The Rubicon student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 49, Issue 3 - Nov. 28, 2023 BACK TO BACK. Members of BVS embrace after winning their second consecutive state title, and their sixth all time. “It was an experience I’ll never forget...all I could do was scream with the team and the fans,” junior Lucas Granja said after their hard-fought victory over Pine Island. IBID PHOTO: Luwam Mebrahtu
STATE CHAMPIONS TAKE THE BANK SPORTS
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CELLY CITY. Sophomore Clare Ryan Bradley runs to the student section after scoring the opening goal of the state final. “I was excited to score at the U.S. Bank Stadium, and relieved to be up 1-0,” she said. GVS ended up winning the game 3-0 against St. Charles, earning their first ever state championship win. IBID PHOTO: Luwam Mebrahtu
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ASL ACADEMICS American Sign Language isn’t currently an official school language, but its growing popularity among students proves that it should be. Read more in OPINIONS.
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SUPER-CHARGED SWIFTIES From iconic songs to activism to artist connections, avid fans of Taylor Swift describe what draws them to support her and the ongoing Eras Tour. Read more in A&E.
IN THIS ISSUE:
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CREATIVE COSPLAY Senior Bri Rucker dives deep into their cosplay journey: how they got started, their favorite aspects, and how they deal with online fame. Read more in FEATURE.
2-4 - News • 5-7 - Opinion • 8-10 - A&E •
11-13 - Sports • 14-15 - Feature • 16 - Music
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NEWS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
Robotics competes in Center Stage meet JUAN MIGUEL ADAMS THE RUBICON
A dozen robotics teams poured their dedication into this year’s league meet, the Center Stage, Nov. 10.
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I THINK WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AND A LOT BETTER THAN THE FIRST LEAGUE MEET.
sophomore Dia Chaney
League meets are the precursor to robotics tournaments. To qualify for the tournaments, teams must first secure a spot in the top ten positions of all four league meets. The upper school sponsors three teams: Robotters, Autonomice, and the newly formed CyBears. The year prior, the Robotters and the Auto-
nomice secured a spot on the state level. League meets start with each team making small and quick revisions on their robot before each one is checked to see if it meets the stringent standards. Hosted by the First in Upper Midwest, this year’s league meet was designed for team partnerships, in which each team is given five rounds to compete and are randomly paired with another team for each round. The challenges encompassed placing pixels (small hexagonal objects) onto a backboard, shooting a paper airplane off the robot, and hanging a robot off the ground from a metal pole. This year, the challenges were more complicated than past challenges. Sophomore Dia Chaney said, “There are so many components to these challenges, and the pixels are very small and thin which make them hard to pick up.” Freshman Alex Haupt
THE RUBICON PHOTO: Juan Miguel Adams
READY FOR ROBOTICS. On Nov. 10, three robotics teams from SPA competed at the league meet Center Stage on the road to qualifying for tournaments. Before competition, team members add finishing touches to their creation. Freshman Alex Haupt said, “We had to figure out how to innovate all these engineering problems and create this ramp.
was nervous going into his first meet. “We had to figure out how to innovate all these engineering problems and create this ramp,” Haupt said, “but it’s really cool.” His team, The Cybears,
finished ninth in the meet. The Robotters adopted a strategic approach by optimizing their cycles, which involves increasing the scoring of points. Junior Lorenzo Good said, “I think this year
our main focus is just dropping a ton of points in the normal season.” Robotters placed sixth. The Autonomice were confident in their design of the paper airplane launcher, and while they did notice some flaws,
they were able to place very well in the meet. “I think we did a really good job and a lot better than the first league meet,” Chaney said. Autonomice finished fourth.
Debate takes a bite of the Minneapple Tournament CARYS HSIUNG CONTRIBUTOR
Teams from all around the country flew in to participate in the Apple Valley Minneapple Debate Tournament Nov. 5-7, one of the few national circuit tournaments in Minnesota. Five out of eight teams from SPA competed in the varsity division, hoping to qualify for the Tournament of Champions held in Lexington, KY, a goal on many debaters’ bucket lists. This year, Henry Choi, David Schumacher, Deling Chen, and Zain Kizilbash made it to double octofinals and earned their first silver bids of the season. Local circuit tournaments have three to five rounds per division, each round 45 minutes to an hour long. In contrast, national circuit tournaments have six preliminary rounds and elimination rounds that usually start from runoffs, or triple octofinals, to finals. Debaters need to win at least four out of the six preliminary rounds for
most tournaments which is known as “breaking.”
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I’M REALLY PROUD OF HOW OUR TEAMS DID AT THIS TOURNAMENT... AND THERE ARE MORE TO COME. junior Cerena Karmaliani
To qualify for the Tournament of Champions, debaters need at least two silver bids or a gold bid, which is determined by how many elimination rounds they win after breaking. Bidding varies at every tournament, but is relatively easier at Minneapple. If debaters reach double octofinals, the second elimination round following preliminary rounds, they get a silver bid. If they win double octofinals, they secure a gold bid by reaching octofinals.
Sophomore Zain Kizilbash described this tournament as “super draining but overall a worthwhile experience.” He added that “[it] helped me prepare for the last couple of tournaments of the topic.” Captain Cerena Karmaliani said, “I’m really proud of how our teams did at this tournament. ... I am disappointed by my own performance, but I’ve been to this tournament multiple times and there are more tournaments to come.” Minneapple was important for many debaters since it was one of their last chances to qualify for the Tournament of Champions. However, this made the tournament more stressful. Losing at tournaments takes an emotional toll on debaters, especially when the maximum amount of times debaters can lose is two in order to break. Sophomore Annalise Atkinson confirmed, “I found Minneapple to be one of the most ego-crushing tourna-
CORRECTIONS POLICY Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be published in the month following the error and, if the story is also published online, will update following the online corrections policy.
