The Royal Page

the

page

ROYAL

Thursday, March 26, 2015

VOLUME 33, ISSUE 6

Looking inside

the

medicine cabinet Center-Spread

Read about prescription drug abuse and dependency among high school students in this issue’s C-spread, pages 6-7.

www.hopkinsrp.org SPORTS, page 11

Season wrap-up

Royals reign:

Boys basketball had their ups and downs in the 201415 season, recapped here.

reclaim state title

FEATURE, page 9

Alumni reporters

by Noah Kaplan and Jordan Zaroff Staff Reporters The Royals girls basketball team has won six state basketball championships, all of which have come since 2004.

The espnW, ESPN’s branch for women, ranked the Royals girls basketball team sixth in the nation on their “25 Power Rankings.” The girls dominated other teams throughout the season, including 21 total 20-plus point wins.

The Royals, led by Iowa State commit TT Starks, senior, started the season off hot, winning their first four games by a combined total of 124 points.

In the fifth game of the season, on Saturday, Dec. 6, the Royals went up against Eastview at the Tip-OffClassic in the Lindbergh Center. The game went into overtime, but the Royals were not able to hold on to the lead and lost 70-75.

Several HHS alumni now work as photojournalists for the U’s MN Daily.

Top right: Nia Hollie, junior, goes in for a layup. Hollie scored a total of 26 points in the game.

Top left: Evelyn Knox, junior, yells to her teammates as she dribbles down court.

Bottom: TT Starks, senior, hugs Madison Zemlicka, senior, after the win. The Royals played in the state championship on March 21. photos by Ruby Krietzman

BASKETBALL cont. on page 10

Operation Glass Slipper

As prom approaches, local charity provides free dresses for girls who cannot afford their own

by Haley DenHartog News Editor Smiling faces flooded through the doors of Southdale Shopping Center as hundreds of girls searched for their perfect prom dress.

The Operation Glass Slipper Princess Event was held on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 in an unoccupied corner of the mall in Edina. This year, seven girls from HHS par-

Señor Owen salsas

ticipated.

Operation Glass Slipper is a charity that specializes in distributing prom dresses and accessories to junior and senior girls who are unable to afford them.

“If you have the money to buy a 300 or 400 dollar prom dress, you don’t understand what it is like to not have what you want. You don’t want to get something at a Savers or a Goodwill so I think we are a

wonderful option,” said Pam Phillipp, founder and director of Operation Glass Slipper.

In 2007, a news story about a foundation in New Orleans that donated prom dresses to girls whose homes were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina opened Phillipp’s eyes to the need in her own community.

Mr. Owen extends his Spanish interest to salsa dancing and his own band.

Read more on

hopkinsrp.org

Choirs sweep national festival HHS Choirs performed at the Heritage Festival in Chicago on March 21. They were named Grand

Champion of the event and received many other

awards for their performances. Concert Choir, Bel Canto, Geoff, and Midori received first place

in their divisions, along with other distinctions.

Chamber Choir received a silver rating, and

Graham Hutson, senior, was named as an Outstanding Soloist. For more, read our article and see additional photos on hopkinsrp.org.

OPERATION GLASS SLIPPER cont. on page 3

“ “ ____”____” Being outside looking in and knowing that you can’t afford to go is really hard.

- Pam Phillipp, founder of Operation Glass Slipper

Top: Graham Hutson, senior, sings in Geoff. Hutson’s solo earned an Oustanding Soloist distinction.

Bottom: Concert Choir sings “Komm Süsser Tod” at the WorldStrides Heritage Festival in Chicago. photos by Josie Brott They received a gold rating for their performance at the national music event.

RP Thursday, March 26, 2015

the

2 news

RPBRIEFS Exploring post secondary options at college fair On Thursday, March 19, representatives from 127 midwest colleges visited HHS for the annual college fair.

Students were invited to visit the Lindbergh Center during fourth block to ask questions and connect with the representatives. In turn, the representatives were able to provide students with information about their schools and the college search as a whole.

In order to be present at the college fair, a school must be a member of a group of midwestern colleges. This year, the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, Creighton University, AnokaRamsey Community College, and the College of St. Scholastica were among some of the colleges that visited.

HHS hosts Community Realtor Showcase Event On Thursday March 5, 2014, HHS hosted an event for realtors from Golden Valley, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and the Hopkins School District.

The Community Showcase Realtor Event invited realtors to learn about Hopkins Public Schools and the surrounding cities.

The event included a continental breakfast and a tour of HHS along with a presentation of Hopkins Public Schools highlights.

Mr. John Unruh-Friesen, Social Studies, gave a presentation that displayed the plans for the future of HHS and how technology will be involved.

The presentation included information about the one-toone Chromebooks for next year and about the current usage of Google Docs.

Juniors take free ACT; seniors, sophomores exempt from school On Tuesday April 28, 2015 both sophomores and seniors will not be attending school. Juniors, however, will participate in a free, statewide ACT exam with writing.

In years past, this option has not been available and all students wishing to take the exam had to pay. This year, the ACT is mandatory for all juniors.

The ACT is an important part of admission for most colleges in the U.S. By allowing students the opportunity to take this test for free, one more cost for college is eliminated.

Seniors will not be required to take the test but sophomores will have to take the test next year.

briefs by Jack Smith and Ruby Krietzman

QROM is held annually at the Eisenhower Community Center. Students danced and showed support for the photo by Ruby Krietzman LGBTQIA community. photo by Ruby Krietzman

Queer Prom:

by Addie Lennon News Editor Sam Greenwald, senior, spent the evening of March 6 wearing lipstick.

“I don’t wear lipstick to school, but I like lipstick, so I thought I’d wear it to [Queer Prom],” Greenwald said.

Queer Prom (QROM) is hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club.

This year, 70 HHS students attended, and 50 students from other schools around the metro attended. The event aims to provide a safe environment for local teens who may not be comfortable expressing their sexual identity elsewhere, or who want to show support for the community.

“HHS is very inclusive,

but some schools still explicitly disallow people from going [to prom] with a partner of the same gender or dressing in clothing not appropriate to their gender,” Greenwald said.

The event was held at Eisenhower Community Center, and DJ’ed by Asher Weisberg, junior.

“There was dancing, but that wasn’t necessarily the focus; it was more about coming to enjoy what’s happening. Usually when you’re at a dance and you know you suck at dancing, you don’t dance, but the gay community is super open so people just dance their hearts out,” said Alexis Saari, senior and attendee of QROM. I have a fair amount of friends in GSA or in the gay community, and my moms are also gay, so I’ve always been

MCA evolves from pencils, paper to digitized exam

by Brian Yu Business Editor

GSA changes name to be more accomodating

around that.”

In the past, the event had been referred to as “Gay Prom,” and the club as “Gay-Straight Alliance.” This year’s name changes stem from a larger effort to make GSA more inclusive overall. Instead of referring solely to students of gay or straight sexualities, the term “queer” includes the LGBT community, asexuals, transgenders, and other identities.

“GSA has stood for Gay Straight Alliance, and people who don’t fit into those categories feel as if they can’t go,” said Karina Rivas, senior and leader of GSA. Despite the changes in terminology, GSA continues to work towards a safer HHS community through hosting

Each spring, the state of Minnesota requires public schools to administer standardized tests to measure students progress towards Minnesota’s academic standards.

