The Royal Page - December 2016

the

page

ROYAL

VOLUME 35, ISSUE 3

Behind the Wheel IN-DEPTH, p.6-7 photos licensed through Creative Commons

Friday, December 2, 2016

www.hopkinsrp.org

ROCK OF MANY

COLORS

HHS students use rock to express opinions

by Sam Leervig Staff Reporter The senior rock, a tradition that seniors have held by painting the rock each year with class graduation year and color. Recently, it has turned into much more than that.

From Nov. 5 through Nov. 10, the senior rock was repainted 11 times, sometimes multiple times in a day. But it’s not just seniors showing their class pride. Instead, other students have seen the rock as a place to show political views and even to show support to favorite sports

No Snow:

teams.

The first painting which started this whole battle was a LGBTQ pride rock.

“The pride rock was to make us more aware of the LGBTQ community here at Hopkins.” said Armand Martinez, junior.

“I think [HHS] is great for the LGBTQ community and we just wanted for other students to be more aware of that.”

Martinez along with Car Thie, senior, Zoey Burt, senior, and Luke Yourzak, junior, painted the rock.

From there, the rock soon was painted an American flag

theme, which was done by seniors Zach Roy, John Meland, Carter Johnson and Peyton Hormann.

“That’s just where we live, that’s our country. It shouldn’t offend anyone and it was just to show pride in our country,” Meland said.

Within a day Yourzak had turned the once American pride into a tribute to Trump. Yourzak spray painted “Trump 2016” over the once U.S. flag.

“I originally did it just to make people mad, but then I felt bad because people got mad at my ‘hate speech,’” Yourzak said.

Ski teams take to streets, gym to prepare

for a season that’s not ready for them

Sam Eklund and Isaac Eng, juniors, and Seth Eliason, senior, run laps in the Lindbergh Center before enough snow falls for them to clip into skis. The first race was scheduled for Dec. 1, but has been photo by David J. Sheldon postponed.

Soon after, Sam Olson and Sam Clague, seniors, painted to rock back to the original orange in an attempt to end controversy over the rock.

“Mr. Bullinger has been talking about diversity and how we value diversity and the Trump rock was pretty divisive,” Clague said. “It wasn’t comfortable for a lot of people. It made them feel unsafe at school so we decided to paint it orange as something non-controversial, just the senior color, how it’s supposed to be.”

Despite the attempt to return the rock back to its inten-

photos provided by HHS students and Royal Page staff

tions, more paintings continued.

The next theme that followed was black and simply stated one word: Us. This rock was done

by Sam Eklund, junior, and a student who wished to remain anonymous.

“To me, [Us] means that it’s not a separation between our community as a school.

We are all people and we are all the same, there is nothing that makes us different from each other whether we are gay, straight, whether we support Trump or Clinton. We are all people and we all deserve respect,” said the anonymous

by David Sheldon Feature Editor The HHS Nordic team has been forced to stay on dry land because there is just no snow to ski on. The team practices 6 days a week, including on Saturday mornings.

The team has almost 100 racers to its name, evenly split between boys and girls.

“It’s kind of annoying because we really haven’t been able to get a lot of good skiing done before we race,” said captain Seth Eliason, senior. “It’s hard for the younger kids who are just learning to ski because they do not have prior expirience. It’s annoying to run and lift— not that those things are bad, but we really just want to ski.”

student. “[Us] didn’t seem to be received well. A lot of seniors seemed to be upset because the rock is supposed to be the senior rock and I guess seniors wanted it to be their class color, but I feel the message itself was received well.”

Some seniors did not take the changing of the rock too well. Many want it to remain as sign of their class. story continues on page 2

Royal Calendar: Looking Forward • 12/8 - 12/9:

Term 2 Conferences

• 12/14: Choir Concert • 12/22 - 1/3: Winter Break • 1/16: No School (Martin Luther King Day) • 1/17: District West Side Orchestra Festival • 1/20: Inauguration Day photos licensed through Creative Commons

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Lindbergh Center has provided HHS and the community of Minnetonka with an exceptional athletic facility for over 20 years. Last Feb., Lindbergh Center was ranked as one of WCCO’s viewer’s choice for best highschool gym in Minn

photo by Jordyn Petty

Lindbergh Center turns 20

by Jordyn Petty Staff Reporter

Twenty years ago, Mr. Dan Johnson, Activities Director, came to HHS to assist in the opening of a Hopkins staple that has provided countless opportunities and activities to

HHS students, and the community of Minnetonka as a whole.

The Lindbergh Center was opened in Nov. 1996 and has stood the test of time.

“This is one of the finest projects I have seen in my 32 years in this business, and any-

where in the nation,” Johnson said. “Students are able to have a place to be active, to become better athletes, and to participate in quality programs in the finest facility around.”

HHS shares the space in the Lindbergh Center with the city

of Minnetonka. Prior to building, Minnetonka wanted to build some gyms for the community and HHS was looking to expand their athletic facilities. So, the city of Minnetonka and HHS decided to partner together and plan the building

An unprecedented victory

by Sebastien Karo News Editor

Donald J. Trump won the presidential election with 290 electoral votes versus Clinton’s 232. Trump did not, however, win the popular vote, which Clinton won by one percent. photo provided by Gage Skidmore through Wikipedia Commons

HHS students surprised.

“I definitely did not expect this. I'm shocked with the outcome of the presidential race, but also with the local and congressional results,” said Katie Donovan, senior. “It's hard to be positive while looking at these results but I'm sure many people will step back up and learn from the challenges.”

As the electoral votes began to roll in, Josh Borkon, senior, tweeted that he fears for minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community because Trump was leading the polls.

“It was so stressful and, like everyone, I was shocked. It was the biggest upset in American history. No one thought he was going to win,” Borkon said.

Some students, however, feel

a Trump presidency is necessary for America. In commemoration of Trump’s victory, some HHS students anonymously repainted the rock by the side parking lot. The rock was spray painted white and reads: “Trump Victory Trump.”

“I support Donald Trump.

When I saw the projections on one of the polling websites, I wasn’t surprised. When Trump did win, I was actually surprised of how many people actually like him because the feedback from our school was that not many people liked him,” said an HHS student who did not want to be identified.

Luke Yourzak, junior, did not believe that Trump could win the presidency, but second guessed himself when he looked

updated facility can offer. “[Lindbergh Center] has given us updated facilities that has allowed us more flexibility to grow our curriculum,” Westerham said.

In the summer of 2016, Hopkins began rebranding. The Lindbergh Center was updated and the new logo can now be found throughout the facility.

Hopkins Public Schools owns the building from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. while the City of Minnetonka owns it from 6 pm to midnight.

Lindbergh Center boasts 92,000 square feet, available for students to use for free.

“I lift there everyday during the week and it’s nice because they have a lot of racks so you can always get your main lifts done without waiting,” said Sam Oxford, senior.

Everyday, the Lindbergh Center is full of new people, activities and opportunities to become a better and healthier student.

“I have walked in these doors more than 5,000 times and I look forward to it each time,” Johnson said.

HHS rock cont...

Students react to the unexpected results of the 2016 presidential election

In what may be one of the most unpredictable elections in America’s history, Donald J. Trump has won the presidency with a confirmed 290 electoral votes and 47 percent of the popular vote. Media outlets began reporting the final states around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 9, putting Trump above 270 electoral votes to win.

