed was the fragrant smell of the freshly baked kosher pizzas that sat at the front of the room.

The second thing they noticed were all of the familiar faces of fellow students sitting at desks, already munching on the hot and steamy pizza.

After some small talk, Tzvi Kupfer, Minneapolis Chapter Director at Midwest NCSY, introduced himself and the new club that brought all these students together. It was the first meeting of the Jewish Student Union ( JSU) at HHS. Lily Goldfarb, junior, started JSU after going on a JSU-or-

ganized trip to Israel over the summer.

“There are many, many, many Jewish youth groups around Minneapolis, but there isn’t one that you can just come to and hang out and be Jewish,” Goldfarb said.

The first order of business for the new club was to set some guidelines. Kupfer started off with a simple question.

What did the students want to get out of this group?

He offered three options: spend each meeting doing fun games and activities, spend each meeting having thoughtprovoking discussions, or a little bit of both.

With a unanimous vote, the group chose a little bit of both.

“My goal for JSU is to run

fun, informative and engaging Jewish related programming for HHS teens,” Kupfer said.

It was Kol Nidre, the night before Yom Kippur, so the group watched a short clip about the High Holiday.

The video gave a brief description of how the holiday was started, but Kupfer let the students fill in the gaps. Everyone had something to add.

Kupfer then asked the group to describe a Sukkah. They came up with this definition: a little outdoor hut with at lea-st 3 walls and a see-through roof to see the stars.

People often eat or sleep in their Sukkahs during Sukkot, or the harvest festival. The historical context has to do with the Jews wandering in the desert af-

ter their exile from Egypt. Kupfer then challenged to group to make a Sukkah out of candy.

The group broke into teams and used graham crackers, Mike and Ikes, cookies, M&Ms, chocolate frosting, and marshmallow fluff to make their own mini Sukkahs. Kupfer then went around taking pictures of each group and judging to pick a winner.

All over the U.S. and Canada, schools have their own JSU clubs. Public schools use it as a way to teach about Jewish culture and religion, but many colleges and universities also have a form of the club. The official JSU mission is “Do something Jewish-that’s it!”

Kupfer made sure to make it clear that JSU is open to any-

one, no matter their religion.

Of course, Judaism is the focus of the group, but everyone is encouraged to come and learn something new about a different religion.

“JSU is a fun way to connect with other people through Judaism, whether you're Jewish or any other religion. It's fun to have non-Jewish people to participate in learning about our religion,” said Maddie Ansel, sophomore.

“It’s a very no-pressure group. You can be whatever kind of Jewish you want to be,” Goldfarb said.

“There are many Jewish teens at HHS and the JSU club offers them the opportunity to connect with each other, learn something about their heritage,

and, of course, enjoy some kosher pizza,” Kupfer said.

JSU can also be a place for students to find support for discrimination they’ve experienced.

With the large population of Jewish students at HHS, antiSemitism is a rare occurrence.

Other schools are not so lucky.

“That stuff [anti-Semitism] doesn’t happen at Hopkins, but it’s bad at schools like Wayzata and Armstrong,” said Annie Freeman, junior.

Ansel says more people stereotype Jews than discriminate against them.

“It seems that as the world becomes more modern and informed, teens are taught to be more open minded, non judgmental and accepting of all types of people,” Kupfer said.

Deeply Royal is back and busting out new moves

With a new coach, new dancers, and a new vibe, Deeply Royal has kicked off

By Joel Ratner Opinion Editor Deeply Royal had dancers and routines prepared, but was not allowed to dance at the HHS pep-rally.

Without a coach or supervisor, Deeply Royal was not an HHS organization.

“We [the kids] had to go through the process of finding a new coach and a good place to practice,” said Tierra Tart, junior, and Co-Captain of Deeply Royal.

Tart never thought her team would have this issue. Every year Deeply Royal has had a coach at the beginning of the year.

After a long and hard search, Deeply Royal now has a new coach named Nico Moore. “We will make art that will motivate other people,” Moore said.

Moore is a very enthusiastic and experienced dancer and will have Deeply Royal up and running again.

Deeply Royal is a hip-hop dance squad, open to girls and boys.

They perform for many events during the year, including football and basketball games, and shows and concerts.

Deeply Royal Tryouts were

on Tuesday, October 23 in the east gym at 3:15 pm.

Everyone who tried out will make the team. “We’re open to all types of people. Anyone can come and try out.

