The Royal Page Print Edition: Volume 36 Issue 3

HOPKINS HIGH SCHOOL 2400 LINDBERGH DRIVE MINNETONKA, MN 55305

NOVEMBER 30, 2017 VOLUME 36, ISSUE 3 hopkinsrp.org

RP. the royal page

The hidden world of finstas With increased judgement and pressure on social media, HHS students are turning to the creation of a second account. page 4 Seven Royals sign in first National Signing Day Seven members of the class of 2018 have committed to continuing their academic and athletic journeys at colleges around the country. page 10

INSIDE NEWS 2 FEATURE 4 IN-DEPTH 6 OPINION 8 SPORTS 10 BACKPAGE 12

Rebuilding Feminism

From politics to the STEM field, women across the nation face the everyday struggle of underrepresentation and unequal standards.

Breaking their silence, female pioneers throughout the community are shattering the glass ceiling… and expectations.

IN-DEPTH, PAGE 6-7 photo: Adam Segal

Student entrepreneurs vie for funding in Hopkins Shark Tank Paul Zeitz Staff Reporter

I

n the past few weeks, packets have shown up throughout the school advertising the first annual business competition called Hopkins Shark Tank.

This competition is based off the popular television show "Shark Tank." Student entrepreneurs can bring forward their business ideas to a team of business moguls, attempting to persuade them into investing in their company.

However, HHS' version will put a slight twist on the show’s premise. Of all students that enter into the competition, the top 12 ideas will move on to the presentation stage. In this stage,

these 12 hopefuls will try to persuade a team of judges.

The judge’s six favorite business ideas will move on to a follow-up judging round in front of an entirely new team of judges, who will then decide three finalists. While the final round’s details have not been released, the top business idea will receive the grand prize of $1,000.

This research and development prize has enticed many entrepreneurial students, including Max Arneson, senior.

Arneson hopes to woo over the judges with his “Healthy Living Doorknob Cover” idea.

“This product protects against all germs and pathogens, because doorknobs are one of

the most germ covered household items,” Arneson said.

With this innovative product, Arneson wishes to appeal to the universal usefulness and need for his product. If he is able to persuade the judges he plans to put the money into the research and development of his product.

However, Arneson has competition from business partners Alex Jono and Connor Sedoff, seniors. The two hope to impress the judges with their idea for an app that will revolutionize the way college roommates are selected.

“We found that many kids struggle to find, as well as struggle with, roommates that colleges place them with,” Jono said.

Their app aims to ease the already troublesome process of leaving home and going to college.

“Facebook is the number one thing kids have turned to, to find roommates and it’s tough to build a relationship and gage someone's personally only off that,” Sedoff said.

These two entrepreneurial ideas will join countless other hopefuls in this competition, with the large prize incentivizing fierce competition.

“I think this is a really good opportunity for the whole school, I hope to see this competition continue into the future,” Jono said. infographic: Michael Korsh

the royal page

November 30, 2017

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02 news

I think it makes sense to have the trashes split up if people did put their trash in the right spot.

Lia Harel, junior

Hopkins’ faculty add pop of color to the community

artwork by Denise Swanson artwork by Christian Blanck

artwork by Jennifer Silus

artwork by Nate Higbee and Denise Swanson

Ellie Fishman and Navit Nachmias Staff Reporter and Copy Editor

W

hile some teachers are very involved in the subjects in which they teach at school, other teachers are immersed in their subjects outside of school doors.

Mr. Christian Blanck, art, is an example of using his teaching outside of school. This fall will be his second year participating in the Hopkins Faculty Art Show.

Every two years, for the past 20 years, the Hopkins School District has been putting on a faculty art show at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Staff

members across the district create artwork to be displayed for the general public.

“It’s nice to show that the art faculty are artists too and not just teachers. We care about our content outside of just teaching it,” Blanck said. “We make art and it’s nice to share that with our community.”

Blanck’s artwork usually consists of teacher-led examples, such as functional tea pots.

“It is nice that the Hopkins Center for the Arts also has space for faculty every few years.

It’s a great collaboration, it is nice that there is this partner-

artwork by Christian Blanck

ship between Hopkins and the wider community,” said Ms. Denise Swanson, art.

The art show consists of art from current art teachers, retired art teachers, and other faculty.

The various artwork includes drawings, paintings, photography, tapestry, and more.

The faculty artwork can be viewed with two-dimensional and three-dimensional displays.

Swanson was involved in making all of the advertisements and design work for the

show. She also created an interactive chalkboard for the public to be creative and make their own mark.

“I created a chalkboard thing so that it [would be] interactive.

I mean, it’s art teachers’ and the school district’s show,” Swanson said. “I wanted to fill up some wall space that has quotes all around it about creativity and being brave, and so that people could actually leave their own mark on the show.”

The Hopkins School Dis-

Eco-friendly or e-confusion?

photos by Ellie Fishman and Navit Nachmias

trict is one of the few districts to host a faculty art show to this caliber.

“They do the artshow because it shows that we are professionals as well as teachers. It gives our students the chance to

see our work as professionals as well,” Swanson said.

The art show will be displayed from Nov. 2 through Dec. 3. Exhibitions are free and open to the public during gallery hours.

A variety of waste disposal methods at HHS may not lead to better recycling

Ati Hernke Staff Reporter

A

t HHS, many students are not aware of the different bins in which they throw their trash away, making it impossible for the school to have an organized system of disposing trash, compost and recycling materials.

To some students, the idea that HHS is not as environmentally conscious as possible is troubling.

“When people find out I’m in Earth Club, they say, ‘Do you know [about] the recycling?

Have you talked about it?’ So it’s definitely something I’ve heard people want to do. It’s just the people who don’t recycle we need to focus our attention on,”

infographic by Ati Hernke

said Earth Club president Lia Harel, junior.

While HHS’ system of sorting trash seems simple enough, with separate bins for trash, compost, and recycling, stu-

dents’ failure to effectively use it creates complications.

After students dispose of trash, it becomes impossible for the janitors to sort trash into the correct bins. Recently, the lunch

staff have expressed their annoyance with students throwing away plates and utensils, which does not help the situation.

Harel said that Earth Club has been working on a pilot pro-

gram to move recycling to classrooms working with a few select teachers. The program would be implemented in about 10 classrooms, in which sorted recycling bins would be available for students to use and Earth Club would transport recycling to a local facility.

“It’s really hard to change the whole student body’s mindset about recycling and composting...if teachers think it works really well and the students find it beneficial, then we will try it on a larger scale, and then hopefully it can change people’s minds about recycling and maybe we can fix the lunchroom situation,” Harel said.

Earth Club decided to start their idea on a smaller scale in

order to give the plan room to work efficiently before they bring it to classrooms. Harel said that Earth Club’s volunteerism in the program would help it to work more efficiently.