Hillary Clinton received 232 electoral votes, but beat Trump in the popular vote at 48 percent. Before election day, it had seemed that most Americans had a widespread belief that Clinton was bound to be the next President, whether they agreed with it or not. New York Times gave Clinton an 85 percent chance of winning over Trump’s 15 percent and CNN’s prediction model, which has correctly predicted the president since 1980, forecasted a big victory for Clinton.

Although all odds were against him, Trump managed to come out on top. This outcome can most likely be attributed to the silent majority of America that showed up at the polls in favor of Trump. One of the most shocking aspects of this election was Trump winning over seven of the eleven swing states, an outcome that most media outlets had not predicted.

Two weeks prior to the election, HHS students voted in a mock election, out of 838 students who voted, 469 of them had voted Clinton and only 151 had voted Trump. The nation’s results, however, have left some

of the 92,000 square foot athletic center.

The Lindbergh Center hosts a wide array of events and programs, from school sports and weekend tournaments to recreational basketball and tai chi.

Joe Swenson, senior, plays recreational basketball every Friday and Saturday during the winter season.

“I love playing [basketball] at the Lindbergh Center. It’s really nice how it has so many courts so a lot of people can use it at once,” Swenson said.

The gym, which is equivalent in size to seven Olympic sized swimming pools, has eight volleyball courts, five basketball courts, a 200 meter indoor track, and 2,200 seats for events.

“It is nice to have such a big place to practice basketball,” said Simon Wright, senior. “All of the boys teams and the girls teams fit. I don’t know how they did it before we had the Lindbergh Center.”

Almost all physical education classes are held in the Lindbergh Center, giving the students five basketball courts and two tracks to stay active.

Mr. Randy Westerham, Physical Education, has been teaching at HHS since 1996 and has experienced the benefits that an

at the polls.

“I didn't go into it supporting anyone, but as time went by I wish I would have used my time better for the election. I thought Hillary was going to win, but I was pleasantly surprised when Donald won. I think, through his struggles, he is going to be a successful president against all odds,” Yourzak said.

Regardless of opinion, Donald Trump is officially the President-elect of the United States.

“I think the outcome of this election says a lot about where America is right now as a country. It's frightening, we are truly divided. There is a lot of work to do now, but I'll be interested in how Trump goes about being a leader for all people in America,” Donovan said.

lems over the rock. It needs to be changed back to orange.” said Kate Glover, senior.

After the “US” rock, the gay pride flag soon made a return.

A rainbow painted again by Yourzak. “I painted it the gay flag again because I didn’t want to get in trouble and ease over what I had done,” Yourzak said, “I did Trump in the first place to mainly make people mad. There wasn’t really a reason. I then flipped when I got them mad.”

After the second pride rock, students, who haven’t revealed themselves, decided one night to paint “Gays 4 Trump” over the pride flag. Accompanied by that statement was also explicit graffiti on the sidewalk near the rock and it is believed that whoever did “Gays 4 Trump” on the rock also did the graffiti.

Most students see this rock as a way to display their beliefs, mainly about the presidential election and LGBTQ+ pride.

However, George Greeley, junior, saw the rock as a perfect spot to show who he thinks

‘‘To me, [Us] means that it’s not a separation between our community as a school. We are all people and we are all the same, there is nothing that makes us different from each other whether we are gay, straight, or whether we support Trump or Clinton.”

- Anonymous

is truly the best NHL hockey team. Greeley, along with juniors Evan Miranda, Johnny Kahner and Elijah Goldberg, painted the rock with a Minnesota Wild theme.

“The Wild are winning the [Stanley] Cup,” Greeley said, “The Wild are winning, hands down. They’re taking the dub.”

Of course, the Wild rock didn’t last long. Soon after, seniors Kirsten Magaard, Clair Rosengren and Bea Frank painted the rock dark blue with the saying “Doug for President” on the side.

“Mr. Bullinger is a great guy and he can be a unifying force for us,” said Rosengren, “I think it’s awesome that Hopkins has such diverse opinions about the election and that people feel comfortable sharing them.”

After the “Doug” rock, the rock soon returned to Trump for Election Day on Nov. 8. The person or people responsible have not yet come forward. That Trump rock didn’t last long, with it being painted all white within a couple hours.

After Trump's presidential victory on Nov. 8, students painted over the white rock with three words. “Trump, victory, Trump. ” Nobody has claimed that painting.

After this hectic weekend of rock art one thing is for sure here at HHS. We are a diverse school with many conflicting beliefs, but at the end of the day we can come together and embrace our opinions not in violence or hate, but in the form of art.

AP Environmental Science students participate in social science experiment

by Sebastien Karo News Editor Walking around HHS, you may have seen--or smelled-students carrying plastic bags of trash with them everywhere they go. You, like many others, are probably wondering why.

Mr. John Sammler, science, is the teacher responsible for this pact of garbage carriers and wants students to realize how much waste they produce every day. Sammler’s AP Environmental Science class began this experiment on Nov. 7 and finished on Nov. 14.

“We are doing a unit on trash and how people dispose of things. Statistics show that an average American throws away almost five pounds of trash every day, so by doing this les-

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son, it forces students to think more about their waste disposal because most garbage can actually be recycled or composted,” Sammler said.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash daily. This equates to about 1,600 pounds of trash each year.

Multiply that by the entire U.S. population and you would have enough garbage to form a line of filled up garbage trucks that reach the moon.

“The amount of trash Americans produce is awful.

We’re lazy and we don’t take our trash very seriously. We need to be thinking more every time we throw something away,” Sammler said.

Ally Davis, senior, is in Sam-

mler’s AP Environmental Science class and has been carrying her daily garbage everywhere she goes for over a week.

“We are carrying around garbage because in my APES class we are discussing the harmful effects of plastic and other wastes. We want to be aware of our garbage production and how we can cut down on how much waste we produce,” Davis said.

What many Americans don’t realize is that 60 percent of household trash can be recycled, however the average American only recycles 13 percent of their household trash, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Davis believes that by carrying her garbage with her, she will become more aware of how she disposes of it and hopes oth-

HHS students experience democracy first hand through election judging

John Vaaler, junior, poses for picture at his local polling place. Vaaler was one of many HHS students who served as election judges on election day.

photo by Michael Korsh

ers will take notice as well.

“It makes me feel more aware of how much garbage I produce each day and how I should properly dispose of it,” Davis said. “Hopefully other people notice what we’re doing and make a change themselves.”

Landfills in the U.S. are not getting any smaller and Sammler believes that Americans need to make a change, before it’s too late.

“The U.S. is falling behind in clean waste disposal. Countries like France are taking big initiatives in waste disposal such as banning complete sale of all plastic cutlery, plates, and cups and replacing them with compostable materials. We should be pushing the ball forward, rather than being rolled over by it,” Sammler said.

by Michael Korsh Managing Editor On Nov. 8, John Vaaler, junior, spent his entire day at the Minnetonka Community Center polls. But he couldn’t vote.

Vaaler, along with many other HHS students, served as student Election Judges for the city of Minnetonka. The city of Minnetonka sent out an email to HHS students during Advisory on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3 advertising the position. Vaaler says he took interest in the position to assist others in the democratic process.