It’s really great and we’re going to have a new, better, approach to it this year,” Tart said.

“We want a different style of dancing this year,” said Simone Roberson, junior, and Co-Captain of Deeply Royal.

Deeply Royal is looking for not only hip-hop dancers, but dancers with different and unique style, as well.

This year, Deeply Royal will have a Varsity and JV team. The JV dancers will have to develop and grow to make a stronger varsity squad for the years to come.

Deeply Royal has been an organization at HHS for over ten years. Deeply Royal helps students stay active and healthy.

“We want this to be a family. We will even help each other with homework,” Tart said.

Deeply Royal will consist of a tight knit group practicing three times a week.

The next HHS pep-fest will surely include the Deeply Royal squad, revived and ready to dance.

Top: Auditions for the 2012-13 Deeply Royal team. Some students tried out in groups while others, such as this student, performed individually.

Bottom: Students dancing during the Deeply Royal auditions. They were taught a routine to audition with and there was time to freestyle.

Photos by Brit Stein

Photos by Brit Stein

12 feature RP Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 Students prepare for production of ‘Into the Woods’ the

By Joe Greene Business Manager When Dolan Cassidy, junior, and the rest of the cast of “Into the Woods” step into rehearsal each day, they are told to take off the mask they wear at school.

“We are told to let go of something that happened to us today because it won’t do us any good in rehearsal,” Cassidy said.

Mr. David Williams, Language Arts teacher and director believes it is important to refocus the kids’ energy from the school day and drop the character they play all day - the student.

“Kids come out of their shell a little bit. They need to learn to play a character in rehearsal,” said Mr. Williams.

This year’s selection makes these activities all the more important. ‘Into the woods’ is a hit Broadway musical written by award winning Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and it’s a complex work.

The plot takes characters from different Grimm’s Fairy Tales and fuses them into one story.

A veteran of the HHS theatre program, Jon Zierden, senior, finds it helpful to go through the calming warmup. “It’s easier to get into your character from yourself, rather than who you are at school. It’s easier to become your character once you ‘take off that mask’ and you’re back to your own identity,” Zierden said.

The characters venture “into the woods” to pursue their fondest wishes, confront their deepest fears and understand their ultimate purpose.

Williams wants audiences to experience the complexity behind the story of “Into the Woods.” “We’re seeing these fairytale characters more deeply.

The second act goes beyond what we all know as the surface - a little bit deeper. It takes the characters and puts them into complex situations where they learn that their decisions affect other people,” Williams said.

According to Cassidy, the play is rather demented, but in a good way. “It’s an awesome twist on fairy tales,” Cassidy said.

Anna Crandall, senior, another veteran to the HHS theatre program, immediately recognized that “Into The Woods” has a very challenging set of musical compositions that demand a lot of outside work.

“The music is complicated and intertwines the same way the story does. The singing is very difficult for me, especially since I’ve had no vocal training before. But, I am very lucky to have the opportunity for this singing part,” Crandall said.

“We have to match our melodies in the songs with the personality of our characters,” Cassidy said.

“Musically, ‘Into the Woods’ is a complex show,” said Mr. Phillip Brown, choir direc-

tor and the show’s musical director. “There has to be a lot of work into this show to make sure the compositions are coordinated, and that the singing is coordinated with the orchestra,” Brown said.

Because the show’s music is so demanding, Brown wants to make sure that the cast has enough stamina to keep up with the demanding vocal arrangements in “Into the Woods.”

Both Brown and Williams make sure their cast exercises both during and outside of rehearsal.

Brown believes that performers need to build up their stamina in order to perform well. “Somebody can’t just walk into a marathon without preparing,” Brown said.

Some new faces have come out for the first time to perform in this fall production, among them Cassidy and freshman, Brennen Ohlemann.

“This is my first time trying out for anything at the high school. I was happy to be chosen to be with all these talented singers and actors,” Ohlemann said.

For Cassidy, this first time theater experience is about being part of a community.

“Theater is awesome because it connects you with other cast members and you bond with them – like being on a sports team or in a family,” Cassidy said. “It’s hard work but I know I’m going to want to do it again, and again, and again.”

Top: Mr. Phillip

Brown, choir director and the show’s musical director, works with students on vocals for “Into the Woods”.

Bottom: Mr. David Williams, Language Arts teacher and director, leads students in an acting activity to prepare for the upcoming play and get to know each other.