For the first time in Minnesota history, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) in Math, Reading, and Science are all being taken on computers.

“I’m sure the reason behind the change is financial because it used to be an option where schools could pick between testing books and computers,” said Sarah Chamberlain, testing coordinator.

Prior to making the change from paper to computer testing, the Minnesota Department of Education researched if the change in test taking style would affect students scores.

“They have done studies and claim that scores from students who take the MCAs on computers versus paper and pencil are comparable,” Chamberlain said.

There are plenty of computers at HHS for the MCAs to be taken on.

“Our school is well endowed with computer space. It works best to test students to take the tests on desktop computers as opposed to laptops,” Chamberlain said.

Taylor Vanderploeg, junior, recently took the Math MCA and had a technical

QROM. “I think it’s really great networking. If you’re an awkward gay kid and you show up to QROM, you get to see all these super confident, super loud and proud people being themselves in this space,” Greenwald said.

“It gives people role models and friends who are going to be accepting of them.”

Greenwald acknowledges that even though the HHS community is generally accepting, there is still work to be done.

“It’s just an issue of awareness. People still don’t understand, and I think it’s important that people are learning the right things,” Greenwald said.

difficulty during the test.

“I have not been in math since first semester and I’m done taking math in high school, so I don’t have a calculator.

I thought it would be okay because there is a graphing calculator on the computer, but after two problems it glitched out and I was unable to use a calculator for the remainder of the test,” Vanderploeg said.

In the past, Chamberlain has had experiences with students who failed MCAs on the computer, but passed when they retook them on paper. Students are able to use scratch paper during all of the MCA tests, but it is different than writing on paper.

“I like taking notes, I like being able to write out the problems. I most definitely think I may have scored worse because it was on computer as opposed to paper,” Vanderploeg said.

Taking the MCAs on computers will not affect the time it takes for the Minnesota Department of Education to send students their results.

“You will not get your official results any faster, but if students are curious they could come find out from me because I receive a report before they are officially sent to students,” Chamberlain said.

news 3

the

RP Thursday, March 26, 2015

Eight seniors named National Merit finalists Eight HHS seniors were announced National Merit finalists. Top row: Matt Carter, Ben Vaaler, Gannon Youakim, Estelle Bayer. Front row: Bo Peng, Simran Mishra, Sam Greenwald, Katherine Swenson. For more information, visit hopkinsrp.org.

photo by Madison Petty

Lockdown procedures advance

Hiatus between AP classes, exams

High school students of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s hid under their desks during “duck and cover” drills meant to prepare them for a nuclear attack.

Today, teachers lock the doors to their classrooms, turn off the lights, and have the students sit quietly on the floor away from all windows.

Legislators in Minn. and other states throughout the nation have passed laws for K-12 students to perform annual lockdown drills. Such drills are necessary requirements to ensure school safety.

“Lockdown drills are valuable, because if a critical incident were to occur here, we would know how to respond efficiently,” said Mr. Jason Tait, School Liaison.

By law, Minnesota schools are required to hold five lockdown drills every school year to prepare for safety threats.

"Five drills are enough, but we could always have additional training," said Mr. Trenton Lawson, Assistant Principal.

"Active shooter" drills have also become the norm in many school districts. As of now, HHS has not held an active

The first AP exams begin on May 4, well over a month after third quarter ends.

Classes like AP Environmental Science and AP United States Government ended after the first semester, leaving over four months from the final day of the class to the test day.

Teachers recommend that students use the time before the AP exam to study independently. John Sammler, Science, AP Coordinator, doesn’t think that a gap benefits students.

The time before the test can turn into a waiting game. Namir Fearce, junior, who took AP US History last year found himself in the position like many other AP students, waiting for their test dates.

“You learn so much, your brain starts to disperse information when you are no longer using it,” Fearce said.

Fearce is not the only one who feels this way.

“My gut says it’s not ideal. I think people would be better going into it being in the class

by Justice Feldman Staff Reporter

shooting drill during school hours.

In an active shooter drill, one or more individuals with fake weapons act as school shooters and actively seek out students and staff to ‘take hostage’ or ‘attack.’ Lockdowns traditionally cover a wider range of situations than active shooter drills, including suspicious persons on school property or times in which staff need to keep students out of the hallways (locker searches, etc.).

"I would not be open to having a school shooting drill during school hours unless all stakeholders agree to and are well-informed about the drill ahead of time." Lawson said.

During the fall of 2013, staff, students and police trained in a scenario of an active shooter at Alice Smith Elementary with about 30 students from the Mainstreet School of Performing Arts role-playing as students. Personnel representing Hopkins Police, Hopkins Fire, and Hennepin EMS were present to conduct the scenario.

“Preparation is key to maintaining a high level of school safety,” Lawson said.

The Minnetonka Police Department SWAT Team has conducted a walk-through of HHS

to familiarize themselves with the school's layout.

“Every so often the police department coordinates with the school, and we conduct a walk through of the high school and practice room clearing and active shooter response,” Tait said.

Students at HHS argue that mandatory lockdown drills are more frightening than helpful.

“When the assistant principal announces that there is a lockdown drill in place, it’s sometimes nerve wracking because you never know what’s going on outside of the classroom,” said Bill Atkins, senior.

Some students believe lockdown drills are simply a time for students to talk to their friends and socialize.

“I was in a class where students did not even care whether there was a lockdown drill or not, they were just goofing off,” said Malcom White, senior.

Even though some students may feel uncomfortable or don’t take drills seriously, Lawson stresses that lockdown drills must be in place for the safety of students and staff.

“School should always be a safe place for students and staff,” Lawson said.

by Jack Bass Staff Reporter

at the same time [as the test] ,” Sammler said.

Elliot Carson and Brit Stein, Seniors, don’t mind having so much time before their AP exams.

‘It depends on the type of student you are; if you’re the type of student that’s going to take advantage of that extra time and really use it to further or maintain your knowledge, it’s really good.

The tests are just a barrier of studying. You don’t necessarily have to be smart to get fives,” Stein said.

Because the college board determines the test dates, not everyone agrees with the way the tests are given.

“Ideally, class would end and then I would have about two weeks to study on my own without the added homework from the class,” Carson said.

While some students have a longer waiting period to take their exam, Sammler has found that there is not a noticeable difference in test scores between students who took AP classes in the fall or the spring.

Although the time gap may not cater to the preferences of everyone, Sammler believes most students will find time to study for the test.

“I’m always impressed at how students actually put in a little time before hand,” Sammler said.

infographic by Addie Lennon

Operation Glass Slipper Continued from page 1

infographic by Addie Lennon

Inspired, Phillipp and her daughter, a student at Visitation High School at the time, decided to start their own organization.

Junior and senior girls from low-income families are eligible to participate in the event after filling out minimal paperwork and acquiring a signature from a counselor, school staff member, or clergy member.

After signing up, each girl has the opportunity to bring one female of their choice along to Operation Glass Slipper’s rented space on the day of the annual event and choose a prom dress, shoes, a purse, and

two pieces of jewelry - all for free.

“I think that prom is a very important time in a teenager’s life. [Being] outside looking in and knowing that you can’t afford to go is really hard,” Phillipp said.

Over the course of the twoday event, over 1,800 dresses are available for distribution, all of which have been donated or sold to the charity for $20 or less.