“I think every election counts, but especially this one is definitive of our time,” Vaaler said. “I wanted to help out with the civic process because that’s what makes us American— we go out of our way to be exceptional and helpful, and that’s

infographic by Sebastien Karo

what’s important to me.”

According to the City of Minnetonka, Election Judges serve a variety of duties on Election Day, including opening and closing the polls, registering and signing in voters, and recording and certifying vote totals.

However, the inclusion of high school-age students in this process is a new attempt to modernize the polling process, especially through teens’ extensive knowledge of technology.

Ginny Gelms, Elections Manager for Hennepin County, noted this opportunity as valuable for students’ civic futures.

“If you can get the experience of participating in the elec-

tions process before you even start voting for yourself, you will have a leg up when you do get the right to vote,” Gelms said.

“That will be helpful to you and you’ll also have the experience to be able to serve as an adult election judge wherever you go.”

Vaaler says the job revealed an unexpected aspect of the elections process to him.

“I’ve gotten out of this job an idea of how personal and human elections are. We always sort of think of elections as these ultimate contests, but really it’s just a bunch of people helping other people out with their decisions.

At the end of the day, politics is about people,” Vaaler said.

Royal Briefs:

A short take on upcoming events and

by Jordyn Petty Staff Reporter

by Sam Leervig Staff Reporter

activites at Hopkins High School

Spanish and German camps HHS orchestras to perform annual winter concert begin this weekend This weekend, HHS students taking Spanish or German classes have the opportunity to immerse themselves within the language during a weekend getaway.

World Language teachers, Ms. Kim Foster and Ms. Kelly Dirks, will be accompanying students up to the Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minn. for the weekend.

The Concordia Language Villages hold a wide array of immersion camps. There are 13 languages, from Arabic to Swedish. Students are brought from Minnesota and all over the Midwest to interact in the

language they are studying.

“I have a blast watching the kids interact with other students from around the midwest and other native Spanish speakers,” Foster said.

Every year, the camp changes to a different country of the same language and the camp is centered around their culture.

“Last year, we went to Cuba and this year we are going to the Andes Region of South America,” Foster said.

While immersing themselves in the language, students will also learn about the food,music,dance,games and traditions of the country.

“From the time we arrive

to the time we leave, there are activities, meals and scavenger hunts,” Foster said. “My favorite part is watching students learn the dances to Spanish music.”

Ms. Dirks has been taking German students to the Concordia Language Villages for years and passed the idea onto Foster. Now, the two teachers coordinate their schedules to be able to bring both the Spanish and German students up on the same weekend.

“At the end of the weekend, I get to see the improvement in students’ ability to speak Spanish and their excitement to go again and again,” Foster said.

On Tuesday Dec. 6, the HHS Orchestra will be performing in it’s annual Winter concert. Led by Ms. Allison Swiggum, orchestra director, this is the second concert for juniors and seniors, however it is the first for the sophomores.

There are four orchestras and each are performing two pieces each. Students have been preparing for this concert since the beginning of the school year.

The orchestras contain a sophomore only Sinfonia orchestra and three, Symphony, Philharmonic and Chamber, junior and senior combined orchestras.

“There will be a number of

soloists performing at the Winter Concert. Most notably, we will have three seniors featured with the select Chamber Orchestra,” Swiggum said.

Soloists include Riley O’Neil, sophomore, and seniors Sam Clague, Sam Olson and Ethan Kehrberg.

“The concert usually goes well, sometimes there are little moments here or there, but we haven't had any major glitches in any of our concerts. I really try to have so many run throughs of the students' pieces so that they really learn the music and hear how their parts fit with the other parts,” Swiggum said.

Besides rushing, Swiggum is feeling very confident in the ability of her students for this upcoming concert.

“I feel good about most pieces. I guess if I had to pick a piece that I'm most nervous about it would be the full orchestra piece in Philharmonic because we have less time to rehearse with woodwinds, brass and percussion students,” Swiggum said.

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Scott Westermann From HHS to US Bank Stadium, Scotty can do it all

Athletic Trainer

by David J Sheldon Feature E ditor A player goes down, late in the third quarter. Their team mates all take a knee and wait for the athletic trainer to run onto the field.

Scott Westermann, Certified Athletic Trainer, has been working at HHS for 15 years and has seen every injury in the book “One of the worsts injuries I have seen while working here was just last year. A football player fractured his leg during a game,” Westermann said.

Westermann has also come into contact with thousands of student-athletes asking for some ice, a taped ankle, or a quick stretch.

“If you think about it, I help 15 to 20 kids a day, times the 15 years I have been here so, that adds up quickly,” Westermann said.

Most student-athletes know of Westermann, more commonly known as “Scotty,” but there is a whole other side to our Athletic Trainer. Westermann also works as a NFL Concussion Spotter at the new US Bank Stadium.

There is a NFL Concussion Spotter sitting in a press box at every major league football game. Their job is to be a second pair of

Westerman attending HHS homecoming football game. Westermann attended every football game.

eyes on the game to watch players who may become afflicted with a concussion during game.

“What we found was doctors and trainers either miss injuries on the field because they’re dealing with other players or they have an obstructed view — you have 350-pound guys standing in front of you, you’re not going to see it,” said Blake Jones, Director of NFL Football Operations.

Westermann has also worked as an athletic trainer for minor league baseball and at pre-season major league games. Before working at HHS Westermann had careers at Osseo and Maple Grove High schools along with Augsburg College.

“I wanted to become an Athletic Trainer just because I like being around sports. I do also enjoy being around kids,” Westermann said.

Westermann’s hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, either. Scott

Photo by David Sheldon

Westermann was named the 2013 recipient of the Fred Zamberletti Award. The award, named for the legendary athletic trainer for the Minnesota Vikings, honors an outstanding Minnesotan athletic trainer who has had strong impact in the athletic training profession.

“Scott is a very loyal and dedicated member,” said Dan Johnson, Activities Director at Hopkins High School. “He is the person solely responsible for prevention and care of athletic injuries, rehabilitation of students following those injuries, and the lead decision maker on the readiness for students to participate in athletics.”

“What Scott does is a necessary thing for the sport. We need him on the sidelines to help our athletes stay healthy,” said Adam Holms, Offensive Line Coach.

Westermann suggests eating right, staying conditioned and lots and lots of fluids in order to keep out of his office.

HHS Quiz Bowl

HHS Quiz Bowl has early success

by Maya Kupritz Staff Reporter

The HHS Quiz Bowl team became a club in 2007, and since then the team has grown in size and knowledge. Many students start in their freshman year of high school, although some eighth graders join the team.

“Ever since quiz bowl became a thing, I’ve always been the club leader,” said adviser John Sammler, Science. “Since the first day Quiz Bowl was made a club at HHS, I’ve always been engaged with it.”

Throughout the year, the Quiz Bowl team participates in two to three tournaments each

HHS Responds group photo from 2015

HHS Responds: Club Highlight HHS Responds strives towards a higher level of respect for others

by David J Sheldon Feature Editor Music Mondays, gender neutral bathrooms, and a fishbowl. All three have something in common: the club that put them into motion. HHS Responds is a club that has again and again moved HHS towards a more inclusive environment.