The Royal Page reached out to Patrick Poquette, supervisor of building grounds, and Mark Parsley, custodian and maintenance coordinator, but did not recieve responses. “[Earth Club] would have to transport the recycling because it would be a lot to ask of the janitors,” Harel said. “We haven’t worked out quite the details yet of how it is going to work out, but we are thinking at the end of the week on Fridays, we would bring it to a facility.”

“

the royal page

November 30, 2017

03 news

If you don’t have a ride anywhere, it’s quick and easy.

Ben Condon, sophomore

Students at HHS utilize the benefits of ride-sharing

Kaden Murphy Staff Reporter

T

hroughout the years, the different means of transportation have changed. While most people still commute using their own cars, there is a rapidly growing form of transportation: ride-sharing.

Uber was founded in 2009 and is currently worth over $70 billion while Lyft was founded in 2012 and is worth roughly $7 billion. Uber is the most used ridesharing app, with Lyft coming in second. Combined, they occupy about 70 percent of the ride-sharing market.

Lyft has over 100,000 drivers, while Uber has over 160,000. There are about 200,000 cab drivers nationally.

Ridesharing involves using a third party app to order a car to pick up the customer wherever they are and take them to their given destination. Most of the time, these vehicles are owned independently and the drivers are contracted with the company, who receives a percentage of the fare.

“I use Uber and Lyft a lot.

Since I don’t have my license yet, it’s an easy way for me to get rides without planning ahead of time,” said Ben Condon, sophomore.

photo by Adam Segal

Ari Segal, sophomore, plans his ride home using a ride-sharing app. In recent years, popular ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft have received more attention due to cheaper prices and increased convenience.

While this may sound like a taxi service, they do have their differences. With Uber and Lyft, the customer needs to call ahead to have the driver come at a specific time, unlike most taxi services. Also, taxis face many rules, requirements, and regulations, while Uber and Lyft face fewer regulations in general.

One of the convenient fea-

tures Uber offers is the rating system, in which a passenger can rate their driver on a scale from one to five stars. That driver’s average rating can be seen by any potential passengers.

Lyft has a feature which allows clients to make multiple stops in one trip. A customer could then order their Lyft, take it to pick someone else up, and

then proceed to their destination.

“I don’t use either app much anymore since all of my friends have their license, but I used it a lot last year,” said Asia Abedi, junior.

Abedi also mentioned that she still uses the app occasionally to get rides to and from parties.

Another benefit to Uber and Lyft is that, in order to get most places, it’s not very expensive if the car is ordered during the day. Prices tend go up at night due to higher demand and surge pricing.

Surge pricing can happen at any time, day or night. The service is turned on when there are not enough Uber drivers to

meet the demand of Uber riders.

People no longer need to scramble to find rides if they can’t get one themselves. All it takes is pressing a few buttons, and a ride is on its way.

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the royal page

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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feature

I use my finsta to kind of make my life and the people who follow it a more positive place.

Zach Greenwald, sophomore

the hidden world of With growing social pressures on Instagram, students at HHS and nationwide are creating a second account known as the “finsta.”

Ali Winter Staff Reporter

S

ince the launch of Instagram in 2010, over 800 million people from around the globe have become active users on the platform. Recently, these members have branched out from having just one profile, where they post more harmless pictures, to now owning a second account, full of more personal and authentic posts.

No one is quite certain where this trend began, but it is clear that it has spread like wildfire. This new development is called the “finsta,” and has become commonplace in many high schools and colleges across the country and even the world, including at HHS. According to a survey of 312 students, 85.3 percent of HHS students know someone who has a finsta, while 36 percent said they had one themselves.

To many students, having a finsta means having a safe space to express their inner thoughts

and feelings about a variety of subjects. Only 32.9 percent of HHS students felt that they could not post on their real Instagram account without fear of social consequences. To many, owning a finsta account can eliminate that fear. “[Finstas are] a nice little community where you can have fun and not have to be at your best angle and you can just do whatever you want on the finsta,” said Margo Mandel, sophomore.

This feeling of safety stems from the fact that finstas rely heavily on privacy— owners of these accounts turn on privacy settings so that they can choose who follows the account, which is usually a limited number of closer friends. However, this sense of security results in many users posting photos of drug use, sexual references, or other controversial content.

“I just post really funny pictures that I wouldn’t want to necessarily share with every single person that follows me on my main Instagram. These

66.7

are pictures or videos that my friends and I find funny, and they aren’t necessarily appropriate,” said a student who wishes to be anonymous.

Another popular trend

“

flaws, and making the conscious decision to love themselves.

“I do post some #BodyPosi posts, as it’s a personal account so I don’t feel uncomfortable being positive about my body and

crazy,” said Jimmy Murphy, sophomore.

One of the main advantages articulated by nearly every finsta user was that they felt as though it is a safe and accept-

The whole idea of a finsta being a fake Instagram is sort of funny to me because really it’s your real one. It’s where you are the most honest, and you’re the most open. On your public you sort of put out a fake persona.

James Gulden, junior

among finsta users is the #BodyPosi movement. Short for “body positive,” #BodyPosi posts typically consists of female finsta users posting more revealing photos of themselves that are often not appropriate for parents’ or non-close friends’ eyes. Participants’ intent is to feels empowered by accepting their bodies, along with their

kind of showing it off in a way that makes me feel good about it,” said Angela Perez, junior.

Those who follow accounts that post #BodyPosi pictures also appreciate the trend’s ability to empower others and promote confidence.

“I don’t think it’s bad. If you’re positive about your body and want to share it, then go

ing community. Many users at HHS said that they refrain from posting negative things about others or causing drama on their finstas. The reason for this is that people do not go on their finsta accounts to post about others or their lives; it’s more to tell about themselves and their own lives.

“I think I did post beef once

percent of students believe students can’t post freely on Instagram without fear of social consequences

finsta vocab finsta noun | /finsta/

36 percent of students own a finsta source:

Survey

tudents of 312 s

n Nov.

visory o

ay Ad g Mond

durin

13

A combination of the words fake & Insta(gram). When people have a finsta, they post pictures they only want their closest friends seeing instead of their regular Instagram followers to see.

rinsta

Short for “real Instagram.” Usually contains aesthetics, themes, and good noun | /rinsta/ quality photos. Known as the “official” Instagram of the user.

#BodyPosi adjective | ’badi’pasi

handle noun | ‘hændl sh

Screen

dent’s

a stu ots of

finsta

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or twice but then I deleted it because I thought that was not the purpose of my finsta and I don’t want it to be about bad things or things that aren’t very positive,” said Zach Greenwald, sophomore.