Periodic dress drives, dry cleaning, and sorting through thousands of dresses and accessories require Phillipp and her team of volunteers to spend three to four days a week for the entire year preparing for

the event.

Despite Phillipp’s main goal of providing girls easier access to prom, the message she sends through her charity work reaches greater lengths.

“By enabling them to go to this, they can see what prom is all about and they hopefully have a great time, but they also know that somebody has done something nice for them and maybe someday in the future, they will do something nice for somebody else,” Phillipp said.

“It’s a pay-it-forward kind of thing. You just have to do something nice for somebody else.”

RPThursday, March 26, 2015

Editorial

the

4opinion The staff editorial represents the viewpoint of the Royal Page

As third quarter finals wrap up a week of testing, we at the Royal Page find our thoughts consumed with the letter grades we will find on our report cards in a week or two to come.

What we don’t necessarily realize is that in completing the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) last week, we created a ‘Report Card’ of sorts for our school, viewable on the website of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

According to the MDE, the MCA is given to “help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota’s academic standards and also meet the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.” MDE then uses our scores along with other statistics to create their report card, measuring schools’ proficiency, growth, achievement-gap reduction, and graduation.

In sporting events, the Lake Conference inspires competition, rivalry. We fight for our wins and brood over our losses.

Every athlete has their rival in another team.

Academically, there is a disconnect. Who do we compete with in academics?

Moreover, why aren’t we competing to be the smartest?

Just last week, Monday Advisory was dismissed to make space for a pep fest, celebrating the accomplishments of winter athletes and clubs. Where was the celebration for our eight National Merit Finalists? We celebrate when students sign with a university for athletics, but have we celebrated the students who earned full-ride scholarships for academics?

Is this a problem in our school or in our nation?

By MDE’s Report Card, HHS is the second to last in the Lake Conference, in front of only Eden Prairie.

Graduation rate is another aspect measured

by MDE. At HHS, 609 students were seniors in 2013-14.

The MDE statistics show that come spring,

Top 10 :

only 528 of them graduated. 81 seniors did not don their caps or receive their diplomas; 13.3 percent of the 2014 class did not graduate.

Of those 81, 61 students continued in schooling and another 15 dropped out. The other five were unknown.

For the last several years, our graduation rate has remained below 87 percent, along with a similar percentage from Eden Prairie.

The rest of the Lake conference is in the 90 percent range.

We have coaches who inspire us to defeat the other team in athletics. What would it look like if staff pushed us academically to beat the same “teams” we face on the field?

Furthermore, MDE reported that in the 2013-14 school year, 30 percent of students were not “on track” for success, or making substantial yearly growth.

Royal Page staff members have seen basketball practices where the person doing the last sprint of killer gets cheered on by all his or her teammates. We’ve seen the softball practices where one dropped ball means a lap for everyone.

What if we fought for our academics the same way we fight out on the basketball court?

If we looked out for our fellow classmates the same way we looked out for a teammate?

Why shouldn’t we recognize our academic achievements the same way we recognize our athletes?

In a generation of “no child left behind,” we have to recognize that is not true - there are students left behind. It takes consciousness to manifest change, so we at the Royal Page hope you hear us when we say we want better for our school.

Perhaps one day, school spirit will extend to the classroom. Because if we push each other, we are the ones with the ability to make all students “on track.” Our current and future classes can top the Lake Conference and even rival with the state champions.

Reasons for “March Sadness”

10 Daylight savings time

weather is getting warm, 9 The but you’re stuck in school 8 Can you even wear white?

windows down just a 7 Car crack so it’s not too cold between winter and 6 In summer outdoor activities

you go for a run and 5 When water gets in your shoes 4 Getting a car wash is pointless

3 2

1

Hard to decide between hot and cold drinks Not having a prom dress yet.

Or a date...

You didn’t join The Royal Page’s March Madness bracket

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down In this space, HHS students share the positives and negatives of standardized testing.

“It helps show us where our graduating class is at.”-Bryce Madsen, sophomore “It makes you feel like you’re not as smart as you may actually be.” -Jaida Anderson, sophomore “The school gets funding based off of how we perform on them.” -Maddy Buckner, junior “I don’t think it accurately portrays your potential as a student.” -Noah Baker, junior “It shows me where I am in comparison to my classmates and other students in the state.” -Ava Hazelmeyer, senior “A lot of the time I overthink it when it should be easy.” -Jason Mattson, senior infographic by Madeline Martodam

No, you can’t say the n-word

Recent language on social media serves to undermine community

by Judaisha Jackson Staff Reporter We can all name many racial slurs we have heard throughout our lives. All are offensive, and all attempt to encapsulate diverse cultures and individuals under a single descriptor.

However, only of one them can be heard on a daily basis at HHS. The N word has caused fights at HHS, both virtual and physical. It is not the term itself behind the controversy, but the students who choose to use it.

Many black students complain of hearing their peers use the word on Snapchat or Twitter. Recently, there was an issue where a black student posted a snap of a white student who used the N word as his caption.

Bianca Williams, senior, took exception and responded to the student. She believes non-black students shouldn’t use the N word.

“When white people use the word it’s a symbol, or a reminder of the deep privilege they once held over us [African-Americans],” Williams said. “They may see it as harmless, but so did their ancestors.”

To blindly use it is beyond disrespectful to not only students at HHS, but an entire culture.

African-Americans took a degrading word and gave it meaning.

This is called linguistic reclaiming, or semantic looping. In an essay, Andrew T. Jacobs, a professor at Rockland Community College, discussed why African-Americans appropriated the N word.

“The African-American usage of ‘n***a’ is a strategy for asserting the humanity of black people in the face of continuing racism, a strategy that celebrates an anti-assimilationist vision of African-American identity,” Jacobs wrote.

Despite the use of the word

in the African-American community, the word can still be used by others to degrade black people. It is not okay for white students or even students of color to use it simply because they cannot empathize with or relate to what the word represents.

In a recent debate on CNN, Marc Lamont Hill, a professor at Morehouse College, explained why the word is not intercultural.

“I might see Trinidad James on the street and call him ‘my n***er.’ You know why? Because he is my n***er. And the difference between Trinidad James and you, is that Trinidad James has to deal with the same oppressive situations, he’s born to a world where anti-black racism prevails, he lives in a world where police might shoot him on the street no matter how much money he has - we share a collective condition known as n***er,” Hill said. “White people don’t.”

That is why women can call other women b**** or gay people can call other gay people queer.

For me, the N word is a symbol of brother or sisterhood. Though I don’t like being referred to by the N word, I tolerate it when it’s coming from someone in my culture.

The power is not in the word, but in the person behind it.

For a non-black person to refer to me as the N word is scary. They are in the position to offend me, to deny me of my humanity, to hurt me. The worst part is that no matter what version of the word they use, they can still do these horrible things.

Yes, the N word may have developed into a slang term, but that does not make a difference.

Slang is just an informal way of saying the same thing. Keep in mind that the term ‘n***a’ derives from the south, which is known for its heavy use of jargon.

While students at HHS debate its role in culture, there is no denying that for some it has been used as an instrument of hate.

Dr. Stanley Brown, equity coordinator for Hopkins Public Schools, can vividly remember being told, “N---er, get to the back of the bus.”

And while Brown believes no one should use the N word, he understands why black students take exception to non-black students using the word.