The cast of “Into the Woods” hopes HHS audiences will relish this twisted and thought provoking fairytale journey.

Maureen O’Malley, senior, sees “Into The Woods” as appealing not only to children, but also to adults and high school stu-

Preparing for water safety

dents. “The show is particularly cool because it is like a grownup fairytale,” O’Malley said.

“The story will show the audience that sometimes you wish for something, but you don’t get what you want.” Williams said. “Some of the most famous

Ms. Chris ro Che ya ck Whritenour’s lp ou a lifeguarding class ge t

By Gannon Youakim Staff Reporter

Photo by Gannon Youakim

Photos by Joe Greene

fairytales are famous for making it seem like this isn’t true.”

Zierden believes that audiences will be pleasantly surprised that the production is not just a retelling of familiar fairytales. “It’s a little bit dark and adult-like,” Zierden said.

Ben Paterson, sophomore, and fellow students haul the victim out of the water. She has suffered a spinal injury, and will need medical attention. As soon-to-be lifeguards it is their job to make sure she gets out of the water safe as possible.

This scenario is one of many that HHS students taking the Lifeguarding class act out. The girl being taken away is not an actual spinal

injury victim, but plays one out to help the others practice.

“Saving someone who could potentially have a spinal injury is one of the most difficult [scenarios],” said Paterson. “If they’re submerged, you have to swim down and use their arms as a splint while waiting for someone to get you a tube.”

Students who take this class get certified in many things.

Ms. Whritenour, who teaches the class, has had multiple student go on to be lifeguards after the class.

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sports 13 RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012 Looking back on past Lake Conference success

Sam Bloomfield & Sam Parker Sports Editor & Staff Reporter Mr. Dan Johnson, athletic director, never gets a day off.

“There’s never a game where you say ‘Oh, I think we got this one.’ It’s just ultra competitive,” Johnson said.

The Lake Conference, re-formed in 2010, has proven itself as a top conference in the state of Minnesota.

In the 2010-2011 season, boys varsity basketball took on conference rival Eden Prairie in a highly anticipated rivalry for the Boys Basketball State Championship.

With the help of Zach Stahl, who played through a leg injury, and Joe Coleman’s 22 point effort, the Royals were crowned State Champions, capping off their incredible three-peat.

These are the kinds of stories that come out of the Lake Conference. Intense, competitive battles against some of the best athletic programs in the state.

“When we were in the Classic Lake, we were playing with some of the best teams,” said Mr. Ken Novak, Social Studies. “I think this is still the case right now.”

The five teams in the Lake Conference have compiled 346 State Championships throughout their histories. Despite the intensity of the conference, the Royals have managed to hold their own. HHS has 50 state championships, including six since joining the Lake Conference in 2010.

The Lake Conference has become a perennial powerhouse, and after a long history, the Conference is excelling once again.

“You never have a day off when you are playing a Lake Conference opponent,” said Mr. Jaime Sherwood, Wayzata athletic director.

Founded in 1993, the Classic Lake Conference was a division of the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburban schools. The original member schools included HHS, Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, Wayzata High School, Edina High School, Minnetonka High School, Richfield High School, St. Louis Park High School, and Robbinsdale Cooper High School.

Richfield dropped out in 1999. St. Louis Park and Robbinsdale Cooper followed suit in 2005.

After that, the Classic Lake Conference was disbanded, leaving five high schools looking for a new conference.

“We all applied to the Minnesota State High School League [MSHSL] for placement for the 2010-2011 school year, primarily to the Northwest Suburban Conference and the Lake Conference, thinking that two of us would go to the Northwest Suburban Conference and two of us would go to the Lake Conference,” Johnson said.

Armstrong, the school with the smallest student enrollment in the Classic Lake Conference, was accepted into the Northwest Suburban Conference. This left the other four Classic Lake schools with the choice of being placed in either the Northwest Suburban Conference or the Lake Conference.

However, the Lake Conference endured a mass exodus, leaving Eden Prairie alone, with a minimum of four spots necessary in order to fill the Conference.

“As it evolved, we were all placed in the Lake

Photo by Cydney Froehlich Sam Swenson, sophomore, sets the ball for Nora Reed, senior. Hopkins beat conference rival Edina in the second round of sections, showcasing one of the many marquee matchups in the Lake Conference.