As popular as the finsta has become, there are still some who oppose the trend due to it being so secretive and exclusive. Sometimes it can come across poorly if someone blocks or unfollows someone, as with any other social media account. On a finsta however, it stings a bit more, as it’s saying that this person does not feel comfortable with the blocked person seeing their more personal posts.

“I always felt like if I was putting something into the public that people were gonna see. There’s not anything that I would want a certain audience to see versus the rest of the people that I let follow me in general,” said James Gulden, junior.

beef verb | ‘bif

A way many people post pictures of themselves showing off their body and not get judged for it because they’re promoting being comfortable in your skin.

One’s online alias or nickname. Many finsta handles are more provocative, humorous, or can be intentionally confusing to prevent easy access to the account by others.

To have a grudge or start conflict with another person. Many teenagers use finstas to discreetly start or engage in beef with others. source Urban Dictionary infographics Michael Korsh

the royal page

“ feature

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

I want to know what I want to do when I’m older and kind of have an idea.

05

feature

Abby Martin, senior

Students are ProPEL-ed into the real world Unique course allows students to prepare for the modern workforce Maya Kupritz and Julia Fromstein Feature Editor and Staff Reporter

A

special opportunity arises when students become a senior at HHS. Seniors are able to apply and interview for a class called Professionals Providing Experience for Life, otherwise known as ProPEL. ProPEL is a class designed to help further prepare and educate students in an area they want to study in college. Not only does it allow students to have hands on experience in their preferred career, but this class also teaches them interviewing skills, resume writing, and understanding of the professional area.

“I chose to be in ProPEL because I wanted to gain experience in the field which I’m going into: elementary education,” said Amanda Mathison, senior. “ProPEL will help me make sure that’s what I want to do before I go to college for four or five years, instead of deciding after

photo provided by Amanda Mathison ProPEL students rake leaves for community members as part of a service project. As part of the course, ProPEL students participate in about one service project per month.

college that maybe it wasn’t the right career for me.”

ProPEL is a full year class, with the first portion of the year spent perfecting resumes and interviewing at potential internships, and then the second portion at the internships.

After an internship has been set up, ProPEL students only

go to fourth block on Mondays, and the other four days are spent working outside of school in their field.

“I’m looking into something in the medical field,” said Abby Martin, senior. “I’m looking into interning at the Unitedhealth Group, but maybe in the end with nurses and nurse practitio-

ners.”

Guiding the seniors through the ProPEL curriculum are the two advisors Ms. Kirsten Slinde, Health & ProPEL Advisor, and Mr. Jesse Theirl, Business Education & ProPEL Advisor. The pair has been teaching this class since it first started in

the fall of 2008.

Slinde and Theirl teach the ProPEL students to apply their learning to bigger and broader contexts by having the opportunity to follow a mentor.

“We feel like [ProPEL] gives them an advantage not only after college, but during college as well,” Slinde and Theirl said. “Students are also often given the opportunity to have more experience in college as a direct result of their mentorship in ProPEL.” Ms. Shira Kohn, HHS alumna, took ProPEL in 2012.

She interned at Target headquarters in the clothing design department. Kohn majored in fashion design at Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated from SCAD in 2016.

She is now working in New York as a fashion designer.

“My mentorship in ProPEL helped reconfirm that fashion design was the career path I wanted,” Kohn said. “During my mentorship, I was able to meet with other designers who attended art school. I was able to interview them and figure out what to expect at an art and design college.”

Noa Parker, HHS alumna,

took ProPEL in 2014 and really benefitted from the program. Parker interned at Gehrman Animal Hospital.

Parker is majoring in zoology and pre-vet track at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign and will graduate at the end of May 2018.

“ProPEL gave me a lifelong mentor and role model.

I still talk to my mentor at least once a month and she has written me countless recommendation letters,” Parker said. “ProPEL taught me a lot about career skills at a young age that I could not have gained anywhere else.”

ProPEL students are currently interviewing and preparing for their internships.

They officially start their internships in January and will continue until the end of the year.

“I want to know what I want to do when I’m older and kind of have an idea,” Martin said. “I think it will help to work with professionals at a young age so I sort of have an idea of how the corporate world works.”

HHS Responds plans schoolwide Día de los Muertos celebrations Ayanna Maddox Staff Reporter

O

n Nov. 2, many students noticed a table with decorations right outside of the office.

This table was a decorated with piñatas, traditional Mexican foods, and posters. It was a display of the Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos.

Day of the Dead, or Día

de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday primarily celebrated throughout Mexico or by people of Hispanic heritage. The holiday is often compared to a family reunion, where the guests of honor are deceased relatives.

When traditionally celebrating Day of the Dead, the main centerpiece of the celebration is an altar or ofrenda. Altars are most commonly built in private homes and cemeteries and are

photo Maya Kupritz HHS Responds celebrated Día de los Muertos by setting up a stand in the mall allowing students to leave messages to the dead and pay tribute. It allowed Hispanic students to come together and share their heritage with the student body.

meant to welcome the spirits back to the realm of the living.

They are filled with offerings the deceased held dear during their life: family photos, favorite foods and drinks, knick knacks, water to quench thirst after a long journey, a candle for each dead relative, amongst other things.

This year, Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos was more prevalent throughout the halls,

in comparison to previous years.

With the help of HHS Responds, a group of students set up an altar in the mall to recognize Day of the Dead. Students were able to write the name of a loved one who passed or leave a note for them in a box at the table.

America Lara and Marlene Rodriguez, seniors, also gave a speech before school explaining the significance of the altar and

Day of the Dead.

Along with Day of the Dead, HHS Responds is working with students to bring recognition to National Hispanic Heritage Month.

In upcoming months, HHS Responds has plans to continue fishbowl discussions and celebrate Black History Month.

“HHS Responds is not a club that wants to lecture anybody about culture, instead we

want to appreciate and learn from each other’s differences and experiences,” said Ilham Nur, senior. “We have those hard conversations about race, gender, sexutiality, etc. We promote a positive social environment and we try our best to make sure that everyone feels safe and included.”

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

06

PROJECT TITLE

in-depth

REBUILDING FEMINISM From politics to the STEM field, women across the nation face the everyday struggle of underrepresentation and unequal standards. Breaking their silence, female pioneers throughout the community are shattering the glass ceiling… and expectations.

Hannah Goldfarb and Samantha Horowitz Managing Editor and News Editor

THE STEMINISTS Walking into HHS’ Anatomy and Physiology class, it may be hard to believe that the same course had been previously dominated by male students and educators.

For Olivia Anand, senior, the progressive shift in demographics was one that did not have a significant impact on her future ambitions.

“In my class, at least, we have two guys and the rest of us are all females, so it just kind of feels natural and I definitely feel like that’s going to be more of a trend...more girls in science classes,” Anand said.