“I think that if people began to realize the painful history of the word, they would be able to understand why AfricanAmerican students at HHS specifically do not appreciate their peers using the word,” Brown said.

There can be instances where a black student is okay with anyone using the N word, and that opinion should also be respected.

JaMichael Ellis, junior, does not have a problem with nonblack students using the N word.

“I think it’s just a word,” Ellis said. “As long as they use it to mean ‘my guy, or my n---a,’ I don’t really care if they use it.”

Though many AfricanAmericans agree with Ellis’s view, never assume that someone is okay with it. Asking before you use the word is the most appropriate thing to do.

And because one black person allows you to use it, does not mean that the black person five feet away is okay with it.

HHS is a diverse community full of talented, intelligent and inspirational students. We are so great because we are able to interact with and respect each other. To prevent future conflicts, I suggest that non-black students do not use the N word at HHS. Or on social media, or any platform where you can offend people that look like me. Or, how about you just don’t use it at all.

RPThursday, March 26, 2015

the

special feature 5

Rape unreported: Sources: Rape Response Services, The Representation Project, Crisis Connection Inc., National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, and the Rape, Abuse, and Incest Network

The Royal Page explores the pervasiveness of rape in different communities and settings through research and statistics in the second of three special features about rape.

8 survey results about sexual assault gathered from the 2013 HHS Student Survey In each column on each graph, ninth graders are the left two bars and eleventh graders are the right two. For each grade, the percentage of students who replied “yes” to the question is on the left and the percentage who said “no” is on the right.

Sexual assault numbers don’t tell whole story

by Callan Showers and Nate Pasko Print Editors-in-Chief

7 FAST FACTS ABOUT RAPE IN AMERICA

Piktochart graphics

by Isabella Weisman and Callan Showers

Viewpoint: Rape is real, we must talk about it

by Claire Benton Front Page Editor For more than 15 years, the number of rapes proportionate to the Minneapolis’s population has been about three times higher than the U.S. average. As of Feb. 5, there were 147 registered sex offenders living in the city of Minneapolis alone, as recorded in official public records.

As I looked through the records of those sex offenders, I noticed that many of them gained access to their victims by initiating conversation or offering help in a public place. Most went on to use force, including weapons.

In high school, we discuss depression, substance abuse, and consensual sex; we discuss what

these are and what to do about it.

The discussion on rape is a limited one, which leaves me unsure what to do.

It’s not until our junior or senior year that the word “rape” is mentioned in health class. But rape is an issue that pervades more than junior and senior year in high school. 29 percent of sexual assault and rape victims are ages 12 to 17.

Children under the age of 12 constitute another 15 percent.

There have been posters about teen pregnancy and depression in the bathrooms. We’ve all seen a condom and learned about STD’s. Those are issues that I recognize, but what if I don’t see a sexual assault coming?

What if I don’t even recog-

nize the situation that could lead to a rape?

This is a topic that we should better acknowledge. We need to address its severity and teach young adults how to better protect themselves.

It may seem obvious how to keep yourself out of dangerous situations: walk with purpose or stay in a group. If I were approached by someone with a weapon, however, I would have no clue how to conduct myself.

And the thought of that terrifies me.

Rape is ranked as the second most violent crime by the FBI, preceded by murder. Its definition is marked by the lack of consent from the victim, leaving rapes

to be shockingly violent assaults. Yet by avoiding any constructive conversations about rape, we dismiss it at risk of it becoming a lesser situation than more commonly discussed crimes.

It cannot be assumed that just because there are no numbers on the matter that rape does not happen among high schoolers, and it should be assumed that the vast majority of them go unreported.

Both females and males should be taught how to respond to rape and how to speak up after the unspeakable. As of today, however, we tend to ignore its very existence.

In 2014, one out of the 15 victims of rape reported to the Minnetonka Police department was under the age of 18.

However, both statistics and Ms. Lisa Ashley, HHS Social Worker, agree that the number may very well be higher.

“It’s shame; it’s guilt; it’s the feeling that ‘I did something wrong’ - there are a lot of reasons that rape goes unreported,” Ashley said.

The Rape, Abuse, and Incest Network (RAINN) reported that 54 percent of all rapes are not reported. However, when narrowing in on statistics surrounding young people, Crisis Connection, Inc. (CCI) noted that only 10 percent of college rapes are reported to police.

Mr. Jason Tait, Minnetonka Police detective and school liaison officer, noted that once reported, cooperation by the victim can make rape cases especially difficult to bring to trial.

“The many feelings involved can make it difficult to move through the long court process. However, if the information and evidence is there, we always try to ensure that the suspect is prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Tait said.

Rape cases can be especially emotionally charged because about two thirds of victims know their attackers, as noted by RAINN. Random attacks, like what happened to the 20-year-old University of Minnesota student who was raped at 12:45 a.m. on March 23, are rare.

Ashley is a professional that rape victims could turn to for help at HHS. Individual counselors, the school nurse, administration, and Tait are other HHS staff that are equipped to consult with a victim or go to with knowledge of a rape.

Ashley is trained in direct practice with children and families. She would not quantify how many victims she speaks with each year.

“If someone disclosed to me that they had been sexually violated I would talk with them directly, personally, and

confidentially about what they want to have happen. If someone has been raped, they feel powerless,” Ashley said. “So I think one of my jobs is to empower them - give them a sense of choice and control in the situation.”

Although Ashley stated that she has a broad understanding of sexual violence and the trauma surrounding it, she would need to have a more specialized degree to be considered an expert. When a student who has been raped requests expert intervention, the HHS counseling department can find support for them from places such as the Sexual Violence Center, a Twin Cities organization that seeks to support and counsel victims and survivors of sexual violence.

The Sexual Violence Center offers a 24-hour service hotline, in-person counseling, support groups, crisis groups in hospitals, legal advocacies, and prevention services, according to their website www.sexualviolencecenter.org.

For Tait, rape cases that do get to court are tried like any other criminal investigation.

“We conduct interviews with the victim and any possible witnesses and collect available evidence. If the suspect is known, we will contact and interrogate them. If they’re not known, we will take steps to find and interrogate them.

Then, if we have sufficient evidence, the suspect will be tried in court,” Tait said.

The Hopkins Police Department could not supply the number of rape victims under the age of 18 in 2014. However, there were eight total rapes reported. In Minnesota in 2011, 2,080 total rapes were reported according to the Department of Public Safety.

Perhaps due to the number of rape victims who feel as if they can’t vocalize what happened to them, Ashley has seen a large number suffer from cooccurring mental disorders.

She recalled one particular story from the past in which a student became mentally unstable and suicidal.

“It wasn’t until she was hospitalized in a safe, therapeutic place that she said, ‘Yeah, I was assaulted at a party that happened way earlier in the year,’” Ashley said.

Look the

When it comes time to prepare for a test, students are told the formula: put down their phones, postpone their social plans, and start reviewing.

Some students who find this combination too difficult turn to Adderall for help. This was the case for a student who illegally consumed the drug and wishes to remain anonymous.

“I think the stress of junior year made me turn to taking Adderall. I tried other things, but I just didn’t have the discipline,” the consumer said. “It wasn’t necessarily a last resort, but more of an experiment.”

This so-called experiment has evolved into a social norm. Because Adderall has become such an accessible medication, some students disregard the dangers and illegality of the drug.