HHS Respond s is a group of students looking towards the future and progressing HHS as

a whole. The club has a real emphasis on cultural diversity and respecting all people regardless of race, gender, religion, and culture.

“We care very deeply about this club and strive and commit to making HHS a welcoming place for all,” said Margerita Afom, senior.

HHS Responds was invited to facilitate the District Planning Meetings that brought local educational, civic and corpo-

rate leaders together to chart the district’s’ priorities for the next five years.

La’Dajia Davis, senior, is the president of HHS Responds.

The other two students in leadership are Afom and Marian Osman, seniors. Tim Owen, Spanish, is the adviser for the club.

“HHS Responds is important because its mission is to transform HHS into a community where everyone, regardless

of their cultural background, feels as though they belong and can thrive,” Owen said .

Although Owen is the adviser, he has taken a more supportive role in the club, assisting the group explore creative and effective ways HHS can better serve and celebrate its diverse population, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Last year the club researched and presented a proposal to the district for Gender Neutral bathrooms. The bathrooms were designed and built last summer.

The club also brought a busload of students to the “Race” exhibit at the Science Museum last Fall.

HHS Responds was work-

ing on a fishbowl for healing that was held yesturday, but the club also has plans for the future.

“We are also going to be working on on how we can make our high school more welcoming to all cultures and backgrounds visually, using art and visuals such as having the word ‘welcome’ in different languages,” Afom said.

The club holds meetings every Thursday at 2:50 in W215.

All students are welcome to go to meetings. All students are also welcomed to join the group on Dec 1 for a fishbowl regarding healing, education, and support for our community in light

month, hosted by different schools. The tournaments are usually on Saturdays and can last from three to eight hours.

John Vaaler, junior, has been on the Quiz Bowl team since eighth grade, and each year it gets better and better for him.

“I get a lot of general knowledge out of quiz bowl, which is really amusing,” Vaaler said. “I also find that the questions we are asked and the information we study, become really great topics to discuss about to other people.”

The team’s next competition is on on Dec. 8 at Eden Prairie High School. of the recent tensions related to the election.

“People can get involved just by coming to our meetings and contacting the leaders for any questions or ideas they have,” Afom said.

Students are welcomed to send in song requests for Music Mondays as well. The amount of students putting on the club might seem small but is believed to increase after a few major events to happen soon.

“We have about 15 members that are consistently present and involved in our meetings,” David said.

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Meadowbrook Elementary makes space for more students Meadowbrook adds more students but doesn’t lose its sense of community

by Sam Eklund Staff Reporter Every morning, Meadowbrook Elementary School Principal Dr. Greta Evans-Becker stands outside the front doors to greet students as they arrive.

This is no small task. Meadowbrook currently has 761 students enrolled, with about half coming from the surrounding neighborhood, half from open enrollment from other cities or other schools in the Hopkins district. The student traveling the farthest comes all the way from Albertville, over 30 minutes away.

The largest areas represented in the open enrollment are Robbinsdale, Minneapolis, and St. Louis Park. These students are placed where there are spots, but neighborhood students always come first.

“We will not turn away anybody from the neighborhood, because this is their home school,” Dr. Evans-Becker said. “But we will have to place outside of the district people on a waiting list if we have to.”

There is a 27 student cap for each class, and each incoming grade will have five classes each. If each class were completely filled in every grade, Meadowbrook would cap at 945 students. However, at their current enrollment (about 200 less), creative solutions have already been put in place.

One of these solutions is a new wing that has been added to the school that houses preschool and some third grade classes. The wing actually used to be a separate building, but was connected by a tunnel in 2013.

“Meadowbrook is very popular. People choose to come here.

They have enabled us by expanding our building to accommodate a lot of the people who want to come here,” Evans-Becker said.

Another way that Meadowbrook deals with the large number of students is by being creative with the space they do have. For ex-

Meadowbrook has class sizes pushing the 27 studnet cap. The school built an addition in 2013. ample, the space that used to be two handwashing sinks now holds two small teaching rooms.

Meadowbrook, according to Evans-Becker, has a great community feel, even if half of the kids aren’t coming from the surrounding community. The parents that the school attracts have often toured multiple schools before Meadowbrook, so they are very involved with the school in many ways once they’re there.

“We have tons of very involved parents from the outside, plus the involved parents from the neighborhood. It makes quite a community of involved families at Meadowbrook,” said Evans-Becker.

Evans-Becker sites the location as one of the biggest draws for students open-enrolling. Being located minutes from Downtown Minneapolis allows parents who work in the city to drop students at school on their way to work.

Photo by Sam Eklund

“Besides great academics and community, we have the great location to go with it,” Evans-Becker said.

After Meadowbrook, the next biggest school is Alice Smith Elementary, with 553 students. Even West Junior High doesn’t reach the enrollment Meadowbrook has, topping off at 692 students.

However, Meadowbrook’s impressive size in the context of the rest of Hopkins is merely average in the other area schools. If Meadowbrook were in the Minnetonka district, it would actually be a smaller school in comparison to the other elementaries.

Even with its size, Meadowbrook is taking large steps to continue the growth it has seen. To Dr. Evans-Becker, there seems to be no issue with the situation the school is in.

“I don’t think I’m worried about [the growth]. It’s exciting!” Evans-Becker said.

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BEHIND THE

WHEEL 5

by Abby Doeden and Michael Korsh Print Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor

A look into student drivers and parking policies at HHS

Parking passes One day after school, Simon Wright, senior, went out to the parking lot and saw that he had a bright orange boot on his car.

“I was upset, and I wanted to get it off. I went to talk to Traci Meyer and I had to pay a fine before [the office] would take it off,” Wright said.

To many students, it seems as though the school has been giving out boots more often this year than in previous years.

However, Traci Meyer, HHS Dean of Students, and in charge of parking at HHS, says that is not the case.

“We have always used ‘boots.’ The primary purpose is to identify the

driver of the vehicle. We tend to only use them when there are several violations or if there is an immediate safety concern,” Meyer said.

There is no question that HHS needs a parking lot for students to use.

With the variety of after school activities, and the numerous courses that go off campus during the day, the option to drive to school is beneficial for many students. However, there have been questions arisen this year as to the amount of money the parking passes cost, and efficiency of the parking lot.

“I think [the parking passes] are way overpriced.

It’s not worth $300 to go park somewhere you are required to go every day.

Many people just go park in the lot anyways because [the passes] are too expensive,” said Josie Sandford, sophomore.

While there are many other ways students could be spending that $300, the price has been $300 for many years, and is unlikely to change soon, as it is a district-level choice. The money paid by students goes to many things, including upkeep of HHS. “The parking money is used for upkeep of the parking lot. The remaining money goes to the general fund for the district,” Meyer said.

Another cause of problems has been traffic in and out of the parking lot.

During the summer before the 2015-16 school year, the direction of traf-

fic was changed in the lot.

“I don’t like the change because if you want to get out quick, you have to park in the back of the parking lot,” said Annika Carlander, senior.

In addition to the traffic flow, there have been 370 parking passes sold this year. With this many cars in the lot, it makes for finding parking spaces harder in the morning, and leaving the parking lot harder at the end of the day.

“It’s a struggle to get out of the parking lot at the end of the day. People are always honking at each other and it is quite stressful,” said Kristin Mandeville, sophomore. “Also parents drop their kids off in the parking lot, making it a lot busier.”