Conference,” Johnson said. “Essentially, Armstrong moved out, and we moved in with Eden Prairie.”

“This decision was data driven and made in a very collaborative spirit with all schools,” said Dr. John Schultz, Superintendent.

Since the start of the 2010-2011 season, the Lake Conference has been going strong, known as a premier Conference in the state.

“There’s no doubt that it’s a very high quality product that is on the field or the ice or the court,” Johnson said.

Out of the combined 346 State championships these teams have won, 41 of them have come since the 2010-2011 transition into the new Lake Conference.

Currently, members of the Lake Conference compete in 27 interscholastic sports, and many sports have fallen prisoner to the dominance of the conference, football in particular.

Led by powerhouses Eden Prairie and Wayzata, the Lake Conference has posed as a dominating threat in the MSHSL. In addition, Hopkins, Edina, and Minnetonka have put a significant amount of work into their football programs, and have begun to elevate their games to dominant levels.

“They [Lake Conference] are clearly the best football conference in the state, no questions asked,” said John Millea, MSHSL media specialist.

This year in particular has been a shocking one for the Lake Conference. With HHS’s 4-0 start, as well as Edina’s shocking victories over Wayzata and Eden Prairie, this season has been no different than any other, exciting players, fans, and even reporters.

“When that last game of the regular season comes, with two teams from the Lake Conference, and the crowds are big. It is so much fun, its like watching college football out there,” Millea said.

Throughout the years, the Royals have had a solid football program, showcasing wide receiver Andre McDonald and trademark wins like the August 25 victory against Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas. Still, they are at a disadvantage because of the ruthless competition that they have

to face near the end of the season.

Although the Lake Conference excels in football, there is some dispute as to whether the Lake Conference is by far the best in other sports, like basketball. However, the Royals have built a superior program in the state.

The basketball team has been successful, winning eight state championships, including their recent three-peat spanning from 2009-2011. The royals have produced many superstars, such as Kris Humphries, Blake Hoffarber, and Royce White, not to mention Siyani Chambers, Joe Coleman, and Marvin Singleton since 2010.

Girls basketball has proved to hold their own as well, winning four state championships in the past nine years, looking to follow the trend of the boys by completing their own three-peat this season.

“Hopkins has been so good for so long, they are clearly top of the pile in boys and girls basketball,” Millea said.

Hopkins and the rest of the Lake Conference has proved invincible, dominating the MSHSL in most sports, including nordic skiing, track and field, and tennis. Although the benefits of having a small Conference proves rewarding, there is one major complication. That complication is scheduling.

With only five teams in the Conference, Hopkins has a tough time filling their schedules each and every year to give themselves competitive and fair matchups, in comparison to the Northwest Suburban Conference, who has 11 teams.

“A group of five teams is easy to manage,” Johnson said. “The hard thing to do is manage all of the schedules.”

This has led to more scheduling of out of state games, which happened twice this year in order for the Royals football team to fill their schedule.

Minnetonka also traveled to Wisconsin this year, and a few years ago, Eden Prairie went all the way to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Regardless, the coalition of these five schools has created an athletic powerhouse that has proven difficult to compete with. The competition is tough, the atmosphere is intense, and regardless of the sport, the score, or the implications, it is sure to be a game to remember.

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Sophomore leads HHS tennis to success Alex Felemovicius Staff Reporter After living about half of her life in a different country, Ida Ramic, sophomore, has worked hard to adapt and place herself at the top of the HHS varsity girls tennis team.

Ramic came from Bosnia in the last quarter of seventh grade, and within her first full year at Hopkins, she managed to make the varsity girls tennis team. While in Minnesota, Ramic has had many accomplishments including her All-Conference Award in 2011-2012, winning several matches throughout her seasons, and her spotlight scholarship certificates. Because of this, Ramic has found her way to the top of the lineup for the team, playing number one singles.

Ramic’s dreams and passion for the sport began at the early age of seven, when she was still playing in Bosnia.

“In Bosnia, tennis was a little different than it is here. There, school tennis did not exist so I just played in little clubs and had some tournaments on the side during my leisure time,” Ramic said.

“Also, it was not based on skill level, but on age, which made it much less competitive for me than it is here in the U.S.” Even though some of the aspects of tennis in Bosnia were different, Ida’s talent transferred.

However, there was still room for improvement.