“In society, [Adderall] doesn’t really have a bad reputation compared to Xanax, so I think I still would have taken it even if I knew the effects. I think I would have been more cautious, but I don’t regret taking it,” the consumer said.

While the abusers appear unconcerned with the consequences of this medication, the suppliers also do not accept responsibility for their illegal behavior.

“For me, I did it for the money, and overall, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” said a student who made the decision to supply Adderall and also wishes to remain anonymous.

Ms. Bobbi Pointer, school nurse, and other HHS staff accept their role in this discussion and work to maintain a healthy environment for their students. Pointer explains that students are not allowed to carry around medication other than Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Epipens, and inhalers in order to keep people safe and prevent medication abuse.

“I will often be asked to identify a pill that has been taken off somebody that got caught doing something.

Sometimes it’s Adderall, and sometimes it’s other things,” Pointer said.

When Adderall is brought to school for those students who are prescribed to it, Pointer must follow specific rules.

“When I get [Adderall], I have to count it and make sure that I have all of it. My records are very clear about how Adderall is used here at school,” Pointer said. “So I think [the school] takes it very seriously and doesn’t want our kids carrying or using stuff that is not theirs.”

Despite the prevention taught in HHS health classes and safety precautions taken by staff, students are still abusing the drug because they enjoy the short-term positive effects.

“When I used [Adderall], I was focused, I got all my missing work done, I was able to study and read, and I didn’t want to stop,” the consumer said. “When you take it, you don’t want to stop what you’re doing. You’re on a mission, and you’re going to get that mission done.”

Even though the consumer recognized a change in her behavior, she assumed the change was positive and natural.

“I honestly thought because it is a legal drug, nothing bad is going to happen. In my mind, I didn’t see it as a big deal because it is a positive thing that helps people focus,” the consumer said.

While some suppliers know that their prescription is for medical reasons, they believe the benefits can apply to anyone, regardless of their medical condition. The supplier’s prescribed Adderall was covered by insurance.

He has illegally sold the drug twice, charging ten dollars each time.

“It’s not that I don’t care about the outcomes, but I know it makes your brain a lot more active, which helps a lot of people, so I sold it willingly,” the supplier said. “I didn’t even consider my values; I did it because I was helping a friend.”

Although Pointer gives the supplier’s claim some validity, she stresses the importance of using the drug appropriately.

“ADHD is the most overdiagnosed and the most underdiagnosed mental health disorder in the country,” Pointer said. “So, if Adderall is prescribed and is used appropriately it works very well. We also know that Adderall will help anybody perform better because it’s a stimulant.”

Still, experts caution agasint the illegal consumption of Adderall as it can cause headaches, excessive tiredness, shortness of breath, and seizures.

Eventually, the consumer made the decision to stop abusing Adderall. However, her desire for the drug still remains.

“After I stopped using [Adderall], I would think to myself, ‘I wish I had some Adderall to get this done.’ It was never a physical withdrawal, but more of a mental thing,” the consumer said.

The consumer’s experience in health class helped her become aware of her mental addiction.

“I learned in health that if you take it when you’re not prescribed to it, it can mess up your brain. I noticed that within myself because I would have thoughts about saving my money to get more Adderall,” the consumer said.

This problem extends beyond high school. According to an Addiction Center study of 1,800 college students, 81% of students interviewed thought illicit use of Adderall was “not dangerous at all” or “slightly dangerous.”

Because the consumer acknowledges Adderall as an accepted drug, she presumes that students do not judge each other for usage of it. However, when she discovered its legal reputation, she judged herself.

“When someone told me that if you’re caught selling it is considered a felony, I felt rebellious and a little guilty. I thought ‘wow, I basically just bought drugs illegally,’” the consumer said.

abusing

Adderall

All infographics were made on PiktoChart. Other sources include: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

med

100 HHS students were surveyed on Mar. 13. They were asked the following quesrions:

king inside

dicine cabinet This center spread is a discussion on the abuse of prescription drugs and other medications. Recently, students are turning to Adderall in times of stress. Additionally, dependence on legal, over-the- counter drugs is more present than ever.

socially accepted

dependencies

Students are depending on other non-prescribed stimulants such as Tylenol, Advil, and caffeine to save time and stay efficient.

“We are such a time-pressurized society,” Pointer said. “Most of us can get rid of headaches by hydrating and resting. Do we have time to do that? Not always - and that’s the challenge, not only here at school, but for kids all over.”

Because of time constraints, some students rely on painkillers when they have a headache.

Pointer believes that painkillers such as Advil and Tylenol are not necessarily bad, but there are other natural solutions to ending headaches, such as staying hydrated and eating healthy.

“You really have to look at your lifestyle and the choices you’re making as far as your sleep, as far as how much caffeine you’re drinking, as far as all of those things,” Pointer said.

Caffeine is another stimulant students like Josie Brott, senior, rely on to stay awake and participate in more activities.

“Every morning, I plan my wake up time around stopping for coffee,” Brott said. “At another part of the day, I grab coffee and often do it out of habit and boredom.”

For students, drinking caffeine to stay awake is not condemned. However, many people subconsciously turn to caffeine or painkillers because they are accessible and work quickly.

“If I don’t have coffee in the morning, I get a terrible headache by 11 a.m.,” Brott said. “But if I am in a bad mood or stressed, I believe good coffee will fix it.”

Pointer also believes too much caffeine is unhealthy.

“I think anytime we do something in excess, it’s probably not good for us,” Pointer said. “So my big thing about [drinking caffeine] is that it’s all about balance.”

By Alex Felemovicius, Isabella Weisman and Tobie Soumekh, C-Spread Editor, Infographic Editor, and Backpage Editor of the Royal Page

The Royal Page 2014-2015

Editors in Chief Nate Pasko Callan Showers

Front Page Editor Claire Benton

Design Editor in Chief Alex Felemovicius

News Editors

Haley DenHartog Addie Lennon

Opinion Editor

Madeline Martodam

Feature Editors Danielle Fogelson Madison Petty

Sports Editors Hillary Donovan Ben Segelbaum

Backpage Editor Tobie Soumekh

Photo Editor

Ruby Krietzman

Infographic Editor

Isabella Weisman

Business Editors

Jacob Ungerman Brian Yu

Web Editors in Chief Bradley Kaplan Ellie Maag

Staff Reporters

RPThursday, March 26, 2015

the

8 feature

Basketball star turned paraprofessional

by Madison Petty Feature Editor Dre Jefferson, paraprofessional, has many different titles, including father, basketball player, business owner, and HHS employee. Most students and staff aren’t aware that he used to have another one: Limon Shark.

When Jefferson graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Stout, he stayed on campus and trained with his basketball coaches and teammates over the summer. After going to many different camps around the country and working with different coaches, Jefferson wanted what every other basketball player wanted: to be seen.

“I ended up meeting an agent who got me linked up and put on a website called Eurobasket, [as well as] Latinbasket,” Jefferson said. “[These websites] basically create a player profile for you to put film and game photos on so [coaches] can reach out to you.”

Although he had profiles on recruiting websites, Jefferson’s opportunity to play professional basketball ultimately came from a former teammate’s connections.

“I had a college teammate from Costa Rica [who had played] for this team called the Limon Sharks,” Jefferson said.