Currently, girls are earning high school math and science credits at the same rate as boys and are earning slightly higher grades in these classes, according to the US Department of Education.

Despite this shift, women are much less likely than men to say that they intend to major in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) among first-year college students, according to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2007.

In order to ensure that females are encouraged to participate in STEM courses and are accurately represented in their respective fields, Anand believes that advocacy is key.

“I feel like maybe not with Anatomy, but maybe with

physical sciences like physics, it feels like the more male-dominant side of the sciences, and probably higher level math too,” Anand said.

“It’s available, but not very advocated for women to take physics or calculus.”

Hearing about the experiences of her teacher, Ms.

“

Now that the notion of a female science teacher is considered conventional, Purdy has attempted to take this concept one step further. When schedules are made during the summer, Purdy is a strong advocate for female representation in every area of science, from physics to biology.

Technocrats. Robotics competitions tend to be a testosteronerich environment, and Purdy has occasionally had other mentors doubt her abilities. She attributes this, in part, to her gender identity.

“When I go to a robotics tournament here in Minnesota, I am one of very few lead men-

Ultimately, she argues, gender shouldn’t matter, only a person’s intellectual abilities. Though she hasn’t always been comfortable embracing her femininity in masculine environments, the decision to has proved valuable in her eyes.

“I think it’s something new.

It’s something that I shied away

I think if anything, it’s motivation to just prove them wrong. Women have a place here as much as men do; we can do it too.

Olivia Anand, senior

Alyson Purdy, Science, has brought light to the significant role female educators in the STEM field. These significant roles has been critical in advancing greater gender equality in the workplace.

“She’s told us about how she came from a small town and she was the only woman scientist,” Anand said. “At conferences, people would just come and stare at her because she was the only woman science teacher and she was young, and it was just so different. Now, that’s normal.”

“Girls need to see themselves represented in all areas of science. I think that’s the biggest thing, girls now are confident of their abilities more than ever before, are very aware that people are shattering glass ceilings all over the place,” Purdy said.

“But at the end of the day, those people are still very far away. We have to make every effort that girls, and the parents of girls, see real people right here right now doing what the girls may be interested in.”

Outside of the classroom, Purdy is also one of the mentors of HHS’ robotics club, the

tors that are female in the state of Minnesota. When we go to world championships, the proportion gets even lower. It’s unusual. I feel like, in a 30-someyear career here, they really should’ve caught up by now,” Purdy said.

Debra Chepkemoi, junior, is currently one of seven girls competing with the robotics team.

In previous years, the team has been mainly composed of male students. This year, however, females outnumber them.

Chepkemoi believes that women in the STEM field, from careers to clubs, are pioneers.

from when I was younger, but I think bringing in my female perspective brings a certain unity to the team,” said Chepkemoi.

Chepkemoi attributes her involvement in the robotics team in part to the actions of other HHS feminists who she grew to admire in the wake of the 2016 election.

“I think my fellow female members, or the feminists, or whoever, have truly opened my eyes in a way that I can actually do something and make a difference,” Chepkemoi said. “After the election there was a group of

students last year that went to a rally, and that was just really interesting to see that a group of people can come together and stand for something. That made me want to do something like that as well.”

Sagit Nachmias, junior, was one of the students who attended the #IStandwith PlannedParenthood march in February. Nachmias was joined by approximately 5,000 other Minnesotans, as well as several friends who also attend HHS. Exposed to myriad opinions, those of both allies in protest and counter protesters, Nachmias realized the misconceptions that exist about the Feminist movement.

More specifically, she saw the necessity in young girls advocating for themselves and their beliefs in a world that often diminishes the youth perspective.

“I think that just by speaking out, we’re giving the Feminist movement a different image. A lot of people think it’s just girls being like, ‘Yay, I like women,’ but it’s a lot about equality,” Nachmias said. “I think it’s important that people can see that there are a lot of different types of people who are feminists. By sharing my voice, I’m kind of showing how I’m another one of those people also trying to shine a light on the actual definition of being a feminist.”

In January 2017, more than two million women around the world participated in Women’s Marches, including many HHS students.

Source: US Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics

PROJECT STAGE

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

60 percent of students said that they could identify an achievement of the modern feminist movement

Source: Survey of 312 students during Monday Advisory on Nov. 13

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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PROJECT STAGE

in-depth

ACADEMIC DIVIDES

What school subjects do you believe are dominated by female students?

PROJECT STAGE

67.8 percent English 21.3 percent Math

43.4 percent World Languages

When asked to choose words to describe feminists, the majority of students selected ones with a positive or neutral connotation.

45 bossy independent 147 48 radical 163 empowered confident 149 34 threatening

18.5 percent Science Source: Survey of 312 students during Monday Advisory on Nov. 13

Women earn only 20 percent of bachelor’s degrees in physics, engineering and computer science.

CHARACTERISTICS

0

50

100

150

200

Source: Survey of 312 students during Monday Advisory on Nov. 13

Source: US Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics

FROM HHS TO THE USA With fewer than 20 percent of district superintendent roles being held by women in the state of Minnesota, Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, superintendent, loves reminding her male colleagues that women are here to represent.

“As girls and women, we are more powerful than we could ever imagine. We are observant, emotionally-intouch with humanity, strength, resilience, and we see the change we want to have in the world,” Mhiripiri-Reed said.

“As girls and women, we need to always question why more men are represented in key leadership roles in our society, and how we will change that.”

Mhiripiri-Reed is the first female and person of color to serve as superintendent in the Hopkins School District, seceding John Schultz, now at Edina.

Despite her educational success (attending both Yale and Harvard) and profound leadership skills, MhiripiriReed has continued to face sexism throughout her careers in both subtle and obvious ways, particularly from her male counterparts.

“I’ve sat at tables and expressed an idea to a group of men who didn’t initially respond, but then when a man expresses the same or similar idea later on during the same meeting, all of a sudden it’s seen as a valuable contribution,” Mhiripiri-Reed said.

“There are many behaviors women leaders have to avoid so they don’t get character-

“

ers’ tendencies to downplay our ideas or put us into corners or boxes. It is women who have and raise the boys who turn into male leaders; they didn’t just get their on their own. If we can raise leaders, we can BE leaders,” Mhiripiri-Reed said.

In addition to the selection of Mhiripiri-Reed as superintendent, the broader Hopkins community has taken steps to

is the first Somali-American woman ever to be elected to a U.S. school board.

During her campaign for School Board, Ahmed took action to amplify the voices of Somali families in the district prior to her election. She invited Somali families to discuss their concerns with Mhiripiri-Reed and nine Hopkins principals.