COST OF PARKING BETWEEN SCHOOLS

$60

$100

$170

$225

in-depth 7

the

RPFriday, December 2, 2016 The HHS driving experience

“Driving at HHS is very hard,” Savitz said.

At the age of 16, many “It’s almost obnoxious.”

HHS students are eligible The aggression and to receive their driver’s chaos are common charlicense, beginning their acteristics of high school experience as a driver at drivers, including here at HHS. Adam Friedman, HHS. In fact, according senior, says he experiences to Meyer, drivers at HHS difficulty leaving school as have affected the law and a driver. the surrounding commu“‘The parking lot is too nity. hard to get out of because “In the past, I have repeople are too aggressive,” ceived several community said Friedman. reports of reckless drivLast week, Jacob Sav- ing when students leave itz, sophomore, received the parking lot and enter his driver’s license. In only public roads,” Meyer said. a week, Savitz has already “[Administration’s] exunderstood the chaotic pectations of students is situation at HHS’ parking to always be respectful to lot. others and follow local

traffic rules and laws.”

But some students don’t see this issue as solely students’ faults. Sandford believes that the driving experience at HHS could be improved with the addition of more exits around the school. “[HHS’ driving environment] seems unique to HHS, because we’re the only school with only one main exit,” Sandford said.

As the winter season approaches, driving here at HHS will come with even more difficulty. According to the Minn. Department of Public Safety, in 2015, 12.9 percent of all crashes in 2015 occurred

during snow, sleet, hail, or freezing rain. Friedman expects to face even more challenges this winter.

“This is my first winter driving so I’m nervous, especially with trying to get out of school,” Friedman said.

Regardless of season, location, or other circumstances, Meyer offers her advice to ensure student safety.

“Please always remember to drive safe, whether you are on-campus or off-campus,” Meyer said.

“The parking passes are too expensive, but necessary to keep the lots nice during the winter,” said Joey Swnason, senior.

“The prices for the passes are ridiculous becasue they cost $300,” said Natalie Denhartog, junior.

“I have recieved a parking ticket from the school becasue I parked in the visitors spots,” said Anna Nagel, junior. “The parking passes here are too expensive.”

“It’s hard to get out of the parking lot right way, which is hard if you have stuff to do,” said Leo Reuder, junior.

S:

$300

$300

$300

$350 prices gathered through each school’s website photos licensed through Creative Commons

8 op/ed The Royal Page 2016-2017

Print Editor-inChief Abby Doeden

Web Editor-in Chief Noah Kaplan

Managing Editor Michael Korsh

News Editor Sebastien Karo

Feature Editor David J. Sheldon

Sports Editor Andy Weisman

Photo Editor Bea Frank

Video Editor Zach Roy

Social Editor Sophia Koritz

Staff Reporters Evie Barczak Deveraux Davis Sam Eklund Noah Fogel Matt Gerstner James Gulden Cole Kristal Maya Kupritz Sam Leervig Jake Lehman Kyle Miller Jordyn Petty Jordan Zaroff

Adviser

Jeff Kocur

the

RP Friday, December 2, 2016

STAFF EDITORIAL

Painting a picture of HHS Painting the senior rock is a valuable form of student expression Over the past few weeks, the senior rock at HHS has undergone many changes. From the rainbow flag representing the LGBTQ+ community to a victorious tribute to our new president-elect, this “senior rock” has represented more than just the class of 2017.

Rather, the rock has now become a medium for student expression.

It’s not a new phenomenon in the USA— similar rocks can be found on numerous high school and college campuses.

But as the purpose of our own senior rock begins to change,

it is time we join the greater conversation about freedom of expression.

Amidst the controversy surrounding some of the views expressed, The Royal Page believes that the rock is a positive way for students to present our beliefs and opinions.

In Aug. 2016, the University of Chicago sent a letter to its incoming freshman class that rejected the concepts of “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings,” which they argued inhibits students’ freedom of expression.

In a portion of the letter, the University wrote, “Diversity

of opinion and background is a fundamental strength of our community. The members of our community must have the freedom to espouse and explore a wide range of ideas.”

As a student newspaper, we couldn’t agree more. Our First Amendment rights allow The Royal Page to present a variety of student perspectives, and through our Op/Ed section, start a conversation on the issues that need to be talked about. A diversity of opinion is a vital component to the diversity that HHS values so strongly.

Of course, there are limitations to expression, including at the senior rock. We believe the explicit graffiti at and surrounding the senior rock is not a valid form of student expression. In fact, its presence legitimizes using the rock to express yourself in the first place.

We understand that now more than ever, it’s difficult to accept everyone’s opinions. But as a newspaper, as a school, and as a community, it’s something that we all have to do.

So, HHS students, write a guest editorial here at The Royal Page. Use social media to share

EDITORIAL BOARD VOTE: AGREE DISAGREE

9 0

Show up

Inequalities in school spirit create unfairness to students

by Sam Eklund Staff Reporter One of the greatest parts of being in high school is supposed to be the school spirit and camaraderie in the student body. However, when I walk in the door every morning, that’s not what I feel. I know that it will never be like the movies, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try.

I like to think of myself as someone who shows up, but that’s not what I see from many people at HHS. Just by looking at attendance at events over the past few months, it’s not hard to see there’s an issue.

I don’t want to sound preachy or anything along those lines; all I’m hoping to do is show students how much more enjoyable their high school career can be. None of that can happen, however, if there’s nothing to base this off of.

Here are just a few examples.

Student Government recently

cancelled the movie night event because of ticket sales (or lack thereof ); a total of nine tickets were sold.

At ProPel’s Men’s Volleyball event, not enough of the people who had previously signed up to play actually did; this resulted in the teams having to be changed, causing the entire structure of the tournament to change.

At the school talent show last year, myself and the rest of the performers played to a crowd of no more than 15.

Rather than complaining about the Homecoming dance and not going because “nobody else is,” be the person that reverses that logic, get people to think that “everyone is going.”

If nobody takes action, nothing will improve.

One of the most notable aspects is the attendance at any sporting event other than boys’ basketball or football. For example, when the girls’ basketball team played in state last year, I was part of a student section that didn’t even fill a whole

row. Soccer teams regularly play in front of student crowds numbering few to none.

This doesn’t sound like the kind of high school experience you look forward to all the way through growing up. Even with all the stuff that students have going on, coming together as a student body should not be a rarity.

If possible, let this be a wake up call, a call to arms of sort. We go to a great school, full of people who work very hard to give us opportunities we wouldn’t even have access to. Show some appreciation for this, and high school will be a better experience for everyone.

Next time you see an event that interests you or even catches your attention, think back to this. Events will continue to be lame if there aren’t people to enjoy it. Show up and make your own high school experience better, while making HHS a better place in general.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down HHS students and staff share their thoughts on the change in HHS’ start time to 7:50.

“It lets me sleep more, and it’s more aesthetically pleasing.”

-Cristian Solorzano, senior

“I dislike it, because I ride the school bus and have to wake up at 6 am.”-Colin Hammond, junior “It makes more sense because it’s not on an odd time, which makes school easier to schedule.” -Mr. Champ Nelson, Mathematics “Why can’t we start at 9 or 11 or noon? And it doesn’t have the ring of 7:47.” -Caitlyn Crowley, junior

The editorial represents the opinion of the newspaper staff. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body or the advisor. Signed viewpoints represent the view of the writer.