“He saw my profile, contacted

me on Facebook, and [told me] he thought I’d be a good fit to come play down there.”

Jefferson played point guard on his first tour in Costa Rica, which consisted of six games.

“How the game works is that you sign a deal for a tour, not a full season deal, and you get brought on for that series of games. You can [then] renegotiate after that series of games rather than signing a season-long contract,” Jefferson said. “Since I wasn’t a big-name player, I felt like it’d be better for me to try to play a little tour, and then try to negotiate for more money.”

Jefferson played two more tours between 2008 and 2009.

“Most teams play 26 games, or 32 depending on what [the team] does in the postseason.

My first tour was six games, and my last tour I was offered, which I didn’t go on, was 10 games,” Jefferson said. “It just depends on what you hold out for.”

Although basketball in Costa Rica may not differ much from basketball in the United States, the player’s reasons for being on the court may.

“Everybody I’ve played with are guys trying to get a shot and feed their families. There are people there who are 16, people who are in their 50s, and so everybody is trying to get their shot, make it big, and earn more money. That’s their living,” Jefferson said. “Everything

Mr. Kocur

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

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grateful for his days as a Limon Shark.

“I had missed a family vacation when they went to Missouri, where my family is from, for Thanksgiving,” Jefferson said. “I got to call, with my

whole family around, and tell everybody I wasn’t there because I was playing professional basketball. That was my life-long dream, and to be able to do that and have my family be proud of me was the best.”

Dre Jefferson, paraprofessional, shoots a basket during a game. Jefferson has continued playing basketball after his professional career in Costa Rica. photo provided by Dre Jefferson

Owen sings, dances in classroom Girl, Boy Scouts of HHS

Jack Bass Benji Bloom Will Cohen Justice Feldman Bea Frank Sophie Frank Josh Freeman Izzy Goldfarb Isabel Hall Judaisha Jackson Noah Kaplan Kyle Makey Jack Smith Jordan Zaroff

Adviser

is extremely competitive because everybody’s fighting and scratching for every little bit.”

After finishing his last tour in Costa Rica, Jefferson came back to Minnesota with hopes of flying off to another country to play basketball again.

Jefferson graduated from college with a degree in business administration. In 2009, he accepted a job from Wells Fargo as a financial advisor.

“My plan was to take a year off and earn some money so I could try to play somewhere else. A friend of mine went on a tour in Italy and made some pretty good money, so I wanted to work and train more [before playing again],” Jefferson said.

“After I did that, my fiancée got pregnant with my daughter and I decided that I’d rather be a stay-at-home dad than travel the globe.”

Not wanting to give up basketball completely, Jefferson continued playing basketball in the Ultimate Hoops league at Lifetime Fitness. In 2013, Jefferson started his own business called Twin Cities Elite Basketball Development, training athletes and teaching basketball skills. Wanting to dedicate more time to that, he decided to ditch financial advising and find a job that offered his ideal hours, 7:47 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

Although Jefferson now works at HHS, he’ll always be

by Izzy Goldfarb Staff Reporter

Mr. Tim Owen, World Language, uses his teaching position as an opportunity to utilize his entertainment background.

“I had always wanted to be an entertainer. One way you can do that is by being a teacher because you are the center of attention, and you have an opportunity to not only entertain but also teach about your subject matter and life lessons,” Owen said.

Top left: Cristina Brown and Dominique Brown, seniors, salsa dance during their Spanish class.

Top right: Owen plays his bongo drums during a Spanish lesson.

Bottom right: Owen dances with his wife during class.

Full story on hopkinsrp.org photos by Ruby Krietzman and Jeff Kocur

When most people think of a Girl or Boy Scout, they usually picture little kids in sashes with iron-on badges, not seniors in high school.

Although it’s true that a lot of Scouts drop out of their troop by the time they enter junior high, many continue with the program all the way until they graduate. This is the case for Camryn Bell, senior, who has been in Girl Scouts for 13 years.

“I’ve stayed with it because it’s a really good group of people, and I’ve been doing it a really long time. It’s a great program because it teaches you about leadership and organization,” Bell said.

The highest accomplishment you can achieve in Girl Scouts is the Gold award, which is comparable to the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Scout rank. It’s an 80hour solo service project that a scout must create and execute.

In 2013, 56,841 Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank according to Boy Scouts of America. That’s only 6 percent of all Boy Scouts. It’s a similar percentage for Girl Scouts that achieve the Gold Award.

The Gold award projects seek to improve, educate, and inspire the greater community.

The project can involve any-

thing from creating libraries at hospitals to teaching science lessons to children.

For Bell’s award, she organized an environmental service project. She leads groups of scouts and park volunteers around a woodlot in Carver Park and teaches them how to remove invasive species such as buckthorn, garlic mustard, and invasive honeysuckle. So far, she has clocked 30 hours of service.

“The gold award is definitely one of the reasons I have stayed with [Girl Scouts]. It’s also a fun thing to do for your community,” Bell said.

Elliot Carson, senior, achieved the Eagle Scout rank for completing his own service project this year.

Carson’s service project involved him re-designing a local church’s garden with the help of volunteers. He ripped out weeds, planted hostas, and added in a bird bath. His group of Volunteers clocked 175 hours of work.

“I’m really glad I have the Eagle Scout award as something to put on my resume, it really helps boost my character,” Carson said.

Girl and Boy Scouts who have continued with the program are glad they’ve stuck with their troops through the years.

“Girl Scouts is a great program, I highly recommend it,” Bell said.

feature9

the

RPThursday, March 26, 2015

Four alumni report, photograph for MN Daily

by Sophie Frank Staff Reporter Bridget Bennett, 2012 HHS graduate, photographed President Barack Obama when he visited Minneapolis in June 2014. Lisa Persson, 2013 HHS graduate, once shot a portrait of Osmo Vanska, the director of the Minnesota Orchestra. Liam James Doyle, 2012 HHS graduate, covered a #BlackLivesMatter protest in St. Paul on Martin Luther King Day this year.

These opportunities were the result of working at the Minnesota Daily - a daily college newspaper that prints Monday through Thursday, covering news that is focused on the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (UMN) campus as well as the Twin Cities. Although it is completely studentrun and managed, the Daily operates separately from the UMN as a non-profit organization.

Bennett, Doyle, and Persson are three of four HHS alumni who have worked as photographers for the Daily in recent years. The fourth is Alex TuthillPreus, 2014 HHS graduate.

The Daily is the fifth-largest daily newspaper in Minn. and the third-largest daily newspaper in the metropolitan area, according to its website. With such ranking, working at the Daily gives Bennett, Doyle, Persson, and Tuthill-Preus exclusive access to important events in their community.

“If you like sports, it is a great job because you get basically a front row seat to every sporting event on campus, since most home games of the prominent sports have photo requests,” Persson said. “When I shot hockey last year, I got to travel to Philadelphia with one of the sports reporters to shoot the NCAA Frozen Four.”

Persson has also covered many concerts, from big names to lesser-known ones.

“Some artists I have shot live include Mod Sun, Nas, Earl Sweatshirt, Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks, Wiz Khalifa, Tyler the Creator, Mac Miller, Riff Raff, Chance the Rapper, Atmosphere, Prof, 2 Chainz, Dessa,

Above: Lisa Persson, 2013 HHS graduate, photographs people participating in the Zombie Pub Crawl in Minneapolis from a ferris wheel. The photos Persson took from this ferris wheel are some of her favorite photos she has ever taken.