“My idea in creating that

leading the nation in electing women, and more specifically, women of traditionally disenfranchised groups.

As voters across the nation elected President Donald Trump, voters in Minnesota elected Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American legislator, to the state House of Representatives.

Her election has since received national attention. Earlier this

As girls and women, we should not be afraid of being first. We should not be bashful about being at the top. Someone has to be first, and someone has to be at the top. Why not us?”

ized in certain ways. To me, this is sexism, and it’s unfair.”

Mhiripiri-Reed uses instances intended to be categorizing or shaming as teachable moments. Her advice to female students, who have been in similar situations, is to use others’ behaviors as learning moments for themselves.

“We need to reach our true brilliance and resist oth-

Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, Superintendent

increase female representation in other leadership positions that influence the everyday lives of students.

With the election of Fartun Ahmed and Jen Westmoreland Bouchard (as well as Chris LaTondresse) to the Hopkins School Board on Nov. 7, the balance has shifted to reflect the gender makeup and diversity of the district. With 45 percent of students being of color, (21 percent of which are black), Ahmed

meeting was to develop a relationship between the school district and the Somali parents, so that they don’t have to feel like nobody is listening or nobody wants to hear their input or how they are feeling,” Ahmed said in October.

Fartun’s election is particularly significant as she is the first Somali-American woman elected to a school board in the country. Minnesota has a history of progressive politics,

fall, Omar was featured in Time magazine as part of their series “Firsts: Women Who Are Changing the World.”

Currently, women make up approximately one third of the Minnesota state legislature, though the population is 50.3 percent female. Compared to the rest of the nation, female representation is high. However, when the legislature is not representative of the population, certain groups can be over-

looked.

One local female empowerment group propelling young women into careers historically dominated by men, from politics to mechanical engineers, is Girls United MN. Founded in 2014 by Jessica Melnik, the group is working to empower and educate girls of all ages throughout the community.

In October, Girls United MN, along with 10 fifth and sixth grade Glen Lake Elementary school students, painted canvases with empowering quotes on them.

The canvases were hung in the fifth and sixth grade girls’ bathrooms in order to inspire and support other young females.

Girls United MN plans to continue this project at other elementary schools throughout the Hopkins School District.

“Girls United is an incredible group that I am very proud and thankful to have been a part of,” said Sally Reed, junior, to The Royal Page in November. “Through our meetings over the years, I have been exposed to many issues that women face throughout the world, as well as almost always left feeling empowered and ready to take action in the community to help others feel strongly about and be aware of these same issues.”

the royal page

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

“ 08 opinion

[Application fees] make you really question what schools you apply to or if you even want to apply. It’s not exactly easy to throw out $60 to $100 per school for a possible acceptance.”

Libby Fern, senior

With recent revelations of sexual assault in numerous industries, it’s time to look towards solutions We need to talk about sexual assault.

Not in the way that we always have, where we shame perpetrators, no matter how famous, and strive to unite to combat it. Because clearly that’s not working.

Many cases have come to light recently in the fields of politics, entertainment, and sports alike. Recent revelations concerning Minnesota Sen. Al Franken hit even closer to home about how pervasive this issue is. With sexual assault becoming more and more widespread, it’s time to stop pointing out the problem and start looking toward solutions.

The Royal Page believes that changing a nationwide culture of sexual assault has to start small, and that means in places like HHS. In HHS’ Spring 2017 Sexual Assault Survey, 60 percent of students said they wouldn’t report if they were sexually harassed.

Perhaps changing a culture of sexual assault starts with education. 40 percent of students surveyed said they didn’t even know how to report assault in the event that they encountered it.

In HHS’ mandatory Health Science class, a component of the curriculum focuses on abusive relationships, domestic violence, and rape. Students learned warning signs of abuse and steps to avoid and report these horrifying situations.

Health teachers should be proud of these aspects of the curriculum; knowledge of such topics can empower students to stand up and be aware of certain forms of abuse. So why not do the same for sexual harassment and assault?

The Health Science curriculum that addresses sexual assault mainly focuses on ways to avoid being sexually assaulted: not dressing in a way that could be considered provocative, not

drinking alcohol at parties, etc.

What seems to be less emphasized, though, is teaching people not to sexually assault others.

When we turn our attention to avoiding being assaulted instead of avoiding assaulting, it can place blame for sexual assault on the victims themselves.

Teaching students how and why a culture of sexual assault has been created, emphasizing that even seemingly minor acts of harassment can impact students’ lives, and teaching them the proper methods and outlets to report sexual assault can put us on the right track to making positive change.

Another step towards a solution is changing how we interact on a daily basis.

Often those who make comments or jokes about sexual assault think nothing of it and don’t realize the impact. But joke after joke piles up, creating an overall culture that delegitimizes sexual assault, leaving vic-

tims unsupported and assailants condoned.

Within the halls of HHS, everyday work settings, and even on television, sexual assault is constantly undermined and joked about. Entertainers such as comedian Louis C.K. perpetuate a culture where sexual assault is accepted, and they deliver that concept directly to millions of viewers.

Sexual assault is not funny.

If someone makes a joke about sexual assault, it’s your job to tell them that it’s not ok or that it makes you or someone else uncomfortable. If a comedian or celebrity makes a destructive joke or comment about sexual assault, it’s our responsibility to stop watching.

While starting small at places like HHS will make a change, we can’t do it alone. Nationwide, it’s essential for our leaders and role models to take action against those who commit sexual assault.

Politicians such as Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore and even our own Sen. Al Franken need to do more than release statements or apologies to those affected. We cannot stress enough that sexual assault cannot be a partisan issue. Even if it impacts a Senate seat or who is elected President of the United States, showing the world that people who commit sexual assault won’t get away with it is more important.

Prevention is only one part of the story, too. Showing support to victims of sexual assault and creating an environment where survivors are heard and taken seriously is just as important.

One in four students at HHS believe that they may have been sexually harassed here at our school.

It’s disturbing and sickening to even think about. It could be the person you sit next to in Honors Chemistry, or the per-

son in front of you in the burrito line. It could even be one of your closest friends.

But we don’t know. The fact that many students don’t know how much sexual harassment occurs at HHS is part of the problem.

When survivors stay hidden, the solution stays hidden. We need to show the students of HHS solidarity and inclusion, and ensure that victims are empowered and able to speak up.

We need to talk about sexual assault, so that we will no longer need to talk about it.

EDITORIAL BOARD VOTE AGREE DISAGREE

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HIDDEN FIGURE$

College applications’ numerous fees inhibit students’ access, opportunity

Michael Korsh Editor-in-Chief

A

s a senior, I, like almost every other member of my grade across the country, have spent the past few months toiling over college applications.