“When I played in Bosnia, I was at the top of my club, but that feeling was much different than it is at the top here at HHS,” Ramic said. “When I got here, I was still confident with my talent but I improved great amounts, which has brought me to where I am today,” Ramic said.

Ramic has done many things to get to where she is today. Her teammates greatly appreciate her hard work and admire her as an athlete both on and off the court.

“She’s really dedicated to the sport and always works really hard. A lot of her hard work comes in during the offseason, and she’s always doing everything that she can to get better,” said Shelby Benkofske, junior.

Ramic does many tennis related activities outside the HHS team. During the offseason, Ramic participates in USTA tournaments and at

Fred Wells. Even during the season, Ramic sometimes practices at Baseline Tennis Center at the University of Minnesota.

Last winter, she played about four hours daily.

All of her work done at these tournaments helps her improve and greatly shows her dedication to the sport, according to her teammates.

“What truly makes Ida stand out on the team is that on many days, after our tennis practice, Ida will just go to another tennis practice. Also, she never gets lazy. She will always go for the ball,” said Nicole Zelickson, senior.

Ramic said that playing in the USTA tournaments helps with her mental game.

“Playing in these offseason tournaments really helps me with my matches and mostly my mental game and mindset. It helps me overcome bad matches and just overall, get better,” Ramic said.

Every athlete has their good and bad days, but Ramic tries to embrace those bad days and turn them into learning experiences.

“Whenever I have a bad match, I always write down what I did wrong, and try to improve it for the next match so I don’t make the same mistake,” Ramic said.

These efforts are also realized by her teammates. Her talent and mind set rub off on the entire team. This year, the team as a whole has won 11 games and lost five. Ida has perfectly matched up with that record winning 11 and losing five matches herself.

“Ida works really hard and whenever she is in the match, she just pumps herself up so that if she messes up it doesn’t get to her. It’s what makes her so talented,” Benkofske said.

“When I play with Ida, she makes me play better just because she is so good. She challenges me and helps me improve,” Zelickson said.

The coach Todd Roudabush, science, also sees Idas efforts to help the team succeed.

“Ida is dedicated to the sport of tennis and the team sees how hard she works at it. That level of commitment and the success it has brought her has rubbed off on the team. Ida also brings a level of competitiveness at practice and at matches that is contagious,” Roudabush said.

Throughout these next couple years, Ida will no longer be looked at as the younger girl with

little experience, rather she will be looked at as the exact opposite, explains Roudabush.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Ida emerge as a leader on the team. For so long, she has been the young player, and now she will be looked at as the player with tremendous experience. I look forward to watching her teach younger players on

the team how to compete and be a part of the team,” Roudabush said.

Having been on varsity for three years now, Ramic wishes to keep improving and hopefully one day make it to state.

“I am determined,” Ramic said. “I am determined to be the best athlete I can be.”

or ankles of athletes who run frequently, making Hall’s fracture in her femur unusual.

No surgery is necessary at this point, but the fracture has sidelined her for the rest of the season.

“I was told not to do anything with impact, so running was out of the picture,” Hall said.

Hall has been doing physical therapy ever since her diagnosis.

“I do a lot of different strengthening workouts to take stress off my leg,” Hall said. “ Aqua-jogging, biking, core work, and basic exercises all help.

Then there’s the specialized exercises done by my physical therapist.”

Physical therapy can be a long, time-consuming process. An injury to an athlete’s body is the same as a mechanical component breaking. All in-

juries, no matter the severity, require some sort of rehabilitation before future play, just as a machine needs to be repaired before functioning again.

“Nobody knows exactly when I’m going to be back. Six to eight weeks is an estimate, but there is no way to tell until the pain is gone,” Hall said.

Besides the physical pain taking a toll on her body, Hall also has to deal with the mental toll of not being able to participate.

“It is really hard sitting out and watching your teammates compete,” Hall said. “Especially when one is your sister, who also is doing very well.”

Hall’s sister Isabel, sophomore, also runs varsity cross country with Anna.

“It’s hard not having her at practice and not running with her, it is definitely less fun,” Isabel

said. “She’s always cheering me on at meets and practices which makes it better.”

Anna also competes in nordic skiing and track and field. It is not known if she will be able to compete in either.

“I don’t know if my injury will have an impact on my other sports, my main fear is that it will happen again,” Anna said.

