The Royal Page: October Issue #2

the

page

ROYAL

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013 Volume 32 Issue 2

District shoots for more rigor

HHS on Mental Health C-Spread, pg. 6-7 Discussion of mental health at HHS featuring student experiences, where to get help, and Royal Page editorial

www.hopkinsrp.org

Royals wrap up fall sports The Royals are closing down the fall sports season and starting to gear up for the winter season.

The Royal Page details the results of the fall sports season on pages 10 & 11, including team records and profiles of girls soccer, the USA girls hockey team, athletes who overcome challenges and emerging athletes.

IB program changes junior high focus

By Haley DenHartog Staff Reporter While HHS students get to choose how much or how little they are challenged in the classroom, the junior highs have recently switched over to a new approach at learning that puts every student’s mind to the test.

Beginning last year, thw Hopkins district decided to give the International Baccalaureate (IB) middle-years program a try.

IB has been applied to every class in both junior highs, making each course more rigorous and encouraging students to think more critically. It approaches every topic in each class in a more realistic way. The goal is to help students apply what they learn in the classroom to their lives, rather than forgetting the material after test day.

When current high school students made their ways through junior high, teaching techniques were basic. Students were taught the content, took a test on it, and moved on.

Now, in each class, junior high students are presented with a concept that applies to real life in the beginning of each unit.

“The middle-years program helps students become better prepared for honors level classes at the high school. It will help their test scores improve and teach kids to find more than one answer to every question,” said Angela Wilcox, Avid 9 Elective Teacher and IB Coordinator at Hopkins North Junior High.

In addition to the teachers, junior high students are also beginning to see why the district decided on the IB approach.

“I think it will help us in the future because it’s going to prepare us to become more involved global citizens by exposing us to the real world,” said Annika Patterson, eighth grade student at WJH. IB continued on page 3

Top: Olivia Geiwitz, Rachel Lee, and Mikaela Schultz, juniors, play sections against Minnetonka.

The team finished the season at 8-4-4.

Photo By Madeline Malat Bottom Left: Katherine Gunderson, freshman, swims at an Edina meet. Gunderson placed 3rd in the event.

Photo By Sue Troutman Bottom Right: Joe Klecker, junior, runs at sections at Gale Woods Farm. He finished in 8th place and qualified for state.

Photo By Roxanne Kreitzman

Sadie Hawkins hopping into Hopkins?

By Isabel Hall Staff Reporter Students of HHS, get ready to boogie. Later this year, HHS may have its first ever Sadie Hawkins Dance. After years of girls waiting around to be asked to a dance, HHS may be giving girls the opportunity to do the asking.

Alex Lehman, senior, pitched the idea to the principal and Student Government.

Twin Cities hosts Film Fest Fourth annual Twin Cities Film Fest Story Variety, on Oct. 17

pg. 5

The Sadie Hawkins dance is usually a less formal dance in which the girls ask the guys to the dance. In the U.S, this concept was popularized by establishing dance events where the woman invited a man of her choosing, instead of waiting for a man to ask her.

The first known event was held on November 9, 1938.

Within a year, hundreds of similar events followed. By 1952, the event was reportedly cel-

ebrated at 40,000 known venues. It became an empowering event for women at high schools and college campuses, and the tradition continues to this day.

“I think we should have a Sadie’s dance because every other school around HHS, such as Eden Prairie, Wayzata, and Minnetonka, have multiple dances, and I thought we should incorporate another dance into our school because the only formal dance we

More content on www.hopkinsrp.org Football team senior night and game against Eden Prairie

have is Prom,” Lehman said.

The first thing Lehman did was set up a meeting with Ms. Patty Johnson, Principal.

“She was all for it. She told me if we could raise enough money and sell enough tickets it can for sure be a go,” Lehman said.

Lehman is also collaborating with the Student Government to organize the dance.

“The Student Government really likes the idea, so it is turning into one of their

main priorities,” Lehman said.

However, student influence is important in making the dance a reality.

“If students want this dance to happen, they should make it known to Student Government,” said Mia Berman, senior and Leader of the Student Government.

SADIE’S cont. on page 9

Students attend Power Shift

HHS students travel to Pittsburgh to attend Power Shift, an environmental conference Feature,

pg. 8

RPWednesday,October 30, 2013

the

2 news

Testing changes for juniors For the first time, juniors get the choice to take the PSAT or the Practice ACT

By Joe Greene News/Front Page Editor This year, Allegra Wallingford, senior, was named a National Achievement Scholarship Semifinalist. The National Achievement Scholarship Program has a goal of recognizing outstanding high school students with exceptionally high PSAT scores.

16,000 students were chosen to compete for this award out of 1.5 million students who took the Preliminary SAT (PSAT). Wallingford is one of 1,600 students designated a semifinalist.

“It was shocking. I’m really happy and excited. I hope I can move on and earn scholarship money because college is expensive,” said Wallingford.

“Awesome colleges started sending me mail, and after I was named, more colleges contacted me,” Wallingford said.

To become a finalist, Wallingford will complete an application outlining her leadership experiences and activities, as well as write a descriptive essay.

In January 2014, 1,300 finalists will be chosen, and of those students, 800 will be chosen as National Achievement Scholarship winners. Winners are eligible for National Achievement $2,500 Scholarships, as well as a variety of corporatesponsored scholarships.

In order to qualify, students must take the PSAT and those with the highest index score in critical reading, math and writing compete for scholarships.

Last year, three HHS students were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. In 2011, two students were named and in 2010, seven students.

Taking the PSAT has long been a requirement for juniors at HHS. But for the first time this fall, the mandate was dropped and students instead had the option to take either the PSAT or the practice ACT. “We are always trying to be in the best interest of our students,” said Ms. Patty Johnson, principal.

By giving students the option to take the ACT, Johnson’s ultimate goal is to save

RP

BRIEFS

Debate Tournament Over the MEA weekend, HHS hosted a debate tournament. Over 150 people attended the tournament and represented schools from all parts of Minnesota, including Eagan, Apple Valley, and Chanhassen.

Even though it was hosted at their own school, most HHS debaters did not participate in the tournament. The few who competed were mostly junior high students and first-year debaters.

Mia Berman, senior, did not debate but prepared for an upcoming tournament in Iowa instead. “It’s called the Iowa Caucus, and we’re feeling pretty confident about it,” Berman said.

The prize is a motivator for Berman and other team members. “If we win, we get a bust of George Washington, which I really want,” Berman said.

Common App Problems Until recently, the Common Application website was malfunctioning.

Some of the widespread problems included an error when students tried to log into their account, not receiving notifications about the status of their applications, and double-charging payments made through the site.

Counselors were unable to upload students’ letters of recommendation, transcripts, and other school forms.

Alternate methods were created for early decision deadlines. Some schools asked for paper copies of all information, while others simply extended the deadline in order to accommodate the technological problems.

As of the printing, Naviance is working for electronic submissions.

Orchestra Pajama Party On Oct. 29, the HHS orchestra put on a concert for children. The concert is a tradition and is highly anticipated by both the orchestra members and the children who attend.

The Young People’s Concert included familiar songs from Harry Potter, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and The Sound of Music.

The students who performed wore pajamas rather than their normal formal dress. Audience members were encouraged to do the same and to bring a stuffed animal or blanket.

Before the concert began, children participated in activities such as face-painting and trying out various instruments.

Briefs by Hannah Boggess

students time. The practice ACT sets up students to get used to the actual timing of the test. The Princeton Review was asked to come in and simulate an actual ACT exam, explaining the score and giving test tips.

“The practice ACT lets you see how well you’ve improved and whether you have met your goal since taking the PLAN,” said Tyson Crockett, Academic Dean.

Some juniors chose to take the practice ACT because it is similar to the test they would actually be taking, the ACT. Others were not sure that they would make the cut for the scholarship.

“I didn’t think I would rank in the top few percent to qualify for a scholarship in my grade, so I chose to take the practice ACT. That test will help me figure where I am, what I need to improve on, and how much work is ahead of me for preparing for the real ACT test,” said Joe Nelsen, junior.

Juniors who took the PLAN for the first time as sophomores aim for significant

improvements in their scores in the future.

“This year, I hope to not fill any random bubbles because I was rushed for time,” said Spencer Allen, junior.

Despite a significant number of students choosing to take the practice ACT, some are still drawn to the possibility of being a National Merit Scholar and the promise of a lucrative scholarship.

Sam Greenwald, junior, has

ACT

been working for two months with a tutor to prepare for the upcoming PSAT exam. He is eager to become one of few HHS Students like Wallingford who may be awarded a National Merit Scholarship based on PSAT score.

“There’s absolutely no reward to taking the practice ACT, and there’s a chance for a scholarship from the PSAT so I’m going to take it. The test is necessary and tedious, but

Based more on what a student learned in school Science section focuses on reading and a student’s reasoning abilities

it’s also learnable,” Greenwald said.

This experience has helped Wallingford in her college search.

Patty Johnson is thrilled for Wallingford. “I’m proud of her just as I am proud of every student who does well here.