When I finally manage to finish the application materials for each college, I’m reminded of a hidden and impactful obstacle of the college application process: paying fees.

It’s common knowledge to most students that applying to college isn’t free. When I navigated through my applications, though, the various fees along the way begin to accumulate into a troubling amount of payments.

Most colleges still require students score reports from the SAT or ACT. According to the ACT, sending one score report to one college costs $13, and according to the College Board, sending an SAT score report costs $12 per report.

The phenomenon of “superscoring,” or combining scores from multiple individual categories on the SAT or ACT to form one composite score, has grown in popularity among college admissions offices. While superscoring may improve one’s chances of admission, the fees for sending two or more score reports to each college can also add up quickly.

Some schools require SAT Subject Test scores, which adds another $12 per report onto the

THE APPLICATION GAME

bill. While SAT Subject Tests aren’t required for every college, many highly selective colleges or certain programs encourage sending these reports. If low-income, high-achieving students can’t afford to send these scores, their chances of admission could decline.

Finally, each college charges an individual application fee that varies from institution to institution. While the average application fee is $50 (according to an annual survey by US News), some schools’ fees can rise as high as $90, in the case of Stanford University.

I’m fortunate enough that I’m able to afford these fees when applying to college. However, when lower-income students, especially those from minority backgrounds,

are applying to college, these fees can prevent students from having a wide variety of options.

Because of the Common Application and Coalition Application, the number of schools a student can apply to has increased over the years.

According to a report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling, 35 percent of seniors applied to seven or more colleges in 2016.

While the fees for applying to one school may not create a significant burden, multiplying these fees to apply to a variety of schools creates an insurmountable barrier to access. Students should be able to apply to as many colleges as they are interested in so that

SAT: $46

ACT: $46

SAT with essay: $60

ACT plus writing: $62.50

source: College Board

source: ACT

they have the highest chances of being accepted and attending somewhere that fits their individual needs.

College admissions offices and other organizations have attempted to implement solutions in recent years. Nevertheless, these solutions aren’t enough.

When registering for the ACT, for example, students can indicate four colleges to send score reports to for free. While this may sound beneficial, students can’t see their ACT scores before sending them to colleges.

If students don’t get the score they want that day, they’re stuck with it.

Another major effort to lift financial burden is through fee waivers. Eligibility for fee waivers is relatively broad— if you

SENDING SCORE REPORTS SAT: $12 ACT: $13 source: College Board and ACT

qualify for free/reduced lunch, receive public assistance, are a first-generation college student, or meet other criteria, you’ll most likely qualify.

The problem with fee waiver programs is that they’re not well-advertised to students, often presented on brochures in fine print. If more students who needed fee waivers knew about them, then there’d be greater accessibility.

Every student who wants to achieve post-secondary education have the opportunity to attend the college that’s right for them— and apply to as many schools as they need to make that decision. But when the hidden figures within the college application process add up, it creates an unjust barrier to this opportunity.

APPLICATION FEES $50 to $90 photos licensed via Creative Commons

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the royal page

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

I think using cell phones is rude in any social setting.

09 opinion

John Vaaler, senior

debatable: Should cell phones be allowed in classrooms?

yes.

no.

Ellie Fishman Staff Reporter

A

ccording to a study done by the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the University of Michigan, 71 percent of students that are allowed to have phones in class send and receive messages during class, but even in schools that only allow phones during passing time still have 65 percent of students sending and receiving texts during class, which is not that far off from students who are allowed to have phones in class.

The issue of how cell phones should be handled in class is a growing debate as technology and social media are on the rise.

While there are reasons that phones can be a distraction in class, there are also many pros to having this distraction and having cell phones as a tool.

At HHS students sit in class

for 88 minutes with few breaks.

If a student is zoning out from the lesson they can quickly check their phone for a quick distraction, then they will be ready again for class. Many psychologists claim that a student’s attention span only lasts 10 to 15 minutes, so students need a way to escape from what they are learning for a recharge.

Students may also need the distractions from their phones if they are waiting for a specific text or email. If a student is waiting for a text from their parents about whether they can go to a friends after school, or are waiting for a message whether their after school activity is can-

celled, all they will be thinking about is what the answer is and they won’t be focusing on the lesson. If a student quickly sees the answer they will have peace of mind and will be able to reengage into the lesson.

According to a Pew Research Study, 88 percent of teens ages 13 to 17 have a phone or access to a phone, and 73 percent of teens have or have access to a smartphone. With all of these phones, especially smartphones, it is inevitable to see them in the classroom even if they are not allowed, so teachers might as well start using them as a tool.

Cell phones can be used as a resource to quickly look a fact up. It is unnecessary to pull out a computer just to look up the year an author died or the number of books an author has written when a student can use their phone to look those facts up much faster.

staff Michael Korsh Andy Weisman Hannah Goldfarb Samantha Horowitz Maya Kupritz Natalie DenHartog James Gulden Adam Segal Jake Birnberg Navit Nachmias

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Feature Editor Sports Editor Multimedia Editor Photo Editor Business Editor Copy Editor

Jeff Kocur Adviser Staff Reporters Ryan Baker Alex Bank Logan Barham David Campbell Eve Clarkson Alex Condon Luis Felemovicius Ellie Fishman Julia Fromstein

Jake Goldfarb Mario Hadley Ati Hernke Rhegan Holmes Joey Knisely Abby Kotlarz Riley Lennon Peyton Lome Ayanna Maddox Charlie McNeil

Christoph Michailow Jacob Ratner Isaac Richert Willow Scherwinski Mary Schutte Ari Segal Luke Sheldon Ali Winter Paul Zeitz

Editorial Policy The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of the Editorial Board. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body, or the adviser. Viewpoints with a byline represent the view of the writer.

The Royal Page operates as an open forum student publication, and student editors make editorial decisions regarding content.

Ati Hernke Staff Reporter

I

n today’s classrooms phones are a common occurrence. Any classroom you walk into you are bound to find students with their phones out or headphones in.

Most of my teachers discourage cell phone use but not necessarily ban the use of them in class. In a few of my classes we even use phones at times to look things up quickly or play Kahoot. Many students have their phones out and on their desks not directly on them but still in view.

One problem with this is that something as small as a single notification or a text tone can take your focus off what the teacher is teaching. I’ve noticed that if I even glance at my phone during a lesson, I zone out from my focus on what we are learning about in the class, which later affects my homework or upcoming tests.

According to the 2012 study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships fund, “mobile communication devices such as phones may, by their mere presence, paradoxically hold the potential to facilitate as well as to disrupt human bonding and intimacy,” A short glance at your phone can make it hard to come back to focus on the project that you’re working on. I think it often times turn something that could take a few minutes to finish much longer because you are focusing on multiple things.