Athletes may help prevent a recurrence of stress fractures by finding comfortable shoes, and purchasing orthopedic sole inserts to help remove stress. Anna and all of her teammates hope that she will return to full strength in time to compete in the seasons to come.

“If I continue my therapy, and continue to stay positive and motivated, I will return,” Anna said.

Photo by Cydney Froehlich Ida Ramic, sophomore, prepares to hit a backhand. Ramic was a solid force for the girls tennis team this year.

Hall sidelined by injury, hoping to make recovery Sam Hromatka Staff Reporter

The human body is as complex as a modern machine. Alter one component, and the machine will not run the same. Varsity cross country runner Anna Hall, sophomore, knows this well.

Hall suffered an early season injury, not knowing what it was right away.

“After my second meet, I noticed pain in my thigh,” Hall said. “I went to an orthopedic specialist, who thought it was a hip thing. An MRI was done, and a fairly large stress fracture was found on my femur.”

Stress fractures are small, incomplete fractures that can occur from unusual or repeated movements. They commonly appear in the feet

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RPThursday, Nov. 1, 2012

Hinck and Caskey show versatility in multiple sports Eli Badower Sports Editor At HHS last year, 233 athletes, freshmen to seniors, played multiple sports. Adam Caskey, senior, and Maddy Hinck, senior, were two of those athletes.

Caskey plays both basketball and football, and

has to make a tricky transition between the two.

Due to the strength of the basketball program at HHS, not many basketball players participate in other sports. Caskey is the only basketball player, JV or varsity, to play basketball all season and another school sport last year.

“It gives me a little bit of a disadvantage, be-

Photo by Cydney Froehlich Adam Caskey, senior, breaks a tackle against Edina. Caskey is one of the leading receivers for the Royals this year.

Spotlight Athlete

The month in review @ Volleyball 10/9/12 After they lost their first matchup three sets to one earlier in the season, the Royals beat Eden Prairie in a key conference game in four sets. Winning 25-16, 25-27, 25-15, and 25-18, HHS finished second in the Lake Conference.

@ Boys soccer 10/11/12 HHS lost 2-0 in the first round of section play against Wayzata, ending an up and down season with a record of 6-10-1.

Name: Terrance Bowers Grade: 11 Sport: Football Athletic Idol: Percy Harvin Favorite Memory: “My game winning touchdown against Minnetonka in the last game of the regular season.”

@ Girls soccer 10/16/12 HHS stunned conference rival Minnetonka in the section semifinals, winning in a shootout after being tied 1-1 in regulation. The Royals advanced to the section final against Wayzata for the second year in a row, losing 7-1, ending a solid season at 10-5.

@ Football 10/17/12 HHS knocked off conference foe Minnetonka in dramatic fashion, winning 36-34 in the final seconds. Quarterback JT DenHartog, senior, compiled four total touchdowns and over 450 yards of total offense. Receiver Terrance Bowers, junior, caught nine passes from Denhartog for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns, including the game winner.

cause I can’t go to open gym after football practice”, Caskey said. “I sometimes try to go to open gym but I’m too exhausted after football to do much.”

According to Caskey, his performance in basketball is not as strong towards the beginning of the season as it is towards the end of the season.

“Basketball is a lot more fast paced, and since its right after football it takes some time to get back into the rhythm of playing again,” Caskey said. “I work really hard to eventually get all my basketball skill back.”

While Caskey can be overwhelmed by playing two sports, he does not regret playing two of the highest profile sports at HHS. “It gives me more options for college in case I struggle with either basketball or football,” Caskey said, “but even excluding that, I just like to stay active and stay in good shape.”

The transition between the two can be difficult. The earliest possible ending for football season is on October 26th, while the first regular season game for basketball is on December 7th.

“The hardest part is transitioning mentally,” Caskey said. “With memorizing all the plays and the style of play in football to playing basketball, sometimes you forget things.”

Caskey misses out on many things in the offseason for both sports. The football team works out in the weight room together in the offseason,

while the basketball team starts to go to open gym during the football season.

“While the rest of the team is getting stronger, I’m getting better at basketball,” Caskey said.

Hinck is the captain of the cross country, nordic skiing, and track and field teams. While the philosophy behind all three sports is somewhat similar, Hinck’s approach to each sport is very different.

“Each team has a very different team dynamic,” Hinck said. “Since I’ve been on all the teams for a while, I know what to expect and try to be a good leader.”