Whether it’s theater or sports, I’m proud of students who are engaged and try. We all shine in different ways,” Johnson said.

SAT

More emphasis on vocabulary No science section Based more on intelligence, reasoning, and abilities

No penalty for guessing

Penalty for wrong answers

Focuses on the overall score and not specific sections

More popular for admission into competitive colleges and universities

Sources: Studypoint.com, The Princeton Review, ACTstudent.org

Infographic by Olivia Newman

Reading classes offer support

Students and staff take action to help students who struggle to read

By Naomi Borowsky Editor in Chief This year, HHS has one and a half reading teachers for the school’s 1,800 students.

“It’s hard because the district is a little smaller, the budget is a little smaller, and so things had to shift. I think we’re starting to see the effects of that,” said Ms. Dawn Hansen, Reading Teacher. Hansen is the only full time reading teacher at HHS. This year, HHS added a reading class called Response To Intervention (RTI) for students who need help in reading based on previous MCA scores, MAPS scores, EXPLORE test results, credits earned, grades earned and teacher referrals. Ideally, this course would have 15 students in a classroom with a teacher and a para for one on one instruction. Classes have grown to over 20 students.

“It’s really tough to get after the kinds of needs that some of the students have in a big group like that. When you’re working with five or six kids, what are the other 15 doing? We’re constantly searching for things to get kids engaged with text in a way that’s rewarding for them,” Hansen said.

Although they do not receive as much one on one attention, students still find the reading classes beneficial. “It’s helpful because some of the

words I never knew before, and I learn in the class, and my reading level is getting higher,” said Christophe Gregoire, sophomore.

HHS no longer offers many specific reading assistance classes. “What’s really hard is that we don’t have any Special-Ed reading courses anymore. We used to have a whole year ELL (English Language Learners) reading course that I taught, which was amazing for those kids,” Hansen said. “As a result, a lot of those students with really specific learning needs get put in our class along with everybody else, which makes for a large class with a wide array of learning needs.”

Because the RTI classes are only offered to students who scored below a certain percentile, students who scored just above that percentile receive little reading support, even though they are reading at a low level.

Ms. Beth Ocar, Language Arts Teacher, sees the effects of having few reading teachers in her Intermediate Global Literature class.

“My concern is that occasionally I have a junior in high school who’s reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level, and there’s one full-time reading teacher in the entire school,” Ocar said. “One of the things people assume is that because I teach English, I know how to teach students how to read, but that’s

not the case; I teach them to read more critically. Teaching basic reading is beyond my skill set.”

Ocar has a hard time figuring out if students in her class cannot read or just do not choose to read. She has tried giving students weekly quizzes on class readings, however, if students score poorly, there is still no way for her to determine if they can’t read or simply are not reading. If she had the time and support, Ocar believes it would be valuable to do specialized testing to determine her students’ reading levels.

To help struggling readers in her classes, Ocar has tried several methods such as audio books, reading guides, and parent volunteers who read aloud with students.

“The students who I think really struggle with reading don’t want to talk about it. There’s a sense of shame around it so they try to hide it as best as they can. A lot of those students have excellent coping skills. They’ve learned how to listen really carefully in class and follow along with what’s going on enough to at least score some points on the test. I think they’re smart and they use those smart skills to get through,” Ocar said.

Hansen says ideally the school would have a SpecialEd reading class, an ELL reading class, two full time reading teachers, and another two

literacy specialists that could go into classrooms to support teachers.

Annie Share, senior, is an Instructional Assistant for Mrs. Ocar’s GRAD Writing Class and has become aware of the need for reading support.

She is now working on a project to help students struggling with reading.

“I just applied for a Hopkins Education Foundation grant to bring the reading proficiency classes at the high school to see a show at the Park Square. They will read the play “Cyrano” in addition to utilizing classroomready study materials written by teachers and provided by the Park Square Theatre. The studying will culminate with a trip to see “Cyrano” live at the Park Square Theatre in St. Paul,” Share said.

This year, HHS has a goal of increasing the number of students passing the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) III by two percent.

Hansen is confident that HHS will accomplish this goal and continue to improve its reading program.

“In the time I’ve been here at the high school, no matter what curriculum area has set a goal, we’ve always achieved it so that tells me that when the high school puts its energy behind something, we’ll get there,” Hansen said.

the

news 3 RPWednesday, October 30, 2013 School seeks referenda for security and technology

By Imann Hodleh Staff Reporter This November, voters of the Hopkins School District will have to decide whether or not to pass two referendums on the operating levy and the capital projects levy. These levies, if passed, will impact HHS by improving the technology in the building.

In 2010, two referendum proposals on a capital projects levy for curriculum and a capital bond for safety and security improvements were passed.

The bond redesigned school entrances, such as the recently remodeled front entrance at HHS. Also, the bond aimed to increase safety in parking lots by improving traffic flow, while the capital projects levy funded

in the kitchen and classroom.

With more money for newer programs, students would use technology on an everyday basis, helping them develop vital skills for the future. Also, more laptops would be available for students at home.

“An invisible change that’ll be made has a lot to do with the infrastructure to maintain a strong digital environment, it

classroom equipment.

However, HHS is upgrading technology quicker than anticipated. As a result, the School Board proposed new levies to raise more money for this project. The new levies, if passed, would replace the current levy and increase funding from 2016 to 2026.

If these two levies passed, it could result in improvements

New to HHS

has to be top notch to support the activities of our learning population during the school day when we have the greatest amount of traffic to and from the internet. That’d be an invisible plus for our technology because we don’t think about it. We just expect it,” said Terri Osland, Technology Integration Specialist.

Currently, the levy looks

like it will pass.

“I’m definitely in support of the capital projects levy. I get excited when our community supports the schools with additional dollars because that allows me to use those resources to offer staff development for our teachers to help them be more creative and effective with digital hardware,” Osland said.

This year we are introducing you to new staff. This is the second series of interviews.

Ms. Shanna Jadwin, Counselor

Ms. Serena Schmidt, Counselor

Mr. Alex Fisher, Mathematics

Where did you grow up, and where did you go Where did you grow up, and where did you go Where did you grow up, and where did you go to college? to college? to college?

I graduated from St. Louis Park High School. I transferred my sophomore year to Colorado State University. I spent my junior year abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Then, I got my masters at Loyola University in Chicago.

I was born and raised in Grand Forks, N.D. I lived and went to high school there. Once I graduated from high school in Grand Forks, I went to college at St. Cloud State University.

I was a counselor at the largest public high school in Chicago for eight years. It was a selective enrollment school that the students had to test to get into. The size of the school is different (there were 4300 students there), and there is less diversity here than there was there. But, I love how there is diversity here at HHS.

working at a school setting for students that struggled in high school. So, I am kind of going from absolute opposites, from a small school setting into a big school setting, where students that primarily struggled in school, to here where I am working with all sorts and a big range of students in this building.

Yes. I would also like to say that my brother was a graduate from here. Even though I went to St. Louis Park, I have always felt a connection to HHS and had a good impression of HHS. Now that I work here, I have an even better impression.

and the staff is great. I have been busy. I have been learning a lot.

I grew up in Evanston, Illinois. Then, I went to Carleton College for my undergraduate degree. Then, I did mathematic studies at the University of Minnesota.

How would you compare HHS to the last How would you compare HHS to the last How would you compare HHS to the last school you were worked at? school you were a teacher at? school you worked at?

I was last working in Minneapolis Public Schools, but I was Before this, I was at the University of Minnesota, and I was also at Southwest High School. I really like Hopkins. I really like how everyone here at every level is really interested in growth and always trying to get better. The staff are always talking about how we can make things better and improve.

Have you been getting along well with the stuHave you enjoyed your time working at HHS dents and staff so far?

Have you enjoyed your time working at HHS so far?

I think so. I really like the kids in my classes, and I love the so far?

It has been great. I have worked with a lot of great students, people I work with. It is a really great environment.

What do you love about being a counselor?

I love that I get to connect with students one on one and that I get to help students make positive decisions in their life, but, also, I can be there to support them with challenges in their lives.

What kind of relationships are you trying to make with your students?

Well, I hope that they know that I am a person in the building that they can come to: not only for help with their schedule and applying to college, but also when there are challenges to support them in their personal lives.

What do you love about being a counselor?

I like interacting with people. I am someone who likes to do different things everyday, and as a counselor, every day is different, you never have the same day twice. You get to help people and get to work with students, staff, and families. It is never boring and never the same.

What kind of relationships are you trying to make with your students?

It is always important to have relationships with your students.

It has been very busy so far, so every student that I can meet with is important. Then, I can hopefully continue to help build relationships as the year goes on and meet all the students in my alphabet.

District shoots for more rigor IB. Continued from page 1 “It is going to prepare us to be good students in the future, and good global citizens,” Patterson said.

After spending $109,000 on IB in just over a year, Hopkins hopes to see many shortterm, as well as long-term improvements in their middleyears student body.

“We see the IB program as one that will better prepare junior high students for HHS, as well as for their lives beyond graduation,” said Diane Schimelpfenig, Ed.D., Director of Teaching and Learning

for Hopkins Public Schools.