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

“I like it. It’s logical and easy to remember.” -Mr. Phillip Brown, Music

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.

your views with the world. And paint the rock.

“It’s three extra minutes, but it could throw off some people’s morning.” -Ati Hernke, sophomore photo by Bea Frank

the

RP Friday, December 2, 2016 op/ed 9 The Royal Page is thankful for...

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, editors share what they’re thankful for I am most thankful for my family and my friends who are always there for me when I need them. Without them, I wouldn’t have the amazing memories I have.

I am also thankful that I am able to come to school everyday and experience a great education where I can learn new things from my teachers everyday. I am thankful for the opportunities that HHS gives me. For instance, the student guidance counselors preparing me for college, as well as all my teachers.

I am thankful for being able to play sports including tennis

which I play year round and compete on the varsity team in the spring. And I am also thankful that Minnesota has multiple sports, even though they haven’t won many championships I am still always excited for the outcomes.

I am also thankful for the new Minnesota Vikings U.S. Bank stadium, it is truly amazing and will be around for a long time.

Lastly, I am thankful for all of the soldiers who serve and defend our country and make sure that our country is safe.

I am thankful for our newspaper adviser, Jeff Kocur, because he is the one who advocates for our, and students nation wide, rights as a student press, to print and post what we deem important. Kocur also makes Newspaper a fun, inviting, and engaging class to part take in.

I can’t thank my parents enough for what they have done for my three brothers and me.

Both of my parents have been working their tails off for us, trying, and succeeding to keep enough food on our table. They also are both super supportive of my decisions, whether that is a

Andy Weisman, Sports Editor

I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given at HHS. Here, I have been able to find things that I want and love to do. I have found my passion for journalism, and learned how to be a better leader through the role of Print Editor-in-Chief.

I have also developed my love for dance and learned what it means to be a part of a team. I have been given the chance to

David Sheldon, Feature Editor

make friends that I will cherish forever, and have learned many crucial life lessons. I am especially thankful for my family and all of the support they give me. I would not be where I am today without the people who have helped shape my life.

I am thankful for the very diverse student body at HHS. The diversity in the halls of HHS is unmatched. One example of the diversity at HHS is through religion and the celebration and observation of their winter holidays, from Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa and others. Over the years, I have been taught so much about each of these holidays by my peers

I have known them for a couple of months or for years each one is special to me. They bring me coffee when I am sick. They lend me their clothes to wear when I have nothing. They give me their honest opinion on every question I ask them. If I am at home bored I know they are just a call away from something exciting to do.

Sophia Koritz, Social Editor

When we think about what we’re thankful for, it’s difficult to not be cliche or materialistic.

So this year, I’ve decided to be both cliche and materialistic.

I’m thankful for my friends, who I’m sure are reading this because I force them to. You all brighten my otherwise dull school days with laughter, and are always there for me when I need you.

I’m thankful for the transition into the holiday season.

Thank you, Trader Joe’s, for your Dark Chocolate Covered

Peppermint Joe Joe’s. And thank you, Starbucks Coffee, for your Peppermint Mochas (which I have recently discovered to be amazing).

I’m thankful for the little things in my life, like the starting blocks at NJH, the chips at Chipotle, and fuzzy socks.

I could go on and on about these things, so for the sake of space, I’d like to conclude that in my life, there’s a lot to be thankful for— and I think the fact that I can say that is what I’m most thankful for.

Michael Korsh, Managing Editor

and classmates. Without our diverse student body, chances are I would only know about Hanukkah, and, of course, my favorite holiday: Christmas.

The diversity at HHS can really bring the best out of many students, and pushes others to step out of their comfort zone, to make new types of friends, and to learn new things.

Noah Kaplan, Web Editor-in-Chief

Abby Doeden, Print Editor-in-Chief

I am thankful for my friends. Without my friends I wouldn’t be able to truly be myself. They support me through everything. I can always rely on them to keep a secret or help me through tough times. My friends are there for me 24/7 and whenever I need something I know they will be there. They are a support system away from home. When I am with my friends we always have a fun and laugh the entire time. Whether

class at HHS or eventually the college I attend, I know they have my back in any situation.

Finally, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn here at HHS. I am a very privileged teenager and sometimes act as such, but I really do thank the teaching staff for putting up with me and my shenanigans every once and awhile. Having this opportunity to have an education isn’t the case for all so again I am thankful for my education.

Ways to Get Out of 10 : Top the Parking Lot

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Pretend you’re a school bus

Steal and hide people’s keys Invest in a jetpack Honk for no reason Slash people’s tires Ride over the fields at NJH Leave school early Drive a snowplow to scare everyone Put a boot on everyone else’s cars Be as aggressive as you would in the Sweet Martha’s line

10 sports

the

RP Friday, December 2, 2016

HHS almunus Kris Humphries discusses life after HHS

by Andy Weisman Sports Editor Kris Humphries, HHS alumnus and current power forward of the NBA team the Atlanta Hawks has a story that many don’t know about.

Humphries attended HHS from 2000-2003, where some of his greatest accomplishments began. “[After attending HHS] I have learned that I always have to stay grounded and remember who and what got me to where I am today,” Humphries said. “I also learned that there will be bumps in the road to success but you can’t let them keep you down. You have to keep pushing.”

Not only was Humphries a basketball player, but he was also a swimmer early in his childhood.

At the age of 10 years old, Humphries became the best swimmer in the nation for six events. Including beating young Michael Phelps in some of the events he swam in. Additionally, he held the U.S. national record for the 50 meter freestyle for boys ages 10 and under.

At age 12, he stopped swimming and decided to pursue and focus on basketball instead.

By the time he was a junior, Humphries had led the Royals basketball team to a 25-2 record and helped them receive their first state championship in over 49 years.

“I was always impressed with Kris, he always had a really great systematic approach to work on his game every day.

He used to get up every summer day at 6:00 am and would lift for two hours, and then shoot hoops for two hours, and then would go play with older

guys and then he would come back and shoot some more,” said Coach Ken Novak Jr. “He was probably working around eight hours a day and some kids right now play an hour a day and they think that is enough… that wasn’t the case with Kris.

He improved so drastically, I don’t even think he realized how much he improved from the time he got to HHS he was just okay but by the time he graduated he was one of the best players in the nation.”

Humphries averaged a double-double through his final three seasons as a member of the Royals. As a senior, he lit up the stat sheet every night including an average of 25.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

Continuing his impressive junior season, in 2003 [senior year] he was named a McDonald's All-American as well a part of the Super 25 Basketball Team by USA Today, named Minnesota Mr. Basketball and State Player of the Year. He also was one of the 10 finalists in Naismith Prep Player of the Year award.

Throughout Humphries’ days at HHS, he learned a lot from every teacher but specifically his Coach Ken Novak Jr. “Coach Novak taught me so many things about basketball and life it would be hard to list them all. Most importantly I saw the dedication and preparation it takes to be successful in life and basketball. Also, I saw the passion he has for the game and I try to have that same passion for the game to this day,’’ Humphries said.