Top right: Alex Tuthill-Preus, 2014 HHS graduate, photographs KJ Maye, Gopher wide receiver. Tuthill-Preus has covered many sporting events on campus for the Minnesota Daily.

Middle right: Persson photographs a student snorting a line of Molly with a U-Pass. This photo was used for a project on crime in the dorms at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

Bottom right: Liam James Doyle, 2012 HHS graduate, photographs protesters at the #BlackLivesMatter demonstration in St. Paul on Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year. Doyle covered this event for the Minnesota Daily. photos provided by Lisa Persson, Alex Tuthill-Preus, and Liam James Doyle

G-Eazy, Dem Atlas, and Cypress Hill,” Persson said. “I’ve also shot a lot of local bands, which was cool because I usually shot them practicing at their houses or practice spaces, and they all had a really unique setup.”

These opportunities may be hard to come by, but some of Persson’s favorite shoots were those without the popular culture appeal.

Persson’s first assignment was shooting the Zombie Pub Crawl in Minneapolis - an annual event during which thousands of people dress up as zombies and roam from bar to bar in the Warehouse District.

“There were a lot of great costumes. It was really hard to communicate and get information from people - you have to get everyone’s name in the photo, or they can’t run the photo in the paper - because everyone was either hammered or in character acting like a zombie,” Persson said. “I took some cool shots from a ferris wheel that are still some of my favorite photos I have ever taken.”

Persson also once helped with another reporter’s project on crime in the dorms at UMN.

She spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights wandering through the freshmen dorms and listening at doors, trying to find underage drinking, drug use, or other illegal activity. If the students were comfortable with it, Persson would then go in and take anonymous-style photos of the action inside.

“Obviously a lot of people were pretty sketched out by it and said no,” Persson said. “The most interesting part, however, was the amount of people who actually said yes and let us come in and record them and take photos of them doing illegal stuff. So now I have a front page photo of someone in Territorial Hall snorting a line of molly off of a desk using a U-Pass.”

Although photojournalism at the Daily may not seem like a conventional job, it requires the same work ethic and commitment.

“The amount of hours the photographers put in at the Daily can change every week.

The stories we pick up are always different, and one week never looks like the week before,” Doyle said. “Some shoots are more straightforward than others, and you may only be

there for an hour or so, but other times if you’re covering an event like a Gopher football game, you’ll be dedicating many hours for that one story.”

The work schedule is never set in stone, either, and the Daily photographers always have to be on call.

“You have to have your phone on you all the time, which is really hard,” Persson said. “The photographer staff is expected to accommodate breaking news at a moment’s notice. If there is a fire, accident, or other random thing on campus, it is important to cover it.”

However, the sporadic hours go hand in hand with journalism. Working at the Daily has given Bennett, Doyle, Persson, and Tuthill-Preus real experience in the field and helped them improve as photographers.

“I’ve learned how to take better photos through constant hands-on experience with professional equipment and weekly photo critiques with all the other Daily photographers,” Tuthill-Preus said. “It’s basically my top priority when it comes to time management, and I’ve definitely had to skip some classes for it. But it pays off in

being where I learn most - out on the job.”

Managing the responsibility as a college student can be difficult, but Doyle believes the commitment is worth it.

“This is a real job - not just an after-school extracurricular.

The balancing act can be hard because you want to perform

well as a student, as an employee, and also have a social life,” Doyle said. “Because of this, my days are pretty much non-stop, and I’ve had to forfeit many of my precious weekends for work, but I wouldn’t change it because I love the important work that we do, and I’m proud of the work I do at the Daily.”

Royal of the Month Dede DeFreese, senior

This month’s Royal of the Month, Dede DeFreese, senior, was nominated by the administration due to her academic success and involvement in the community.

“I am honored to have been chosen. It feels great to have been recognized for my achievements. I know I couldn’t have done any of this without my teachers who have pushed me in classes, coaches who push me in the water, and directors who pushed me in music,” DeFreese said.

In addition to her challenging course load, DeFreese participates in numerous extracurricular activities, such as the Lean Mean Performance Machine, Jazz Band, Synchronized Swimming, Girls Swim and Dive, Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, and the Thirst Project.

DeFreese takes on the role of a leader in most of her activities.

“I think I received the award because I’m a hard working student inside and outside the classroom,” DeFreese said. “I try my best at everything I do.”

RPThursday, March 26, 2015

the

10sports

Left: The girls basketball team celebrating after winning the state title. The team beat Eastview in the championship game 68-60.

Right: DeAnna Winston, sophomore, driving past Eastview player. Winston was a starter for the girls team this photos by Ruby Krietzman season.

Girls basketball reclaims state title, ‘finishes business’ Girls basketball Continued from pg. 1

After winning six in a row, the Royals finally got a chance for revenge when they faced Eastview on Wednesday, Dec. 31. This time, the girls took the lead early and never looked back. The Royals, led by Ashley Bates, junior, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds, won in convincing fashion, with a final score of 68-55.

From then on, the Royals couldn’t be stopped, beating every team in their path as they went undefeated throughout the rest of the regular season. They often won by substantial margins, many times holding their adversary to less than 50 points.

“Our defense is very good, and defense wins championships,” said DeAnna Winston, sophomore.

Throughout the regular season, the Royals scored nearly 700 points more than their opponents.

After finishing off the regular

season 24-1, including going undefeated in the Lake Conference and winning the conference title, the Royals headed to sections as the number one seed to face St. Louis Park. The Royals beat the Orioles 92-44, led by Nia Hollie, junior, with 19 points and Starks with 17 points.

Up next for the Royals were the Edina Hornets. The Royals dominated the first half with a score of 42-12. As the game came to a close, the Royals dominance ended with a final score of 66-28.

As the section finals between the Royals and the Minnetonka Skippers approached, the Royals were feeling very confident.

Last season ended in the section finals against Eden Prairie.

This season, the girls’ goal was to make it all the way.

“Our theme for the entire season has been unfinished business,” Hollie said.

After a big 22-point night from Bates, the final buzzer sounded on a 81-55 Royals victory.

With the win against the Skippers, the Royals were on their way to state with the number one seed.

To begin the state tournament, the Royals proved why they were ranked number one with a 62-35 win over Rochester Mayo Spartans (20-5). The Royals, led by Hollie, who scored her 1000th career point, finished on top with a final score of 62-35.

In the second game of state, the Royals faced fifth-seeded Shakopee. The game started with both teams trading baskets, but by the end of the half the Royals pulled away 37-23. The second half started with a Royals 19-0 run and controlled the lead from then on, the final score was 64-33 including another shining performance and 16 points by Starks.

The final game of the postseason for the Royals was against Eastview. Going into the state finale, the Royals and Lightning season series was split 1-1.

The Royals started the game off strong, but the Lightning’s three

point shooting overpowered the Royals, and the first half ended with the Royals down 28-30.

The Royals turned on the heat in the second half and as the final seconds of the season expired, the Royals beat the Lightning 68-60.

This is the fourth time

the Royals have won the state championship in five years.

Head coach Brian Cosgriff is now 6-3 in his state tournament appearances.