“It will be interesting to see if test scores, college-going rates, and other indicators change over time following the junior high IB implementation. We have seen some national research that indicates that may occur, and we’ll follow our own data closely,” said Schimelpfenig.

It is going to prepare us to be good students in the future.

-Annika Patterson, eighth grade

I

B nternationally

WHO IS USING IB in the...

World -146 Countries -3,662 total Schools

USA -1,468 total schools

Lake Conference -Minnetonka High School -Hopkins Junior Highs

State of MN -20 Highschools -16 Middle Years Schools

What do you love about being a teacher?

I love it when the kids walk in and say “I hate math,” and I can show them a cool thing, and then they get it. Then they start to think that math is interesting. I love seeing when someone clicks with something and actually starts to get it, and it inspires them to keep trying.

What kind of relationships are you trying to make with your students?

I hope they they see and appreciate how much I like math, and how important that is to me. They can appreciate my opinions on math and maybe that will make them appreciate math even more.

So, I am hoping that they enjoy being in the class and can learn a lot from it.

Interviews by Jacob Ungerman

RPWednesday, October 30, 2013

the

4 opinion

Is the administration sniffing for problems?

Although drug searches at schools are legal, they may not be helpful or effective

The staff editorial represents the viewpoint of the Royal Page.

Drugs don’t belong at HHS. That’s the position of administration, and we agree.

In the perfect world, students would not use drugs, and it would not be an issue our administration needs to address. But that is not reality at HHS. “We want to send a clearer message on how serious we are about chemicals. We have zero tolerance. We don’t

tolerate using, buying, or selling on campus,” said Ms. Patty Johnson, principal.

We agree with the theory.

But we object to one tool that has been used in schools for years – the k-9 drug sniff.

School administrators across the country justify these drug searches because parking lots are on school grounds, and they have every right to bring dogs onto campus. If the dogs happen to get a hit on a car, there is reasonable suspicion to search the car.

This is the same rationale

that would allow drug-sniffing dogs to randomly canvass neighborhoods without warning, and if they sniff something, police could then search the house that was sniffed.

In the world outside of schools, this would be an infringement of both privacy and a person’s rights, not permissible without a court ordered search warrant.

The only difference is that we are students, and our rights are allowed to be compromised to, “maintain an environment for learning.”

The precedent of reasonable suspicion in public schools was established by the Supreme Court case of New Jersey v. T.L.O (1985). The Court’s decision changed the standard of probable cause as defined in the fourth amendment to reasonable suspicion.

The court rationalized that “school officials have a responsibility to maintain the discipline necessary for education” as articulated by Justice Byron White in the majority opinion.

Therefore, schools cannot compromise our rights solely

for the off-chance of finding drugs in a student’s car. They can, however, if they feel our education is at risk. That is the position taken by district administrators.

While we would prefer HHS students were drug free, our concern does not lie for those students who occasionally use drugs because they think they are fun. Rather, we are concerned for students who use chemicals to self medicate – the students who are suffering from anxiety, depression, or stress who take drugs to escape

from reality.

According to administration, the overall purpose behind these searches is to aid the students in need. While the goal is admirable, once a student has been given a minor, charged with possession of a controlled substance, and suspended, they will have difficulty viewing school officials as allies or resources in overcoming a chemical problem.

This is a counterproductive method that does more harm than good.

To be or not to be in a high school relationship

By Paul Vogt Staff Reporter Young love: they say it never lasts. But is that necessarily true? Are the young incapable of being in love? High school relationships are filled with quick passion followed by devastating heartbreak.

So, are relationships in high school worth all the time and effort? The scariest part is that the person you’re in a relationship with you’ll either end up marrying or breaking up with.

Personally, I have not had

T

the best of luck with relationships, so I find them to be a waste of time. Some of you may disagree, but we can all agree that they are definitely a lot of work.

Also, is the aftermath of the relationship worth it? It appears high school students aren’t mature enough to stay civil with their exs. Too many times have I seen two people, “in love,” become complete strangers days later. Whether that is for better or for worse, it seems wrong to me.

Relationships also appear

to end for the silliest reasons in high school. “OMG, Bobby liked Becky’s photo on Facebook. I hate Becky. Im dumping him.” And just like that, it’s over.

High school relationships also have a lot of “unwritten rules.” Rule 1, you must text your significant other 24/7 or they will assume you’re mad at them. Rule 2, you must spend every possible minute you have with them or they will say “we just don’t see each other enough.” Rule 3 (this one if for the guys), you may not like, fa-

:

op Survival tips at HHS 10

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Always take the elevator Never wear Adidas Take intramural more seriously than varsity Don’t apologize to anyone. Ever.

Never wait in a lunch line

Always wear a helmet in the mall Leave 15 minutes early on omelet day The last person who tried to sneak their ice cream past Tim was Dale Tollman... he’s gone now

Never look Marcus LeVesseur in the eyes Never look Joe Greene’s calves in the eyes

vorite, comment, or even look at other girls on social media.

It’s basically the equivalent to cheating in a girl’s eyes. No wonder young relationships never last; these rules are easier to break than iPhone screens.

Relationships also have the potential to consume friendships. Your significant other will want you to spend more time with them than your friends.

Will Gamble, senior, claims that relationships still affect him as he fights for his friends time.

“Sometimes a girlfriend becomes a friend’s priority.

On occasions, I feel like I get blown off by them,” Gamble said. So even though you may be happy in a relationship, it tends to really affect the people around you.

Fortunately, we arent hopeless. There are high school relationships that work out.

Morgan Newcomb, senior, has been in a relationship with Reeve Holmquist, senior, for her whole high school career.

“Even though we are boyfriend and girlfriend, we’re more than that; we’re best friends. He knows me better than I know myself,” Newcomb said. They enjoy their relationship because of the security and comfort they feel when they’re together.

Mr. Jay Katzenmeyer, mathematics, has been at Hopkins long enough to see every type of high school relationship.

“High School is about exploring likes and dislikes. It’s good to have guided experiences so when you go off on your own you can decide what kind of person you are going to be,” said Katzenmeyer.

I will agree - it is good to have experiences before you enter the real world. Even with

all the stress and devastation, something good will come out of it.

However, before you decide to get into a relationship with someone, decide if you really like the person or if you only want to change your Facebook relationship status.

And lastly, ladies, I am single, and my number is 612751-4727.

Illustration by Paul Vogt

P.S. I have mononucleosis

By Phoebe Cohen Feature Editor I have mono. And to answer the first question that just popped into your head: no, I did not get it from making out with a guy.

Mono, short for mononucleosis, is an illness that develops from EBV, or Epstein-Barr Virus, and causes sore throat, swollen glands, fever, and severe fatigue. This is spread through saliva and is often called the “kissing disease.” It is most commonly found in teenagers because, well, they like to swap spit.

But there are other ways to get mono. I, for example, got it from constantly drinking my friends’ tea or coffee. It can be passed any way in which saliva is involved, such as sharing a drink, an eating utensil, or God forbid, a toothbrush.

My favorite things to do while suffering from this hor-

rible illness include: taking six hour naps, looking at my swollen glands in the mirror, eating excessive amounts of Oreos, and threatening to lick people who annoy me.

Mono is kind of a fun illness to have in terms of getting what you want because people take pity on you. I’ve had friends and family bring me their dinner leftovers, chai tea, books, breakfast in bed, and anything else I could possibly ask for.

However, this “mono-high” lasts only a couple of days. It lasts until you realize that you’re way behind in school, you’re too tired to go out on a Saturday night, boys are completely out of the picture, and your hygiene has gotten so poor that you’ve worn the same shirt for about four days in a row.

What is the point of this mono rant? There isn’t one.

I guess I just needed to vent

to a demographic of people who understand the trials and tribulations of handling high school life while also simply trying to get through a shower without having to sit down four times due to exhaustion.

However, if this explanation does not satisfy you and you are one of those people who look to learn something or find a point in everything they read, consider this rant a public service announcement to raise mono awareness.

My lesson for all of you who are still vulnerable to mono is this: do some research on this very-common-and-highlycontagious-in-teenagers illness, don’t drink out of other peoples’ drinks, and be careful who you make out with. Because trust me, you don’t want to spend four months of your high school life dealing with all the pros and cons (but mostly, almost completely, just cons) of mononucleosis.

RPWednesday, October 30, 2013

the

variety 5

Students attend ‘We Day’ 18,000 Minnesota students were absent from school n Oct. 8th.

Julia Laden, junior, was one of these students. Laden and thousands of other teenagers spent their day cheering and listening to star-studded musical performances at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. They spent their day hearing the stories of a Queen, a descendant of Martin Lu-

ther King Jr., and local hero ‘Jabs’.

Despite their absence from school, some of these absent students learned more that day than on a typical day in class.

One unique aspect of We Day is that tickets to the event cannot be bought by students. Instead, they are earned through community service.

Once you earn a ticket, the event is free of charge.