That turns into busywork and doing much more than you need to but not getting the quality of work.

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Another problem is that it is disrespectful to teachers and other people that are present with you. The teacher’s job is to make sure that their students are learning the curriculum that will help them on tests as well as future classes.

One teacher I’ve had expressed his dislike of students being on their phone because students are not good at being discreet about being on their phones. If a teacher is teaching and looks over and see’s a student on their phone it is an indicator that the student it putting more effort into whats going on outside their class than in.

If I’m talking to someone and the whole time they’re on their phone, it’s rude, because you’re not fully present in the conversation. Your mind could be a million other places in the technology world.

Things to be thankful for

The trash can era is over milk and vine

23 days until Winter Break 114 days until Spring Break 190 days until the school year ends The alarms on every door make us feel so much more secure Sophomores finally know their way around the school Starbucks’ holiday drinks The LaCroix selection in the lunchroom It’s almost snow day season

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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sports

“

the royal page I liked that a lot of people showed up to support their teammates and friends; that was really cool.”

Evie Barczak, senior

Seven Royals sign in first National Signing Day Rhegan Holmes Sports Reporter

On Nov. 8, seven Royal athletes took part in the first National Signing Day of the year.

At HHS, National Signing Day celebrations consist of individually recognizing each athlete in a ceremony in the Lindbergh center. At the ceremony, the athletes are able to announce their commitment, say a few words about why they chose the school, and thank their family, friends, coaches and whoever else for helping them along the way.

Natalie DenHartog, senior, signed to the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities for softball. Last season DenHartog batted .500 and had a slugging percentage of .960.

“I chose the U because it has always been a goal and dream of mine to play at the highest level, and the opportunity to do that and represent my home state at the same time was one that I just couldn’t pass up,” DenHartog said.

photo: Bea Frank Johnny Meland, HHS alum, and Sam Haberman, junior, skate in a game during the ‘16’17 season. Last year, the Royals boys hockey team struggled, posting a 2-23 record.

Amanda Olson, senior signed to the University of Wisconsin - Superior for hockey. Olson is excited to be continuing her athletic career somewhere that not only fits her athletic goals, but also her academic ones.

“I chose Superior because they had a really good cell biology program and I really liked the coaches, the program, and the players,” Olson said.

Evie Barczak, senior, also signed to continue her softball career. Barczak, who played center field for the Royals, had an on-base percentage of .430 last season, signed to the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

“I fell in love with the campus and I really liked the attitude and atmosphere that the coach has created for the players that commit to the Blugold program,” Barczak said.

photo: provided by Amanda Olson Amanda Olson, senior, and Kylie Hanley, senior, go after a puck in their game against the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars. The Royals girls hockey team won five of their first six games.

Girls hockey team begins season with successful start, boys look to follow David Campbell Sports Reporter

A

fter a rough 20162017 campaign, the HHS boys hockey team is on the hunt for redemption. Their record was 2-23, going 0-8 in Lake Conference play. However, they feel this year will be different.

“I am really excited to get going and just get back to playing,” said David Peterson, sophomore. “We got a great group of guys this year, I feel like the balance of the older guys with the newer guys will work well.”

One change this season is that the team has an easier schedule. They’re still in the Lake Conference, but the squad only plays teams such as Minnetonka, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Wayzata once.

“It was hard to watch the team get blown out 10-0 every

time we played those teams,” Peterson said. “I don’t believe that will happen this year as our team is a lot more improved.”

William Brodersen, senior, is expecting big things from the team.

“Our goal is to have a winning season and do well in conference play,” Brodersen said.

“It’ll be important to win some games against the other teams in our section, so that we get a decent seed come playoff time.”

Brodersen also appreciates the team’s new schedule.

“I think it’s nice to switch up the schedule a bit and see what we can accomplish as a team,” Brodersen said. “Putting up a fight as the underdog is fun, but it’s a bit extreme to have to do that for most of our games.

The team will also be looking to returning players, Wyatt Nelson, junior, and Bobby Wilson and Conner Staack, seniors,

to lead the team and make a difference for this year’s season.

On the other side of things, the Royals / St. Louis Park girls hockey team is off to a successful start, winning five of their first six games.

The Royals actually lost their season opener against the Eagan Wildcats by a score of 1-6, but quickly bounced back with a 9-0 win over the Buffalo Bison.

Since then, the Royals have outscored their opponents 177, taking victories over Orono, Bloomington Jefferson, Proctor/Hermantown, and Benilde - St. Margaret’s.

“I think the season is going good. We tend to start our games off slow but then pick up the pace in the second period,” said Amanda Olson, senior.

Standout players for the Royals include UMD-bound

Kylie Hanley, senior, as well as Olson and Mary Gleason, St. Louis Park junior.

Hanley has already racked up 18 points in the first six games, scoring ten goals and having eight assists. Gleason has the Royals’ next highest point total, with four goals and six assists for a total of tenpoints.

“My goals for the rest of the season is to keep up the hard work we’ve been puting into practice and to hopefully win more lake conference games than we did last year,” Olson said.

The Royals also suffered a key loss in an injury to Annika Patterson, senior, in the game against the Bison. Patterson broke her wrist and will likely be out for the rest of season.

Kylie Hanley, senior, signed to the University of Minnesota - Duluth to play hockey.

“I chose UMD because I absolutely fell in love with the school and the hockey program and I knew that I was going to fit in perfectly there,” Hanley said.

Hanley scored 24 goals and racked up 17 assists last season playing center for the Royals, and has been committed to Duluth for nearly two years.

Angie Hammond, senior, signed to play basketball at Siena College in Loudonville, New York.

“I chose Siena because it has a great nursing and health field that I’m very interested in going into for my career. Siena is also on the East Coast and I’ve always wanted to go out that way for college,” Hammond said.

“I’ve lived in Hopkins my whole life and became very comfortable here, but I’m ready to take the next step and step out of my comfort zone.”

Last season, Hammond averaged over eight points and six rebounds per game.

Joe Hedstrom, senior, signed to the University of Wisconsin - Madison for basketball.

“I kind of realized that being closer to home was something I wanted. Also, Wisconsin has had a history with graduating big men, and obviously being one of the best programs in the nation were all parts to my decision,” Hedstrom said.

As a 6’ 11” forward, Hedstrom averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game for the Royals last season.

Tommy Auth, senior, signed to Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls to continue playing baseball. Last season Auth played first base and batted .365 for the Royals.