Humphries was considered a five star recruit by many sources and websites, he also ranked number 15 player in the nation

Royals Player Profiles “I’m looking forward to battling hard with the boys and creating better team chemistry,” -Bobby Wilson, junior, goalie for boys hockey

Provided by Bobby Wilson

“The season has been really good so far. Our team is really close this year, and we are all working really hard everyday at practice to accomplish our goals and be as successful as we can,” -Taylor Rosenzweig, senior, dance team

Provided by Taylor Rosenzweig

“I’m expecting our girls team to make it to state. I’m looking forward to ski camp in December and hanging out with the team,’’ -Renae Anderson, senior, nordic skiing Provided by Renae Anderson

“With all of the new young

Provided by Sydney Schaefer

girls on our team I expect us to work hard, and be determined,and I’m excited to get to know everyone better as well as getting to see everyone’s new routines at our first meet,” -Sydney Schaefer, junior, gymnastics

Coach Ken Novak, pulls Kris Humphries aside during game and gives advice. The Royals won the state championship in 2003. provided by Mr. Ken Novak Jr.

for the class of 2003.

“The things that I will remember most about HHS are: the strong basketball tradition, Ken Novak Sr. and Jr., the amazing fan support and the rivalry with Minnetonka. Off and on throughout the years I have played pickup basketball during the summer with Dan Coleman [HHS alum, played Basketball overseas,]” Humphries said.

“Also, I have remained close

friends with David Gardner who was a couple of years older than me. He currently owns a successful technology business in Chicago. It was an amazing feeling to be part of Coach Novak’s first championship, first of many to come.”

At first, Humphries had accepted an offer from Duke University, however after much thought he decided to commit to the University of Minnesota.

“There were several factors that influenced my decision to stay in state and go to the U of M. First, I wanted to continue to work with the same people that helped me get to that point.

Second, I wanted to be close to my family and my grandfather who was going through some health issues at the time and I wanted him to be able to come and see me play,” Humphries said. “Also, both of my parents

attended the U of M, and my father played football for the Gophers.”

After playing for the Gophers for a year, Humphries decided to declare for the NBA draft. He was selected in the first round by the Utah Jazz with the 14th pick.

Humphries has been on many NBA teams including: Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey/ Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns. He has had many successful seasons in the NBA and over his whole career has averaged 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.

Not only is Humphries an NBA player, he also owns some of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurants throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin and plans to open more in the future. He is involved in the expansions, overall business operations, major decisions and financing, but not as much in the day to day operations.

“Being an athlete helps you understand the process and work it takes to be successful at anything in life. I have also learned that things don’t happen overnight, you have to be calculated and patient in both sports and business,” Humphries said.

If Humphries had one message for all student athletes it would be to take the sacrifices now for success in the future.

“The biggest mistake an athlete can make is thinking they are doing everything possible to be the best they can when they actually aren’t,” Humphries said.

“That being said, you should always keep people around you that will tell you the truth and keep you grounded.”

Girls hockey starts season with determination

by Evelyn Barczak Sports Reporter On Wed. Nov. 2, the outdoor temperature reached 60 degrees while girls hockey held tryouts inside the Minnetonka Ice Arena.

After one-week-long tryouts, a varsity and junior varsity roster was finalized, and the season preparation began. The Royals’ practices include drills to enhance technique and offense before the season’s quick start.

“We’re working hard to improve our shooting and scoring this year; from here on out we’ll be focusing on puck handling and shooting,” said Chris Erickson, head coach.

With 10 seniors, the Royals are anticipating a strong season supported by their leadership and improvement.

“I think we’ve got a really good group of seniors so it’ll be exciting to see them finish up their high school career and we’re looking forward to a great season,” Erickson said.

For captain Stella Haberman, senior, her last year as a Royal is bittersweet.

“This season I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun with these girls that I’ve grown up playing with, getting prepared to play in college and just enjoying my last season here at HHS. I want to go out on a strong season,” Haberman said.

The new season also provides new opportunities to developing players of the past years.

“We’re expecting big seasons from [juniors] Kylie Hanley, Annika Patterson, and [seniors] Haberman and Kate Glover. [ Juniors] Kallie Kuemichel and Amanda Olson have really impressed us the first couple days [at tryouts] so we’re expecting them to step up and play a lot more than they have and be more apart of the offense,” Erickson said.

Currently they have three college commits on their varsity team: Hanley, committed to University of Minnesota - Duluth, Haberman, committed to the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Glover, committed to Harvard.

As the season kicks off, Annika Carlander, senior, hopes to

Royals girls huddle around net before first game where they beat the Orono Spartans 3-0. The Royals’ curent record is 5-2. provided by Kylie Hanley

fulfill her role as an upperclassman during her last year on the team.

“I hope people remember me as a strong person and leader,” said Carlander. “I hope people look up to me as an important goal-tender in the program.”

The Royals’ season opener was on Thurs. Nov. 10 against Orono at 7p.m.

The Royals beat the Spartans 3-0, and hope to use their confidence in their games ahead.

“It’s good to get [the first game] over with so now we can focus on what we need to work

on. We have a couple of young girls that were thrown into the mix and there’s just a few things we need to tweek. The effort is there it’s just we made a few too many mistakes,” Erickson said.

Although there’s still work to be done, Glover remains optimistic about their strong start.

“I’m looking forward to everyone settling into their spots.

Our team is a good mix of seniors, juniors, and younger girls, so I’m excited to see us all mesh together,” Glover said.

sports 11

the

RP Friday, December 2, 2016

What’s next for the state champs: Boys look to continue where they left off

by Kyle Miller Sports Blogger As the clock struck zero in last year’s state championship basketball game, the Royals realized they had avenged their loss in the first round of the state championship with a 6455 victory over the Lakeville North Panthers to become state champions.

However, according to Head Coach Ken Novak, who is in his 26th season here at Hopkins, the focus this season is not on winning the state championship again. ¨We look at it differently.

We need to play the best we can play and become the best team we can be,” Novak said. “We’re not really looking at if we win so many games or if we win the state title.”

Losing talented players, like Vinnie Shahid, who is playing basketball at Western Nebraska Community College and Amir

Coffey, who is playing for the hometown Minnesota Golden Gophers, will cause new Royals to step up this year.

Ishmael El-Amin and Simon Wright, seniors, were two people who Novak said need to step up and be leaders this season.

“Obviously Ish and Simon played a lot of basketball last season so they’ll be ready to go. Joe Hedstrom and Anthony Davis, juniors, will be key players this year as well. Other players will need to step up as well, but we haven’t seen who those players are yet,” Novak said.

With three of the top five scorers and rebounders, Coffey, Shahid and Xavier Johnson being in college, Hedstrom knows he will need to be a leader for the team this year because he was a factor in the Royals’ state title run. ¨I can impact the team by showing leadership and leading

by example. Also, I can provide an inside presence, rebound, protect the basket and be productive with a high motor. We have some big roles for people to fill this year after losing three starters,¨ Hedstrom said.

As far as the style of play this year, it may be a little different than in past years. In past years Hopkins hasn’t had a great post game but that will change this year. That is largely due to Hopkins having tall players this year.