“Our temple had to earn the tickets through service projects like food and clothing

‘Bangerz’ album attempts the best from both worlds

By Anne Goodroad Staff Reporter Miley Cyrus’s new album, ‘Bangerz’, arrived in stores and online Oct 8. and Allie Ries, sophomore, couldn’t wait to hear it.

Ries watched episodes of Hannah Montana during her childhood and she still admires Miley.

From blonde wigs covering brunette hair to a chopped flow and not even covering her skin, Miley Cyrus’s new attitude is grabbing people’s attention.

“She is wonderful but she’s lost. It’s obviously for publicity,” Ries said. “She wants to seem like she is moving on, it’s a movement not a transition.”

Some believe Miley’s recent behavior is inappropriate, considering her stardom.

“I don’t know why she is getting a ton of crap for it when everyone else does it. She just does it in front of billions of people and we do it in the basement at sleepovers,” Ries said.

‘Bangerz’ was expected to sell over 250,000 copies in the first 5 days of its release, according to Billboard.

“I feel like every song on

my record could be a single and could make their way to radio--they’re all Bangerz,” Miley said in a television interview with Alan Carr.

Miley will be here in Minneapolis for the radio station, KDWB’s, concert, Jingle Ball on Dec 10.

Alex Agar, senior, has also taken notice to Miley’s progression.

“She used to be kind of a babe, I guess, but over the years she has just kind of gone down hill,” Agar said.

In addition to global attention, some of the HHS community have taken note of Miley’s new personality, and even teachers in the school are taking notice of Mileys new persona as well.

“Every ounce of anything in my being hopes she has no influence on my students, whatsoever, but I suppose she does. Some kids are attracted to the craziness” said Mr. Champ Nelson, Math.

“She’s looney, a nutbag, a little crazy in the head, psycho, yeah, I’ll go with that.”

Nelson said.

No matter Miley’s new attitude, ‘Bangerz’ is a hit for many.

“She’s trying to have a good time and just live.

Whatever makes her happy,” Agar said.

New to Hopkins ...

drives,” Laden said.

This year marked the first official We Day in Minnesota.

During the program, Governor Dayton officially proclaimed October 8th as We Day. This is a day dedicated to improving local activeness and inspiring young people around the globe.

Another way to get a ticket We Day is to attend as a volunteer. Selena Anderson, senior, attended We Day as a volunteer Crowd Pumper. Her duties included transporting

youths on and off the bus, filling gift bags, and monitoring a group of children.

“Harnessing the energy and passion of this young community of changemakers, We Day brings youth together in an unparalleled setting to show them that they are not alone in their journey to make a difference,” said the co-creators of We Day. This mission was translated well to Minnesota.

“Every seat in the Excel was filled. Everyone was just

cheering for the cause, and it was so exciting,” Laden said.

Both Laden and Anderson were most inspired by the same speaker, Spencer West.

West had his legs amputated and walks on his arms.

“He [West] climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro on his arms. That was just so inspirational, if he can do it, anyone can,” Laden said.

Students from North Jr. High attended We Day, Anderson believes incorporating We Day into student lives as

a community service incentive would benefit the HHS atmosphere.

“The volunteer service to get a ticket would help HHS students become more involved. I feel like it made people want to make a difference in the world, for all ages and all different causes. It made us realize the opportunities we have,” Anderson said.

“I think the cause is to prove that even though we are young we can still make a change,” Laden said.

GTAV receives mixed reviews

By Asia Snetter Staff Reporter Bryanna Toney, sophomore, spends her free time

Photo by Asia Snetter

stealing, racing, and crashing cars.

To accomplish these activities, Toney turns on her PlayStation 3 to play Grand Theft Auto V: Witness Torture, released Sept. 17.

With new plot lines, characters and activities, RockStar Games (creator of GTA series) has made updates to the Grand Theft Auto V to improve the playing experience of a gamer. With more detailed graphics, gamers find themselves in a realistic, almost movie-like story.

In GTAV, the player has the option to play between three characters. These characters have individual back-

grounds, but are driven by a similar goal- money.

“The humor’s pretty funny.

You probably shouldn’t be playing it if you get offended easily,” Toney said.

In the video game,and can complete activities such as yoga or cycling for when you want to take a break from stealing cars and torturing witnesses.

“It’s kind of hard to explain, while being school appropriate.

But it’s really graphic,” Toney said.

GTAV, like the rest of the games in the GTA series, is rated Mature, for ages 17 and up. This being so, they did not worry about having to cut back on blood and gore, in-

tense violence, mature humor, nudity, language, sexual content, or drug and alcohol use.

While some believe the violence is entertaining, the violence nature can cause a problem for teens. Parents such as Mr. David Williams, English don’t find the inappropriate humor as funny as a lot of teenagers.

“The prefrontal lobe isn’t fully developed until they are around 25.” Williams said.

“Maturity isn’t always apparent and kids don’t exactly see these things as really happening or things that could happen.”

Although GTAV has recieved mixed reviews, the came can provide HHS students with a stress release.

Film culture comes to Twin Cities

By Olivia Newman Staff Reporter Crowds of film enthusiasts gathered around the red carpet at the Icon Showplace Theatre for the beginning of the fourth annual Twin Cities Film Fest on Oct. 17.

The Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) is a Minneapolisbased, non-profit organization that offers audiences a selection of the year’s great films.

It took place this year at the Kerasotes Showplace ICON theatre at the Shops at the West End.

“I think the big thing about film festivals in general is that they’re all designed to really connect the audiences and the filmmakers,” said Bill Cooper, Managing Director of the festival.

The festival is highlighting more than 20 premieres of locally-made movies and short films.

TCFF has been busy in the weeks leading up to the event. The directors of the TCFF chose the venue for the West End’s popularity, and have been raising awareness outside the theatre.

BY MARCH OF 2014, SIX NEW RESTAURANTS WILL BE LOCATED IN HOPKINS. THE ROYAL PAGE TOOK A LOOK AT TWO OF THE EATERIES.

Streetz American Grill is a new take on street food found in North America, taking classic items and reinvent them into an affordable, fast-casual meal.

Must-try item: One of the many twists on classic street food: a chicago-style cheeseburger (Burger topped with a Full Chicago Dog and all the toppings on a bun)

PizzaRev, a small pizza chain based out of California, is a new player in the build-your-own food industry. With over thirty toppings to choose from, the choices are are almost endless.

Must-try item: Experiment with different topping choices such as, fennel seeds, arugula, capers, artichoke hearts, bacon, kalamata olives, jalapeños, and blue cheese.

Infographic by Austin Oakes

Some students were more skeptical than they were excited about the TCFF. “Some of the movies look really good, but some of the others look a little contrived,” said Estelle Bayer, junior.

The festival is a showcase for some of Minnesota’s most prominent filmmakers. “I like that there exists a smaller platform than the broad-distribution releases. I love indie movies,” Bayer said.

During the four years the festival has been in Minnesota, it has grown in size, in numbers, and in reputation; Hollywood is

taking notice of these filmmakers and the festival in general.

“We have a total of 70 films playing at our festival - that’s short films and feature films and about 40 percent, almost half, have Minnesota connections,” Cooper said.

In addition to movie screenings, the festival also had educational aspects.

“We really want to encourage young people to come to the theatre. It’s amazing when the lights go down and this wonderful story that’s bigger than life is in front of you,” Cooper said.

RP

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A Flaw in Chemistry, Not Ch ar Staff sources in this article: Get Facts Dr. Wilkins said.

Anxiety is similar to depression in that it’s something the person cannot control.

“When I was growing up, people thought that if you had anxiety, then you’re socially unskilled, shy, or worried. That’s not at all what it is. You’re highly vigilant for any change. Folks should understand it as you were designed to be the scout, that you catastrophically think about everything, that you’re excessively prepared for the worst scenario,” Dr. Wilkins said.

Even though their survival skills are no longer needed, people with anxiety can’t help but perform the functions of a lookout.

However, there are treatment options. Often, the recommended treatment plan is a mixture of medication and therapy.

According to Ms. Pointer, some students have trouble receiving help because they don’t feel comfortable telling their parents about their mental health condition.

“Hopkins is accepting, but that doesn’t change that it’s hard to talk about it. I still think there is a huge stigma about mental health in our society,” Ms. Pointer said.

Students affected by mental health can’t just “shake it off.” Mental health is a real issue.

“We all will know someone in our lifetime who struggles with mental health. Every single one of us. It may be ourselves, someone who is very close to us, or someone in our extended family. Understand that everyone will handle it differently, and know where you go to get resources to get help if you need it,” Ms. Pointer said.

family practice doctor who collaborates with the residency at Methodist Hospital and Park Nicollet Foundation. Ms. Lisa Ashley,

so-

cial worker.

Anxiety:

A disorder including a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Sleep Disord

Sleeping Problems, trouble falling or stayi falling asleep at the wro too much sleep, or abn haviors during sleep.

HHS Help can

According to the Mental Health America organization, one in five teens in the country suffer from clinical depression.

HHS has 1,891 students. About 378 of them will go through depression before they graduate high school.

Most physical diseases are found within the first five years of life or when you retire. However, mental illnesses first appear during adolescence. This means that teens discover their mental illness during one of the most stressful times of their lives.