While playing multiple sports may hurt Caskey’s performance in both sports, it actually helps Hinck’s. Her running training builds a good base for skiing.

“When I was younger I used Nordic as my ‘slacker’ sport because I wasn’t as good at it,” Hinck said. “The slacking hurt my track season, so now I try hard in each sport and I think it helps a lot.”

Hinck has used her past experiences to create a routine that helps her keep her body fresh for each sport. After each season, she takes a week off to rest her body. This week off really helps Hinck perform at a higher level in the long run.

“After a nice week off, I’m always ready to go back to training,” Hinck said. “Since I get tired of competing after each season, it’s definitely essential to take a short break.”

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Hanson transforms with makeup A unique hobby Hanson hopes to pursue as a career Rachel Alter Feature Editor As Alexandra Hanson, senior, peeled her eyes open to turn off her alarm for school, she stared at her clock displaying the glowing numbers 3:45 a.m.

She rolled out of bed, grabbed her blue body paint, and began the transformation process from a teenager to an Avatar before heading off to school.

“The types of reactions I receive from others [at school] range from being frightened, shocked, excited, or even blown away. My favorite reactions are from the people who know the character or thing I have dressed up as and are excited about how I’ve made it come to life. The compliments I receive really mean a lot to me, and I really love it when people ask to take a picture of or with me because it’s really nice to know that people like my costumes enough to want to have documentation of it,” Hanson said.

Hanson’s love of Halloween began at a young age,

and has continued to grow and develop into a desire to practice makeup artistry.

“When I was in elementary school my mom would pick me up early every Halloween in order to do my hair and makeup for Halloween before trick-ortreating. When I was in junior high school, I started to do my own makeup for Halloween, and everything just took off from there,” Hanson said.

Boyfriend of four years, Will Phelps, senior, is confident Hanson can make a career out of her hobby. “You can’t learn this type of unique talent. She’s one of the few who can do it,” said Phelps.

Hanson hopes to take her talents to Cinema Makeup School in Los Angeles to become a Cinema Makeup Artist and work on the sets of television shows and movies.

However, Hanson does not wait around for an opportunity to practice her talents.

“For the Halloween Depot concert last year, everyone in my band dressed up as a different

classic Halloween character. Alexandra took about two hours to do each person’s makeup, amounting to around six hours.

It was worth the time it took because we all looked like the actual characters when she was done,” said Billy Lewis, senior.

“Before I do makeup on myself or anyone else, I have to plan out what I’ll be doing on all of the different parts of the face.

Sometimes I also have to practice it or draw it out on a face chart. Then I need to make sure that I have all of the proper and clean tools I need, and select or buy the makeup that I need to do the job,” Hanson said.

This past Halloween, Hanson dressed up as Emily from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.

Originally, she wanted to go out with a bang on her last Halloween at HHS, but later decided to go with a costume that is more meaningful to her than showy.

She assembled a large and intricate dress and wore blue makeup for the third time.

“I’ve always wanted to be

Emily because she is a tragically beautiful character that suffers so much loss, even her life, but stays strong and does what is morally right to her through it all. I really connected with her so it felt like a good last high school costume choice for me,” Hanson said.

Although Hanson is supported by many of her friends and family members, there are others who are not as appreciative of her work.

“I get a little nervous when I first walk in because I don’t know how people will react, I wonder if people are judging and/or criticizing my artistic ability, and I usually have never worn the costume before so I’m hoping that it will go smoothly and everything will stay in place,” Hanson said.

“I’ve heard a few rude comments before from people making fun of my work, but it doesn’t bother me too much because I’m really passionate and confident about what I do.”

1. Hanson’s Avatar makeup, Halloween 2011. Photo by Lisa Persson 2. Día de los Muertos costume and makeup on Hanson. Photo by S. Rain Lawrence 3. Hanson ready to pounce in her Avatar costume. Photo by Jill Hyland Photography 4. Hanson’s candy themed creation on Hannah Vaughn, senior. Photo by Alexandra Hanson 5. Billy Lewis, senior (left), and Hanson (right), strike a pose decked out as zombies. Photo by Lisa Persson 6. Will Phelps, senior, dressed as Jack Skellington from the Disney film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Photo by Alexandra Hanson 7. Hanson as a zombie, Halloween 2009. Photo by Julie E. Photography 8. Vanessa Leyva, senior, in Gothic makeup and costume. Photo by Alexandra Hanson

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