Hedstrom is 6 ft.10in, Wright is 6 ft. 6 in, and also Boye Mafe, standout linebacker, plays basketball and is 6 ft. 5 in. Teams with good height do not necessarily have it made though. ¨I think we’re gonna be a fairly tall team. We’ll probably be a little bit different defensively because of it. Tallness is good if you’re tall and quick, if you’re tall and slow then you’re going to be in trouble. Agility and quickness are gonna be fo-

last year after losing four senior starters.

cal points this season,¨ Novak said.

The Royals toughest challenge this season will likely be the Champlin Park Rebels, who went 20-6 last season. This season, the Rebels are led by Theo John and McKinley Wright, seniors. John recently committed to Marquette and Mckinley recently committed to Dayton, which are both Division One basketball schools.

Although the Royals will play talented teams this year, they will always be considered a top team due to their coach and winning history.

“Our team has a lot of talent and I think we can really do something special if we work hard and build chemistry together. We have a lot of pieces, now we just need leadership to put them in place,¨ Hedstrom said.

Photo taken after Royals basketball won the state championship in 2015-2016 season. The Royals beat the Lakeville North Panthers 64-55. photo by Ruby Krietzman

Boys hockey looks to improve from last seasons 6-17-1 record

by Matt Gerstner Sports Reporter

Royals hockey team lines up before game for the national anthem and starting line ups. Royals played the Woodbury Royals in their first game.

provided by Bobby Wilson

Minnesota is gearing up for it’s favorite sports season. Even though it is not a professional sport, high school boys hockey has a huge following in the state of Minnesota. And the Royals boys hockey team is getting ready too.

The Royals finished up their tryouts the week of Mon. Nov. 14. Now, with teams decided, the Royals are getting ready to start their season, and head coach Corey Peterson is ready as well. After having a record of 6-17-1 last season, Peterson wants to change what last year’s team lacked.

“Last year we were inconsistent with our work ethic and physical game. This year is a completely different group that we know can bring both to every practice and game,” Peterson

said.

The Royals graduated 14 seniors last season. There are a lot of sophomore and junior players that will be moving up to play at the varsity level. Players will have to step up to that level. But Coach Peterson is not too concerned about this shift.

“We have a lot of talent coming up and as coaches we are excited. We expect the younger players to want to win and understand if they work for it they'll get it,” Peterson said.

For all sports, the Royals play in the Lake Conference, which is renowned for the skill of the sports teams. But for boys hockey, the state champion, the Wayzata Trojans, and the State runner-up, the Eden Prairie Eagles, are both teams that the Royals will face twice a year. But this is something Coach Peterson is excited for.

“I like to play teams where

we as coaches have to study up on and the players are anxious for. Look at our schedule and that's most of them. The easiest way to answer that is Conference games. Everyone at those games are excited and the rink has a good energy,” Peterson said.

Ryan St. Clair, senior, captain, is coming upon his senior season with the program, a moment he’s been thinking about since he started playing at 4 years old. St. Clair is excited to make this season a special one for the team.

“I’m excited for people to pack the Pav, (The Hopkins Pavilion where the Royals play their home games) and for the team to get some good W’s on our record,” St. Clair said.

With there only being 10 seniors on the squad, St. Clair has high expectations for his teammates. He also is excited to

see goalie Bobby Wilson, junior, step up into the starting role, after goalie Parker Swanson moved to Michigan.

“I want the boys to be grinders, sauce some good passes, and bang some bodies. I want Bobby to have a stand out year as well.

If we do that we’ll have a more successful year than last year,” St. Clair said.

St. Clair is ready to stepup for his teammates, and still knows he has work to do this year and is ready to leave it all out on the ice.

“I want to be named AllConference, which is a huge accomplishment in the Lake [Conference].”

The Royals will play their first game against the Hudson (Wisconsin) High School Raiders on Fri. Nov. 25, at the Bielenberg Arena in Woodbury.

Girls basketball hopes to rebound from loss in state finals tournament

by Cole Kristal Sports Reporter The Royals girls basketball team currently has a record of 2-0 with wins against the Osseo Orioles and the Moorehead Spurds. Last season, the Royals had a record of 29-3, and made it to the State Championship finals, but lost to Minnetonka by eight points.

In the offseason, the girls believe that teams are underestimating the Royals, because they lost some key players. The Royals are working hard to get wins, and prove teams wrong.

“Don’t sleep on Hopkins,” said Dlayla Chakolis, sophomore.

In practice, the Royals worked a lot on conditioning, weightlifting, and ball handling. They worked on getting the basics of positioning down for defense, and shooting in all different places around the

court, while also working on the offensive motion. Off of the court, they worked a lot on team chemistry.

Last season, Coach Brian Cosgriff wanted the girls to focus on playing a fast game of

close defense, it causes the opposing teams to take bad shots, and make bad decisions.

With just over a week until the season starts, the Royals are putting in work. After losing twelve seniors, Cosgriff is look-

‘‘[They’re] working their tails off, they’re doing a good job, and they have great team chemistry,” Coach Brian Cosgriff said.

basketball.

“We’re not big, so we have to make sure to play really fast,” Cosgriff said.

The girls like playing the fast paced offense. They like it because it is harder to stop if they are faster than the defense they’re facing.

On defense, Cosgriff wanted to pressure the ball more than they did last year. By putting pressure on the ball, and playing

ing at Paige Bueckers, freshman, Chakolis, Raena Suggs, junior, and Dee Dee Winston, senior, to step up and help lead the Royals.

“I plan to give my team the very best of my capabilities whether if it’s being a leader that sets good examples for them to follow after,” Winston said.

“Bringing everyone together as a unit and making sure that we are all on the same page and

have the same mindset which is to love and treat each other like sisters, and go out and win that state title.”

The Royals are focusing on the Osseo game, and working hard so they can start of the season on a high note. At practice, they’re working on getting in the paint, and having quality passes, so they can get some points on the board. “[They’re] working their tails off, they’re doing a good job, and they have great team chemistry,” Cosgriff said.

The players love the game, but many players also play because of the good environment it brings, and because they love the girls they play with.

“I love my teammates.

Whatever the outcome is of the season, I will still be proud that we have worked our butts off, and that's all anyone can ask for,” Winston said.

DeAnna Winston, senior, looks to pass the ball after getting doubled teamed in the corner. The Royals beat the Eastview Lightning 85-67 at the Williams arena. provided by DeAnna Winston

RP Friday, December 2

the

12 backpage

Right: Katie Anderson, senior, and Anna Anderson, sophomore, in the opening number. Katie played Lady Larken and Anna was in the chorus

Break a leg: Right: Oliva Golden, senior, after the Spanish Panick. Golden, played Princess Winnefred

By Sam Eklund Staff Reporter

Royal Production’s fall musical draws crowds

This year’s fall musical was Once Upon a Mattress, a more lighthearted version of the fairytale Princess and the Pea. The play featured students in grades 9-12.

The play offered students roles ranging from

leads, to the chorus, and to working the sound board.

Luke Yourzak, junior, played the King in the play.

“Getting a large role in a musical gave me such a great sense of fulfilment. Beoming a character over a few months is an experience like no other,” Yourzak said.

Above: Rose Soumare, senior, fixes Josh Freeman’s, senior, tunic.

Soumare played the Queen, while Freeman played the Prince, her son.

Left: Aerin O’Malley, junior, poses for photos with a young fan.The matinee performance included a chance for kids to get photos and autographs from the cast.

Photos by: Bea Frank Page design by: Maya Kupritz