When someone is mentally ill, they can’t just snap out of it. A person could be prone to a certain disease because of their genes, and outside influences can draw out that illness.

“You get your DNA, but your DNA will turn on and express this protein or not based on environment, ecology, or an experience,” said Dr. Wilkins.

Dr. Wilkins gave the example that there can be ten people of the exact same gender, intellect, ethnicity, and the same disease, but the way they handle that disease or interpret it is completely different.

The term for this is epigenetics. Now, scientists have discovered that ecological influences can change the expression of our genes. This means that it’s not just environmental influences or a genetic tendency that causes depression. It is also dependent on the environment around you and how your body responds to that.

“So I think the understanding is that there is a physiological basis that maybe has 50 percent contribution from genetics, then you have experiences, then you have what you do with that,”

Ms. Bobbi Pointer, nurse. Dr. Mary Wilkins,

It is an unusual day for Ms. Pointer if she does not have a conversation with a student about mental health.

“It’s probably 80% of what I do,” Ms. Pointer said.

Whether you go to the nurses office, guidance office, or administrations office, HHS has an open ear for people with questions or concerns about mental health.

For Dr. Wilkins, there is no question or concern too big or too small to be heard.

“Bother matters. Not drama, not being pissed off or irritated. When you’re bothered, unsettled, when you don’t feel integrated with yourself, when you don’t feel like you’re in your own skin, that should always be listened to,” Dr. Wilkins said.

“When you tell someone who’s depressed to just be happy, that’s not a cure.

When you tell someone who’s anxious to just stop worrying, that’s not a cure.

And there’s a lot of people who just don’t understand

Teens Alone 915 Mainstreet Hopkins, MN 55343

that. It’s real, it’s chemical, and it’s a health problem,”

-Alexis Lehman, senior

What mental health means to you

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273- TALK (8255) my Health 478 Second Street Excelsior, MN 55106 952.474.3251

Silhouettes provided by Per Oleson and used with Creative Commons License

Royal Sound-off

Ms. Ashley is also a major player in me health related situations at HHS. “I see [mental health issues] every day. Th my job. Almost everything that I stick my fin into has some component of [mental health] in Ms. Ashley said.

There is a visible initiative against stigm HHS. Both the Stigma Hurts and Anti-Bully clubs were started this fall, and the student well committee puts mental health on the forefron its initiatives.

However, Ms. Ashley feels like the HHS c munity isn’t one to ever have perpetuated a stig “I think that stigma, if a stigma exists, it’s o within the person himself. I don’t think it’s posed,” Ms. Ashley said

“Mental health is important because if you’re headstrong, then you will make the world better.”

Connor Herman, junior

“Mental health is being happy and content with yourself.”

Janelle DeRubeis, sophomore

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The Royal Page explores mental health disorders, students living with them, and the stigma surrounding them in the halls of HHS.

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you go to get resources to get help if you need it,”

Alexis Lehman, senior, was not at her academic highpoint freshman year.

Her low grades cannot be attributed to laziness, a busy schedule, or lack of trying. Lehman is diagnosed with depression, anxiety, social anxiety, ADHD, and multiple learning disabilities. These all impacted her performance in school.

“I’ve had [the disorders] forever, but I was diagnosed with them when I was in seventh grade,” Lehman said, “I never really knew what was wrong, and I just thought I was dumb all the time, especially because I have issues testing. I’d always be behind everyone.”

Lehman’s struggle with depression peaked in middle school, specifically ninth grade.

“It kind of scared a lot of people away- a lot of friends out of my life, especially because when you’re younger it’s hard for people to understand what you’re going through. When you’re 13 or 14, people aren’t going to understand depression, thoughts of suicide, self harm, or anything like that,” Lehman said.

Social situations were also affected by Lehman’s mental disorders.

‘If there’s ever been conflict or issues, especially when I was in middle school, my fight-or-flight response has been way more enhanced. It was more difficult for me to handle situations and instead of thinking rationally I thought a lot more emotionally,” Lehman said.

However, Lehman is proud of how her middle school years shaped her to be the person she is today.

A Final Thought...

An editorial from the writers

If you ever have the chance to spend a class in the nurse’s office, we highly recommend it. We listened to Taylor Swift in the waiting room, were offered hot tea, and sat next to a cuddly black lab named Max. We were relaxed, comfortable, and accepted. Even though we were only there for interview, by the time we left, our minds and bodies were, in a word, centralized.

Dr. Wilkins believes that ‘central health’ is the proper way to refer to ‘mental health’ or ‘mental illness.’ We couldn’t agree more. Dr. Wilkins, and the majority of the medical community, has concluded that the effects of chronic diseases such as stroke and dementia on the central systems of the body are comparable to the effects of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses on the same systems.

“Think how often you hear, ‘I had a physical illness,’ or, ‘Well, that’s just mental health.’ When we split it, we do a disservice on both sides. It’ll never

-Ms. Bobbi Pointer, nurse “Mental health is the most important part of a person’s health because it governs other portions of a person’s health.”

Isaiah Kugmeh, junior

“Going through something like that makes you find out who you are at an earlier time in your life than most people would, but it also helps you put yourself on a path to know that it’s okay to not know who you are,” Lehman said, “It also gives you the ability to be strong for other people when they need you.”

Lehman has witnessed a stigma around mental health in society today.

“Mental health is thought of as your thoughts and emotions, but it’s a lot more than that. It should be thought of the same as your physical health,” Lehman said.

Lehman believes that the bigger community should keep this in mind when addressing mental health issues.

“When you tell someone who’s depressed to just be happy, that’s not a cure. When you tell someone who’s anxious to just stop worrying, that’s not a cure,” Lehman said, “It’s real, it’s chemical, and it’s a health problem. It’s okay to take medicine if you are sick, if you have the flu, and it’s okay to get help if you have a mental disorder.”

Since her freshman year, Lehman’s academic standings have greatly improved. She is now taking AP classes and excelling in school.

“Going from that low point to this higher point helped me feel accomplished, knowing that I am able to overcome or get around something that I deal with. Things that you deal with don’t have to get in the way of you achieving the things that you want to achieve,” Lehman said.

fly, but I think we’d be better off if we called it central health,” Wilkins said.

We hope this article sheds light on these ‘central’ health disorders for the members of the HHS student body who are unfamiliar. For those already knowledgeable about central health illnesses-whether it be from your experiences, your family members, or your friends- we hope that this article resonates with you, and perhaps even increases your knowledge on the subject.

Throughout the process of writing this center spread, our point of view on the subject of central health has greatly evolved. We have listened to the facts, seen the effect of the media, and heard firsthand what it’s like to live with a central health illness. Now is the time to fight the stigma. It’s a flaw in chemistry, not character.

By Callan Showers, Ellie Maag, Alex Felemovicius Feature Editor, News Editor, C-Spread Editor

“Mental health is a stress free lifestyle, no stress on you. It’s living life clearheaded.”

Abdullahi Abdullahi, senior

“Mental health is being in the right state of mind emotionally and physically and how it affects your stability in daily life.”

Jessica Crouser, junior

8 feature Editors in Chief Naomi Borowsky Josh Gallop

Front Page Editor Joe Greene

C-Spread Editor Alex Felemovicius

News Editor Ellie Maag

Opinion Editor Ryland Dorshow

Feature Editors Phoebe Cohen Callan Showers

Variety Editor Lily Goldfarb

Sports Editors Eli Badower Hillary Donovan

Back Page Editor

Tobie Soumekh

Photo Editor

Roxanne Krietzman

Business Editors

Kyle Makey Brian Yu

Web Editor in Chief Sam Hromatka

Staff Reporters Hannah Boggess Will Cohen Zach Condon Haley DenHartog Anne Goodroad Isabel Hall Imann Hodleh Julia Jallo Sam Kaminsky Bradley Kaplan Ruby Krietzman Josh Margolis Erik A. Nelson Olivia Newman Austin Oakes Lucy Pierro Dan Sheldon Asia Snetter Jacob Ungerman Paul Vogt Isabella Weisman

Adviser

Mr. Kocur The editorial represtents the opinion of the newspaper staff. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body or the advisor. Signed viewpoints represent the view of the writer. The Royal Page operates as an open forum student publication, and student editors make editorial decisions regarding content.

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.

the

Students move for Power Shift in environment

By Isabella Weisman Staff Reporter

Students with passion for the environmental movement want to make a shift. A shift towards making a stronger movement to end what hurts the environment. A Power Shift.

“The Power Shift Convention’s purpose is to empower youth, get the attention of big oil and coal companies, and show them that we have a voice and that we care,” said Sophia Showalter, senior.

At the convention, students listened to speakers and attended workshops to discuss ways to change the environment through advocacy and recruiting more supporters for their cause.

Along with Showalter, Tessa Ruff, Lindsey Lande, Aurelia Rosko, and Elayna Shapiro, seniors, attended the convention in Pittsburgh, PA on October 18-21, 2013.

The girls heard about

Power Shift through an organization called Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN), where they attend meetings. YEA! MN discusses the environment and how high school students can help stop global warming.