“I chose Ellsworth because I’m going to have the opportunity to make an immediate impact on the team. [ Junior college] was the best fit for me,” Auth said. photos: Adam Segal

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the royal page

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

11

It wasn’t a PR, but it was my first time running at state, so I’m happy.”

sports

Henry Hughes, senior

Hoeft, Hughes represent Royals at state XC meet Rhegan Holmes Sports Reporter

T

photo: Bea Frank Paige Bueckers, sophomore, and Angie Hammond, senior, play defense against the Elk River Elks during the 2017 MSHSL Class AAAA Championship game. Last year, the Royals took second place in the state tournament, this year, the team aspires to take back the crown.

Girls basketball prepares for another successful season

Natalie DenHartog Sports Editor

A

fter finishing second in the state tournament and ending the last season with a 31-1 record, the Royals girls basketball team has high expectations for the upcoming season.

“I feel very confident in this team as a whole, and believe that we can be the best in the state,” said Paige Bueckers, sophomore. “We love being held to a high standard each and every year. That’s what pushes us to play our best. It makes us better and why should we settle for anything less?”

The Royals are certainly held to high expectations, by the players themselves, the Hopkins community, and frankly, the whole state.

Throughout last season, the Royals were ranked at the top

of the state, and sometimes even in the top 20 of the nation, and in the past six years, the Royals have made five state tournament appearances, taking two secondplace finishes, and three state championships.

This year’s team is looking to continue the Royal program’s success.

“We want to go undefeated this season. We went 31-1 last season, so that hurts. We are going to push to win our conference, section, and eventually state,” Bueckers said.

Bueckers has been a standout player for the Royals for the past two years, making her first varsity appearance as an eighth grader. As a freshman, Bueckers averaged 20.8 points per game last season, and the Royals will continue to look to her as a major force in their offensive game.

Bueckers isn’t the only varsity standout that the Royals have

returning this year.

Angie Hammond, senior, has been a strong forward for the Royals for the past two seasons and will also be looking to make a statement for her senior year. Last season, Hammond averaged eight points and six rebounds per game.

Reana Suggs, senior, will also take the court for her final season as a Royal. Suggs put up 17.7 points per game last year in an offensive showing.

Dlayla Chakolis, junior, will also be a key player for the Royals going into the season. Chakolis averaged 12.8 points and seven rebounds per game last year.

Chakolis, like many of the Royals, prepared for the season by playing throughout the offseason on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball team, as well as training by going to camps.

Overall, as a program the Royals are confident going into the season. With a good amount of very skilled players returning, as well as new players coming up through the younger levels, the Royals are ready to work hard to get back to where they want to be this season.

“Going into the season, I think that everyone is ready to work hard, but there are still things that we need to improve on in order for us to accomplish what we need to,” said Kyra Mosley, senior. “Meeting high expectations shouldn’t be too hard of a challenge if we work hard in everything that we do.”

Mosley also noted how she is excited for the team to not only bond on the court, but also as people and students off the court.

The Royals will open their regular season on Nov. 28 at Becker High School.

he Royals cross country team was represented by two members for this year’s state meet: Eli Hoeft, junior, and captain Henry Hughes, senior.

Hoeft noted how while two runners advanced to state, the rest of the team’s path to make the cut was difficult.

“Our team didn’t make it but we would’ve had to beat the fourth-ranked team in the state to qualify,” Hoeft said.

Despite having a rough start in the early qualifiers for the meet, Hoeft was ready to turn it around and make an impact on the race.

“I felt I didn’t run to my potential in qualifiers, but it was okay because I feel like I didn’t have many expectations for making a deep state run. I wanted to take a shot at finishing in the top 10,” Hoeft said.

Hoeft had his sights set on

performing to the best of his abilities in the race. Hoeft said that he prepared for state in the same way he’d prepare for regionals: having great practice sessions and setting high selfexpectations.

While Hughes wasn’t very confident for the close of his senior year, he was willing to make adjustments in order to perform well.

“I didn’t feel like I would make state to be honest, but I wanna do the best I can do and represent Hopkins well,” Hughes said.

Hughes was selected as a captain for his senior year and believes it was because of his hard work and leadership during the off season.

“I’m proud of my improvement this year, and feel like I’ve done the right things to perform at a high level,” Hughes said.

Hughes ended up finishing 55th in the state meet, and Hoeft finished 60th out of the 176 runners participating.

photo: Paul Zeitz Alek Wormuth, junior, Jesper Hoffman, senior, Eli Hoeft, junior, and Henry Hughes, senior, pose for a picture after a meet. Hoeft and Hughes recently competed in the MSHSL cross country meet.

Royal Captain Profiles Get to know a few Royal captains that are currently in season.

Logan Hoffman senior, Nordic Skiing

5 years of experience Captainship in one word: dedicated Favorite Memory: “Spending time with the team at Ski Camp at Giants Ridge.”

Kylie Hanley senior, Hockey

Avery Martens-Goldman senior, Boys Swim and Dive

13 years of experience 9 years of experience Captainship in one word: team player Captainship in one word: focused Favorite Memory: “When we beat Min- Favorite Memory: “When we won the Blaine netonka in overtime my sophomore year invite during my freshman year. It was the first at our home rink.” invitational we won in over ten years and we were all very excited.”

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LIFE IN TECHNICOLOR

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

LEFT: Sam Buttress, junior (Jacob) is sung to by the group of 12 Brothers of Jacob in “One More Angel in Heaven.”

BELOW: The cast sings their final number, “Any Dream Will Do.”

Navit Nachmias Copy Editor

photos: Isaac Richert

O

n Nov. 16-18, HHS Royal Productions put on the musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Over the course of seven weeks, the cast and crew of 68 people worked to perfect songs, dance numbers, lights, and more. “[I chose this show because] it’s upbeat,” said Natalie Foster, director. “It was a technical challenge for the tech crew with the different lights and set work. There are lots of parts and great music.”

This year’s show was a different type of musical. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an opera, which means that it is completely made up of songs, there is no dialogue. The show featured a total of 19 songs.

Grant Cohen, senior, played the role of Joseph. After four years, Cohen finally got a lead role.

“It was really powerful and an amazing experience,” Cohen said. “It was really meaningful to be in all of the musicals, and then to be a lead in my final musical. It was truly a heartwarming experience.”

Students that participated in the musical come from different ages, genders, and backgrounds. Many students go into the production not knowing one another, but over the weeks the cast develops a strong bond. “[One of my favorite moments was] when I had the realization, before the final show, that I had really bonded with everyone and that we are all friends,” said Erin Weiss, junior.

above: Make-up crew member Meredith Johnson, sophomore, applies stage makeup to Mason Arneson, sophomore (Guard).

TOP LEFT: Featured dancers Anna Anderson, Sagit Nachmias, Erin Weiss, juniors, and Catriona Ray, freshman, dance during the number “Potiphar.”

BOTTOM LEFT: The play’s ensemble and Grant Cohen, senior (Joseph) perform “Go Go Go Joseph.”