The Royals will lose many seniors to graduation, including Miss Minnesota basketball finalist TT Starks, Viria Livingston, Chaniya

Rogers, Bianca Williams, Angelica Wiggins, and Ashley Omete.

However, Nia Hollie, junior, is confident the Royals will be able to bounce back.

“We [will lose] so many great seniors next year, but I'm confident we can come back and do it again," Hollie said.

infographic by Hillary Donovan

Makey to continue illustrious gymnastics career in college

By Ellie Maag Web Editor in Chief Every day after school, Peter Makey, senior, goes home and eats an oats and honey granola bar. After changing clothes, he drives a few miles down the highway to Mini-Hops Gymnastics, the gym where Makey spends 19 hours or more of his

week.

He proceeds to spend hours flipping his 5’6” frame into the air in a variety of complex ways, critically evaluating his technique and body position every time.

Eventually, he wipes the chalk from his hands and goes home, knowing he will return to work in less than 20 hours.

Makey has been doing this routine for eight years.

“Ever since I was little, I have thought that gymnastics was enticing to me. I liked to watch it on TV. When I moved in third grade, Mini-Hops was closer, so I enrolled,” Makey said.

Peter’s mother, Kimberly Makey, believes his fascination

Peter Makey, senior, performing his parallel bar routine. Makey will be continuing his gymnastics career next year at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virg. photos provided by Peter Makey

started at a young age.

“It started with little kid birthday parties. The first one we went to was Gleason’s Gym in Eagan in kindergarten. He really enjoyed that,” Kimberly said.

In sixth grade, Makey joined the competition team after two years of recreational gymnastics. Compared to others, this was a relatively late start. After the switch, he notes that there was a remarkable change in his lifestyle.

“Gymnastics has really taken over my life. I really spend more time there than I do at home while I’m conscious. I see coaches more than parents, teammates more than friends.

Although it is a big time commitment, it’s become part of who I am and who people know me to be,” Makey said.

For many years, Makey was behind for his age group. Now, he is a level 10 gymnast and captain of his competition team.

Even his hands, once smooth before the age of 11, are now callused and hard - a characteristic of every seasoned gymnast.

While gymnastics is a large part of Makey’s life, academics also plays an important role.

“I’ve learned to be very ef-

ficient with my time outside of school because I don’t have a lot of it. I’m accustomed to not sleeping a lot, and my time management has really improved. I don’t really watch TV during the week. I go to school, come home, go to practice, come home, and then do it all again,” Makey said.

Makey’s favorite event is the still rings, an event that requires an incredible amount of upperbody strength. Makey has performed so well on this apparatus that he plans on specializing in still rings, as well as floor exercise and vault, when he joins the team at the College of William and Mary next year.

The College of William and Mary is a prestigious research university in Williamsburg, Virg. Makey committed to join the team in Dec. and hopes to study English and Politics.

“William and Mary was a good combination of gymnastics and academics. It was better all around for me because I take academics so seriously. It’s the best way for me to prepare for life after gymnastics,” Makey said.

At the state meet during Mar. 21 and 22, Makey’s team placed first overall. Individually, Makey placed first on floor and third all around, qualifying for the regional meet that will take place in early April.

If Makey performs well at the regional meet, he will then advance to the national meet in Daytona Beach, Calif.

Makey has made an appearance at the national meet for the past two years. This year, he aspires to become more of a serious contender.

“Last year at nationals, I became more comfortable with the national scene.

This year, I want to make all-around finals and hit all six of my routines without falling,” Makey said.

For Makey, gymnastics has given him much more than just stress fractures and calluses.

“I’m very passionate about it. It’s something that makes me unique.

Every day, it’s a great experience to be able to fly through the air. It’s cool to say that I can do that,” Makey said.

the

sports 11 RPThursday, March 26, 2015 Boys basketball season exceeds overall expectations

By Kyle Makey Staff Reporter

The Beginning

The boys basketball season started with the Early Bird Tournament, hosted by HHS, and a first round blow-out win over Benilde. The championship of the four team tourney saw the Royals take on eventual state runner-up Champlin Park Rebels. Both teams had a runand-gun style of play, leading to many three point shots, dunks, and turnovers. In the end, the Rebels edged the Royals 90-86.

The next game was a 20-point victory over Burnsville.

However, during that game, Amir Coffey, junior, tore the ACL in his left knee and was out for the rest of the season.

“I feel bad about Amir. This is a good team. With Amir we could have been an elite team.

We had a chance to be really good,” said Ken Novak Jr., head coach, Social Studies.

Coffey had scored 24 points in the BSM game and a team season-high 36 points against Champlin Park. Ranked as the Bottom right: Vincent Shahid, junior, passes the ball around Lakeville North player.

Bottom left: Xavier Johnson, junior, dribbles past.

Lakeville North player.

Top: Shahid takes a three-point shot against Lakeville.

The Royals lost to Lakeville North, 65-61, in the first game of the state tournament. photos by Ruby Krietzman

34th best player in the class of 2016 according to 247Sports, losing Coffey so early in the season was tough for a young Royals team. It took a while for the squad to figure out how to win without Coffey in the lineup.

The Struggle

The Royals lost their next two games after Coffey’s injury against Shakopee and Iowa City West. Both were double-digit losses in which the Royals never had a chance to win. It was the first two-game losing streak for the Royals since the 2012-13 season.

After a few easy wins, the Royals ran into a strong Maple Grove team. The Royals were far behind at halftime but rallied in the second half to tie the game. In the end, Maple Grove won by six. That loss marked a turning point in the season.

“We had to change the way we were playing. We needed different kids to step up. I thought they came together pretty well [after the loss to Maple Grove],” Novak said.

The Resurgence

The loss against Maple Grove came on Dec. 13. The next Royals loss didn’t come until Feb. 13. Two months and 16 wins later, the Royals found themselves ranked within the top five in the state and playing as well, if not better, than when they had Coffey.

“It was the maturity of the team. A lot of people needed to step up and play that didn’t play last year. They really matured and realized what it took to win games,” said John Warren, senior captain.

Players found their roles and knew what to expect from themselves and their teammates during any given game. Statement wins against Eastview, Cretin-Derham Hall, and Eden Prairie solidified the Royals as a team poised to make a title run.

The Final Stretch

A surprising loss to Minnetonka on senior night led to a huge end-of-the-season matchup with Eden Prairie. A Royals win would give them the Lake Conference title outright.

A loss would mean the Eagles and Royals would share the title.

A slow start meant that another huge comeback would be necessary. That’s what they did.

With the game tied and only 15 seconds left, EP called a timeout to set up a final play. The Royals played stellar defense during the final seconds, but a deep three fell and EP won.

The Royals would get their revenge with a one-point victory in the section finals thanks to two free throws from Vinnie Shahid, junior. Despite a strong performance in sections, the first game for the Royals in the state tournament would be their last.

Just like last year, the Lakeville North Panthers ended the Royals’ season. A huge secondhalf deficit was just too large for the Royals to overcome. Despite a shaky start to the season, the Royals were able to pull out their 14th state tournament appearance under Novak.

“We’ve had a good year. We really have,” Novak said. “I think we exceeded everybody’s expectations.”

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By Tobie Soumekh, Backpage Editor and Sophie Frank, Staff Reporter

Photos by Ruby Kreitzman, Tobie Soumekh, Noah Kaplan, and Mason Myles