“It is a group for high schoolers in Minneapolis. A lot of the members are in their Earth Club at their school, so it’s a great way to meet people who have the same interests as you,” Shapiro said.

The girls traded in college touring, a popular activity during MEA, and instead bussed to Pittsburgh to go to the convention. “[I was] very interested to see what [this issue] looks like on a national scale because we have done something on the state level but nothing this big,” Showalter said.

“The convention happens every two years and it’s on a lot of environmental groups’ radars. It’s a big deal,” Rosko said.

After listening to all of the

speakers and attending the workshops, students used everything they have learned and put it into action in a Day of Action.

“For the Day of Action, we protested throughout Pittsburgh promoting the end of fossil fuels throughout America,” Lande said.

Now Showalter, Rosko, Shapiro, Lande, and Ruff

plan to use what they learned to make the planet’s future brighter.

“All of us are very passionate about saving the Earth,” Ruff said. “We like to share that with people and talk about it so this is just such an amazing opportunity to do in our own time.”

The girls’ passion for saving the earth has led them to want to

spread their knowledge to HHS. “We definitely want to bring ideas to HHS and share the experiences that we had at Power Shift with kids who didn’t go.” Lande said.

The girls believe that becoming involved with organizations like Power Shift will help them prepare for deciding what to study in college and their future.

Infographic by Isabella Weisman

Former Deeply Royal dancer returns to revamp club

By Lucy Pierro Staff Reporter Deeply Royal has made yet another comeback.

After their last season, the team was on a hunt for a new coach to keep the dance club intact.

Deeply Royal is a hip-hop dance club that practices Monday and Wednesdays from 3pm to 5pm. It has been at HHS for 12 years and performs at football and basketball games along with the Hopkins cheerleading and dance team.

Siona Fitzhugh, junior, joined Deeply Royal last year on a whim and has been dedicated ever since.

“I went to support my friend for her tryouts last year, and I attempted the tryout dance. I ended up enjoying it so much, and I fell in love with Deeply Royal right away,” Fitzhugh said.

The type of dance is different from the Hopkins Royelles dance team because it incorporates modernday hip-hop dance techniques into their routines and is a more student-focused team.

“My favorite part about Deeply Royal is that everyone’s ideas are welcome and even though it’s hard work, it’s so much fun. It’s like a second family,” Fitzhugh said.

Ms. Jennifer Heimlich, Social Studies, was the Deeply Royal coach for seven years.

“Deeply Royal is a non-tryout team and is welcome to both boys and girls who have up to, little, or no prior dance experience. The students on the team also work together to make their own choreography,” Heimlich said.

Heimlich’s former student and 2009 HHS graduate, Tontiana Kendricks, who was a part of Deeply Royal for her Junior and Senior year, will be the new coach.

Academic Scholar

The Royal Page 2013-2014

RPWednesday,October 30, 2013

Molly Senser, senior

Dami Manuel-Moore, senior, busting a move during the Deeply Royal performance at the HHS football game on Wednesday, October 16, 2013. This was the last home game and Deeply Royals’ only performance for a football game this year.

Photo by Roxanne Krietzman

Kendricks took her dancing to another level after high school. She danced at clubs and was a backup dancer for a number of famous celebrities such as Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Willow Smith, and Big Sean.

Kendricks will be Deeply Royal’s seventh coach.

Both Deeply Royal and the Hopkins dance team have lost coaches in the past year. The Hopkins dance team wasn’t as affected because they have numerous coaches each season, whereas Deeply Royal only has one.

“It’s a big commitment being the coach. I think having a former student and Deeply Royal dancer like Tontiana is a great fit,” Heimlich said.

What classes/subjects come the easiest to you, and what classes/subjects are the hardest?

“Unlike most people who are left-brained or right-brained, I’m a perfect generalist meaning that I’m not weak at one thing or particularly strong at the other. I just work hard at all of them and none of them are super hard.”

What classes have pushed you the hardest and made you work harder than the rest?

“AP World History. Reading the textbook was a lot of reading. Also Writer’s Workshop is hard because my teacher is really strict on us, but I ended up being a much better writer.”

What class/teacher made you want to push yourself and become an academic scholar?

“Ms. Jarvie and Ms. Temple”

Ms. Jarvie on Senser:

“On the hardest days of being a teacher, I think about students like Molly. She amazes me with her ability to balance school with personal pursuits and do so with such a genuine heart.”

the

RPWednesday, October 30, 2013 feature 9 HAP students take to the woods Leaders in Business

By Ruby Krietzman Staff Reporter

For most people, summer school is not the ideal way to spend summer vacation, but six HAP (Hopkins Alternative Program) students would say otherwise.

The summer of 2013 marked the 20th anniversary of the HAP camping trip, originally starting in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

HAP students hiked and camped along the Superior Hiking Trail for five days during this past summer.

“We had to climb a lot of mountains and hills. We had to help each other get up there and not quit or go back down,” said Danielle Usselman, senior.

Usselman participated in the camping trip this year.

Each student earned an ecology credit for participating.

Mr. Matthew Williamson and Ms. Alyson Purdy, Science, led this year’s trip.

Although the trip was based on earning credit, the teachers hoped that the students would have an opportunity to connect with nature and learn in an outdoor environment.

“I was interested in getting involved because I take my own family camping, and I am dedicated to HAP, so it was a natural decision for me,” Purdy said.

Purdy has been teaching HAP classes for ten years.

“The students learned to pull together. Everyone had to pull their own weight and carry their share of equipment.

The students learned to be responsible for their own business,” Purdy said.

Purdy hopes that the students apply cooperation and collaboration to their learning experiences throughout this school year.

“The students absolutely got a lot out of the trip,” Purdy said.

Usselman believes that one of the most important aspects of the trip was the teamwork that it took to accomplish every hardship.

Usselman says that the trip forced the group to work together cohesively.

“In this school year, I will be more friendly to people and have more teamwork. I will also make sure that everyone participates in groups when needed,” Usselman said.

Williamson was especially interested in leading this trip because he has experience leading trips on the Superior Hiking Trail.

“The most important thing is the experience. Do I count on them remembering the information about the North Shore? Not really. That’s not what education is necessarily about,” Williamson said.

Williamson and Purdy had

the students keep a journal to reflect on the different aspects of the trip. They had them reflect on everything from the hikes they took to the views that they saw.

“The hiking isn’t always the fun part. When you’re hiking five miles in the rain and you’re tired and want to go home, that’s not fun, but when you get to the view point and you finally look out, you kind of forget everything and how miserable you were for a little while,” Williamson said.

“I want the students to remember how cool Grand Marais looked from a mile away, looking down on it, or how cool Lake Superior looked as it fades away into the sky,” Williamson said.

Both teachers believe that the students have benefitted from the trip and that they’ve accomplished something important.

“The fun part is when you look back and say that I did it and hopefully that I grew from it, too,” Williamson said.

Government meeting which takes place every Wednesday morning at 7:10 in the Career Center,” Berman said.

The Student Government is leaning towards the idea of it being a semi-formal, but it is still up for debate.

“I think the dance is a great idea. In the past few years, attendance of the Black Light Dance has decreased significantly. The proposed dance will replace black light as the winter dance most likely. Also,

The Royal Page will be periodically interviewing successful business men and women working in the Minneapolis metropolitan area. We hope to provide influential first-hand sources of success in business for HHS students interested in the business field.

The Royal Page interviewed Amy Arias, the founder and chief executive of Mosquito Inc., a product development studio in Minneapolis, whose clients include Caribou, Target, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Arias says, “I set high expectations for the people we hire, and they set high expectations for themselves.”

Q: Did you always want to run your own company?

A: My intention was not to run my own company. I was driven from a young age. I would be in a job or be doing something and evaluating the situation or the circumstances, and I would look to figure out how I could do it better. Often when you are working for somebody else, you don’t have as much freedom to do what makes sense to you as an individual. I decided to start my own business after I left my job at [my previous employer.] Our business has grown exponentially, and we currently employ between 20 and 24 people at any given time.

Q: Have you always been in leadership roles?

A: At every job I have had, I think I had a good sense of what needed to be done and how to improve the environment.

I understood how to help drive the business, no matter if it was when I was waiting tables, working in a clothing store, or a cheese shop. No matter what setting, I had high expectations for myself to perform. I think I just naturally took on leadership roles, but I didn’t think of myself as a leader at that time.

Q: How do you manage people?

From left: Danielle Usselman, senior, Michael Bevins, graduate of 2013, Mercedes Moore, senior, Jackson Wilson-Disrud, senior, Isaiah Hansen, senior, and Yone Orozco, graduate of 2013. Photo provided by Alyson Purdy

Sadie Hawkins hopping into Hopkins?

SADIE’S. Continued from page 1 In the next few weeks, the Student Government will be posting on Facebook, Twitter (@HHSStudGov), and most likely the school website, asking questions about what students would like to see in this dance.

“Additionally, if students have any ideas, [they should] feel free to share them with the Student Government members, or attend a Student

By Brian Yu Buisiness Editor

I have heard many complaints from the student body about Hopkins’ lack of a more formal dance, other than prom, and this would satisfy that demand,” Berman said.

Other students have started to catch wind of the proposal.

“I have a handful of friends who go to schools that hold a Sadie Hawkins Dance. They have told me it’s lots of fun and I think if our school had another dance besides Prom and Homecom-

ing, it could be really fun for everyone,” said Sophie Holm, junior.

Other students are not so keen on the idea.

“I think we should stick with the black light dance because I don’t like the idea of having a girl asking me to go, I would rather ask her,” said Terrance Bowers, senior.

The verdict of whether or not to hold a Sadie Hawkins Dance will be decided as soon as possible.

A: I give new employees a lot of space to acclimate and understand what their role is in our company. I set high expectations, and the people we hire have high expectations for themselves. I also look at their individual strengths and think about how to develop those strengths and how to leverage their skills and talents.

I try to convey to people that no matter what position you hold, you have something to contribute and to teach people within the organization, because everyone has a unique perspectives and life experiences.

Q: What was your first job?

A: I have been working since I was fourteen. When I was fourteen I worked at a gourmet cheese shop in St. Paul in a small shopping facility. There was also an independent clothing store in the same little mall called Annie’s. They sold all of the clothing lines that teenage and college kids wanted to wear, and it was a really fun store. It was my goal to work at that store as my next job. I achieved that goal, and I loved working at Annie’s. I worked there from the time I was sixteen until I was twenty one.

Q: How do you hire? What qualities do you look for? What questions do you ask?

A: When we hire, we’re looking for a combination of skills and personality. One of the first things I evaluate is how do you make me feel when you’re sitting across the table from me? Do you make me smile, do you make me laugh, are you conversational?

I think the the hiring process is largely about peeling back layers of one’s character. I’m looking for work examples or personal life examples that tell me that they are thinkers. At the interview, it’s not about them giving me the correct answer. It’s their thought process and how they think and their enthusiasm.

Q: What career advice would you give to a graduating class of high school seniors?

A: I think it is important to realize you not only have to do the job, but you also have to bring a personality to the job and add to the environment of the organization. You should really think about what makes you want to do well, because you are going to be working for a long, long time, and you don’t have to compromise or settle for something that doesn’t excite you.No matter what kind of job you pick, it needs to really inspire and bring the enthusiasm out of you. *This is a condensed version of the full interview, which can be found at www.hopkinsrp.org

RPWednesday, October 30, 2013

the

10 sports

Warden pumping more iron

By Dan Sheldon Staff Reporter Sometimes pumping iron is not enough.

Sometimes taking care of your body as an athlete goes further than some Band-Aids and ice. For one student, a different kind of problem arose that not too many people are familiar with.

Terese Warden, junior, has struggled with low iron this season. It even forced her to sit out two weeks of practices and races this season for the cross country team.

“I was tired all the time, and when I would run faster, I would get light headed really easily. My coaches recommended that our whole team get their iron checked, and it just so happened that mine was low,” Warden said.

Warden was diagnosed

with anemia. There are 400 different types of anemia, and one of them is caused by low iron. Anemia, as described by Webmd.com, is the lack of red blood cells which carry oxygen to the cells.

Anemia causes easy fatigue, unusually rapid heartbeat, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia. Anemia can be hard to catch because the body can compensate remarkably well early on with anemia before symptoms are shown.

“Iron is a building block of red blood cells, and if we don’t have enough, we don’t build red blood cells,” said Ms. Bobbi Pointer, nurse.

Low iron is one of the most common forms of anemia and is diagnosed more often in girls.

“It is not uncommon in high school girls. At the blood drive, several students were turned away because their low measure

of hemoglobin. They were all women,” Pointer said.

Low iron is a problem even at higher level competition. In a study done by the University of Minnesota in 2008, 89 percent of the women on the Gophers cross country team were anemic at one time or another.

In Warden’s case, her coaches knew that something was wrong when she was not running like she had in the past.

“We noticed she was really sluggish. She wasn’t hitting the times she was supposed to be hitting in workouts. Because she’s run with us the past couple years we know what group she should be running in. Her races weren’t at the level that we expected her to be. That’s usually our first default as coaches to say, ‘go get your iron checked,’” said Ms. Anne Sateren, head girls cross country coach and Social Studies.

Warden had to sit out two weeks and had to do another week of training before she could race again. She also upped her iron intake and takes iron pills two times a day. However, anemia could not deter her from coming back even stronger then before.

“It got me motivated to run again. My iron was up to a healthy level after about two weeks, and I have a lot more energy now and can go a lot longer and a lot faster,” Warden said.

Warden, being in the top five runners for the varsity girls cross country team, is a scoring athlete and with her return has caused a big boost for the team.

“She looks like a million bucks now. Her whole demeanor is much happier because she’s feeling much better and she’s staying with her workout group and having great races,,” Sateren said.

Terese Warden, junior, runs the Girls Varsity sections race at Gale Woods. Warden missed two weeks of running due to low iron levels this season.

Photo by Roxy Krietzman

Three Royals hit the ice for U.S.A. U18 team

By Julia Jallo and Hillary Donovan Staff Reporters Through a journey that started with a tryout of Minnesota high school girls and ended in a final tryout in Lake Placid, New York, Grace Bizal, junior, Nina Rodgers, senior, and Erin O’Neil, senior, made the 2013 U.S. Under 18 national hockey team.

While the girls were in Lake Placid, New York, they played in the Canadian series.

The series existed of three

games over the span of three days at the Olympic training center in Lake Placid. On August 22, 2013, Rodgers, O’Neil, and Bizal began their USA hockey career.

“It was so surreal. It was a dream come true to just be there,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers scored two goals and had one assist throughout the series, tying in second for goals scored.

“In Canada, the intensity level was very high. It’s a lot tougher than high school hockey, and there is a ton more body

to body contact,” Rodgers said.

Unlike Bizal and O’Neil, Rodgers was on the US Worlds U18 team last year during winter break, so Rodgers has some experience playing at this pace.

At Lake Placid, Bizal and Rodgers were on the same team.

In the second game of the series, Rodgers scored a goal with an assist from Bizal.

The girls hope to bring the skills they learned to their home team.

“I learned a lot of new things, but especially many new defensive drills. Since I’m a defender,

I can bring some drills back to the team here,” said Bizal.

O’Neil was one of 20 goalies playing at the Canadian Series. Playing for the Gold Team, O’Neil only let in two goals the whole series. For O’Neil, seeing the U.S.A. emblazoned across her jersey proved to be validation for her hard work.

“Standing on the blue line and thinking of all the blood, sweat, and tears I went through made that moment so great,” said O’Neil.

In the final game of the series, O’Neil helped secure a win

with 18 saves and holding Canada to two goals, while the Gold Team scored three.

“I learned what it takes to keep my body in really good shape so I am able to compete at such a higher level. I am hoping to bring some of those habits back to the team this year,” O’Neil said.

2013 was the first year that USA Hockey Player Development Camps had a league for girls. The league existed of 10 teams with 17 girls on each team. Only nine of the 170 girls were from Minnesota.

“I actually got a chance to meet a few of the girls before camp started who were really nice and really similar to me.

Everyone out there is extremely talented, “ said O’Neil.

For most high school athletes, playing outside the metro-area is a pipe dream, but for Bizal, O’Neil, and Rodgers, it became a reality.

“It was unreal and breathtaking walking into the locker rooms with a U.S.A. jersey and seeing my name on the locker.

It was a dream come true,” Bizal said.

***Boys and Girls Cross Country is based off of individual places, and therefore does not have a team record. Other girls swim meets were scored by place, not according to win/loss.*** Infographic by Julia Jallo and Isabella Weisman

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RPWednesday, October 30, 2013

Royals fall in section final

By Erik A. Nelson Staff Reporter

Eva Charlesworth-Seiler, junior, defends against Minnetonka during the section finals game.

The team lost 1-0, taking second in sections.

Photo by Roxy Krietzman

The season for the HHS girls soccer team came to a close as Hopkins lost 1-0 to Minnetonka in the section finals. The Royals finished with a record of eight wins and seven losses. All seven losses were against Lake Conference opponents.

In their second section game, on Oct. 12, the Royals defeated Wayzata 2-1 in a shootout.

“It was emotional because of our history with them [Wayzata]. None of the players on this team had beaten them until that playoff game,” said Keith Pavelka, head coach.

“We weren't happy with the two close games we had with them in the regular season. But they were focused and went to Wayzata with the intention of winning that game. They put everything into it and got the result they deserved.”

It was the first time in 19 years that the Royals have beaten Wayzata. Players celebrated the win like it was 1994, the lat time an HHS girls varsity soccer team had defeated Wayzata.

“That was my favorite mo-

ment from the season. It was a big deal for us. We earned the win, worked really hard the entire time, and we really wanted it,” said Lindsay Clay, senior captain.

The game against Wayzata was not filled with frills or cheerfulness. The task was to beat a conference rival.

“It was a very intense game from the beginning.

The weather wasn't great and the wind was blowing hard. Besides battling Wayzata we were also battling the conditions,” Pavelka said. “It was draining and emotional because we needed to be focused the entire game and not let down. Both teams had chances to score and you could feel the tension any time a team got around the other's goal.”

This was the Royals second win against a Lake Conference opponent during the season.

The other came during the regular season against Edina in overtime.

“We increased our intensity in the section games, and we played together as a team,” said Olivia Geiwitz, junior.

In the section final, the only goal was scored with about eight minutes left in regulation.

The game was intense, as mo-

Youth served on varsity sports

By Zach Condon Staff Reporter Most seventh graders are trying to adjust to life at their respective junior high schools.

They are getting used to switching classes, meeting new people, and dealing with no recess for the first time in their lives.

However, Rachel Kelly, Madeline Suk, and Molly Meland, seventh graders, have to add the challenge of adjusting to the varsity level in their respective sports.

Kelly played number three doubles and Suk played number two or three singles on the varsity tennis team this past season.

Meland, a varsity swimmer, has a somewhat different per-

spective on a varsity sport being the only seventh grader on a varsity team.

“It feels kind of weird, but it’s really fun because I get to know all the older girls, and you get the feel of how it’s going to be on a varsity sport,” said Meland.

Like Meland, Kelly enjoys being the youngest player on a varsity sport.

“It makes me feel good about my tennis game because being a middle school student on a high school team just gives me more confidence,” said Kelly.

All three seventh graders envisioned themselves not fitting in before the season, but those fears quickly disappeared.

“I thought that I wouldn’t fit in that well, but now that I have gotten to know the girls, I know

that I fit in perfectly,” Kelly said.

“At the beginning of the season I was really nervous about meeting all of the new girls, if they were going to like me or not, but I got along really well with everyone and they were really nice to me,” Suk said.

Meland never thought she would become so close to her teammates prior to the season.

“At first I was really intimidated by everyone because they are just so much bigger than me, but now they are a part of my family,” Meland said.

Teammates were a big part of the success of the young athletes this season.

“They helped me by giving me feedback on my strokes and help me with things I need,” Meland said.

Lindsey Fagerstrom, senior,

19 11 13

was initially surprised at Meland’s skills in the pool. Due to her young age, expectations were relatively low to begin the season.

“Coming to the practice, you would never guess that she is a seventh grader seeing her swim, but then you see her get out of the water, and she is 20 pounds lighter than everyone, a foot shorter, but she is one of the strongest swimmers,” Fagerstrom said.

Suk’s teammates also encourage her to become a better player despite the fact she is in seventh grade.

“My teammates help me to become a better player because they encourage and push me to be the best I can be,” Suk said.

Despite being seventh graders on varsity, all athletes have a

goal to keep getting better and become the best they can be.

“I’m just going to keep playing hard and trying my best to be the best tennis player I can be,” Kelly said.

Meland has set high goals for herself, including setting the school record in her events.

“I am just always going to try my hardest and never give up, because I really want to get the record on that board,” Meland said.

Kelly and Suk really enjoyed having one another on the team considering most seventh graders don’t have the opportunity to experience being on varsity.

“It was really fun because since we both made varsity this year and hopefully years to come, we get to experience it together,” Kelly said.

Go Figure 10:49

Years since the Varsity Girls Soccer team had beaten Wayzata, which ended after the Royals won 2-1 in the section semifinals Number of songs on the Varsity Volleyball’s pre game playlist, played during warm-ups before every home game

Number of graduating seniors the Varsity Boys Soccer team is losing this year

Minutes and seconds when the ball was in play of football in the Royals 41-7 loss at Edina

3,350 Capacity of the HHS Turf Stadium

Infographic by Kyle Makey

mentum shifted multiple times throughout the game.

“It is very disappointing to know you are that close to being in the State Tournament. I was very proud of the way we played and went into that game.

We left everything we had on the field and the game could have gone either way,” Pavelka said. “Each game we play all I ask is that they give everything and don't leave the field with any regrets. I thought we played well and really thought we were going to win.”

The team’s goal for next season is to make the state tournament after falling one round short. The younger players will form a new core that hopes to accomplish this goal.

“We have been in the section final three years in a row and feel like we are getting closer every year. We also need to make sure we are more consistent in conference play. We are going to miss the seniors from this year’s team,” Pavelka said. “They were great leaders and really helped our team grow and develop over the year. I know that our returning players will take the positives and bring them to next season and make it a great one.”

Spotlight Athlete

Christiaan van Lierop Grade: 12 Sport: Cross Country Pre-game Routine: “I listen to music, warm up, then get the team huddled and pumped up.”

Favorite Memory: “Running in the Griak race at the University of Minnesota.”

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RPWednesday, October 30, 2013

‘Tis the Season to be

SPOOKY c an

What Y O

is th owe en? l l

Halloween at the Creek- $10

Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Ave., Plymouth, MN October 31st: 5:30-8:00 p.m.

Featuring carnival games, inflatables, entertainment, prizes, treats, and more. Costumes encouraged

do

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Ha

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The Haunts of Hopkins

Haunted House- $1 27655 Island View Road, Excelsior, MN October 31st: 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Minnetonka Orchards Apple Orchard 6530 County Road 26, Mound, MN October 31st: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Featuring apple picking, a cornmaze, farm animals, pumpkin patches, hayrides, and more

Hopkins Spooktacular

Bryant Square Park October 31st: 6:30-8:00p.m.

Bonfire and dancing with the DJ from Kidsdance

The Treats We Eat 1.2HowPounds much candy the average ( American eats on Halloween )

MOA Indoor Trick-or-Treating 60 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425 October 31st: 5:30-8:00 p.m.

That’s the equivalent of . . .

33 Fun-Size Snickers

The world’s largest indoor trick-or-treating begins with a costume contest and more than 150 stores will hand out candy.

56 Fun-Size Twix 127 Starburst 280 M&Ms

55%

45%

of HHS students

of HHS students

prefer

prefer

SOUR

SWEET

CreepyCalculations

candy

candy

When Americans Shop for Halloween

23.6% 32.8% 43.6%

By Tobie Soumekh Back Page Editor

wait until the final two weeks of the month begin shopping the first two weeks of october

33% 67% of HHS students

Trick Do -or- Not Treat

begin shopping before September 30

The Royal Page polled 100 HHS students for the Sweet vs.Sour poll and the Trick-or-Treat poll. Statistics in “The Treats We Eat” and “When Americans Shop for Halloween” are provided by “Creepy Calculation: 2013 Halloween Statistics.” Images courtesy of Creativecommons.org

On October 31, 2013, few HHS students will ring their neighbors’ doorbells and say the highly commercialized words, “Trick-or-Treat.” Instead, HHS students will struggle with finding an alternative age-appropriate way to celebrate Halloween.

“When you’re little, you think its really fun, but for some people, as you get older, it becomes dumb,” said Kaley Inman, senior.

Because the spirit of Halloween grows irrelevant and boring for some HHS students, some choose to engage in dangerous activities to create a more entertaining holiday. “On Halloween, I bagsnatch by going behind people with a bag full of candy and taking it from them,” said Aaron Boone, sophomore.

HHS students often forget about the essence of Halloween and rather use it as an excuse to behave inappropriately. “Halloween is just a reason to throw a party. Girls often believe that on Halloween they are allowed to dress more exotically and revealing,” said Joe Nelsen, junior.

While students believe they are growing too old for “trickor-treating,” HHS teachers have different beliefs. “I get annoyed when older kids show up with no costume on and just a big pillow case, but if kids make an effort to dress up and are polite, then they are entitled to their candy,” said Mr. Kirk Shoger, Science.

Not only do the celebrations evolve as students grow older, but the purpose of Halloween also changes. “For teenagers, Halloween is about socialization and hanging out with their friends instead of the excitement of the houses or the candy itself. Halloween is a way for people to get out and have a good time,” said Mr. Jacques Youakim, Mathematics.

Although students seldom go door to door begging for candy, some still celebrate Halloween by dressing up in costume. “Its fun to pretend to be someone else for a day and be creative. Halloween is about stepping out of your comfort zone and being as goofy as possible when nobody really cares,” Inman said.

Youakim agrees with Inman’s statement. “I love when people don’t even recognize me from a really good costume. I’m scary enough as it is, so if I can go one step farther, that makes me feel really excited,” Youakim said.

In addition to candy and costumes, neighborhood decorations perpetuate the fun of Halloween. “On my street, my neighbors have the tunnel of terror where people come out screaming, and there’s a trail of urine coming out the driveway. A neighborhood is good for trick-or-treating when people really own Halloween and get the community involved,” Youakim said.

While Halloween can be fun, it can also prove dangerous.

“When I was a kid, a lot of people used to worry about razor blades in their candy and poison, but that’s not the hazards that I think are relevant today,” Youakim said. “Today, a lot of irresponsible young adults go out drinking and driving on Halloween, and I get nervous that teenagers are not making responsible decisions and that there are cars driving up and down the streets where little kids are.”

No matter how you choose to celebrate Halloween, Youakim provides one term of advice: “By the time you’re 75, you should probably stay home with your walker.”