KEY TERMS BREAKING The act of qualifying for the elimination rounds of a tournament by winning at least four out of six preliminary rounds. FOR THE MINNEAPPLE:
SILVER BID teams receive a silver bid if they qualify for the second elimination round, called the double octofinals.
THE RUBICON PHOTO: Carys Hsiung
HOW ‘BOUT THEM APPLES. Debaters Henry Choi, David Schumacher, Deling Chen and Zain Kizilbash pose with their Minneapple trophies. Kizilbash had mixed feelings about the “...draining but overall worthwhile” tournament.
ments ever.” Prepping for tournaments can also be tedious and time-consuming. “On my own, [I prepped for] a couple of hours a week,” Karmaliani said. “I worked with my partner the night before and over the past three weeks.” As a team, Karmaliani
and her co-captain Henry Hilton hold practice after school on Mondays while coaches Marit Warren, McKenna Shaw, and Colton Werner hold practice after school on Wednesdays. Practices are comprised of practice rounds, speech redos, and learning how to respond to different arguments.
GOLD BID Teams receive a gold bid if they win the double octofinals and qualify for the octofinals.
Varsity teams have yet to qualify for the Tournament of Champions but have another opportunity to earn a bid at the season’s last national circuit tournament: John Edie Holiday Debates Hosted by The Blake School at the Marriott City Center in Minneapolis Dec. 1518.
OPINIONS 5 - Erik Bjorgvinsson was spelled incorrectly. IN DEPTH 8 - James Welsh was quoted without a first name. A&E 14 - Arden Lillemoe was spelled incorrectly.
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NEWS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
PHYSICAL IMPACT. Dr. Howard Stevenson prompted students to observe their physical responses to telling their racial stories and experiences. He also presented about the ways racial stress and trauma impact health while discussing ways to treat experiences about race. “The reality is experiences of rejection ... overtax our ability to regulate our feelings, our bodies, our thoughts, and all that affects our voice,” Stevenson said.
THE RUBICON PHOTO: McKinley Garner
DEIB speakers lead race-based discussion Dr. Howard Stevenson examines reactions to racial identity narratives MCKINLEY GARNER THE RUBICON
“Everybody’s racial story is important and powerful,” clinical psychologist Dr. Howard Stevenson said during an assembly on Nov. 13. Dr. Stevenson is a researcher with national acclaim for expertise in addressing and studying racial conflicts. His expertise in the subject landed him at the Upper School to provide some insight into the way that students view race. At the beginning of the assembly, he mentioned the one caveat to everyone’s racial story being important and powerful “is that if we’re going to get to that importance with that power, we’re going to have to excavate our own narratives.” It is these narratives that allow people to better understand what any part of their identity means to themselves. Stevenson first discussed the concept of rejecting one’s racial identity, and where that fits in with the
excavation of narrative. When discussing the rejection of one’s differences, he noted that, “It’s important that you track what impact that has on your body.” Stevenson added that “The reality is experiences of rejection … overtax our ability to regulate our feelings, our bodies, our thoughts, and all that affects our voice. These things affect us before, during and after these challenges to our existence.” To cope with these physical and emotional reactions, Stevenson stated that telling one’s own history is an important process of healing. He used the example of the continued generational trauma of slavery, claiming that it is essential to acknowledge its impacts in the telling, retelling, and understanding of one’s own story. Only then is it possible to better cope with the emotional surrounding it. Stevenson generated dialogue around the concept of telling your story and noticing specific aspects of it by asking the audience to talk with someone sitting
next to them and ask each other a question: “What interaction around a race or identity do you remember while growing up?” After a few minutes of discussion between pairs he followed by asking, “How many of you noticed reactions in you body while you were talking?” This activity allowed students to practice many of the concepts discussed earlier in the talk about how to treat experiences around race. One central point of the discussion that was that this dialogue around race can be extended to any other social construct. In an interview after the talk, Stevenson mentioned that it was easier for younger kids to resonate with these topics when more types of identity were discussed. Stevenson said that once kids begin “building [ideas] around [their] race or [their] gender or [their] ability … they have specific stories once you get them to the idea.” Stevenson hopes his voice will spread around the country and across generations, helping create positive dialogue around race.
Dr. Ali Michael discusses the impact of whiteness on racial conversations JOHANNA PIERACH THE RUBICON
On Oct. 23, the upper school community gathered to discuss race with guest speaker Dr. Ali Michael. The assembly was the first of the Fall 2023 Community Engagement Speaker Series, “Building Healthy Multiracial Communities.” According to SPA’s DEIB Strategic Plan, the speakers of “different cultural perspectives and racial backgrounds” are meant to help lead the community in productive discussion on “building and sustaining healthy multiracial communities.” Dr. Michael, Co-Director of the Race Institute for K-12 educators, works with school communities nationwide to make racially equitable spaces an accessible goal in the classroom. She has authored multiple publications, including the novel Raising Race Questions: Whiteness, Inquiry and Education. In addition, she has won the 2017 So-
ciety of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award and is the co-editor of multiple novels. Through her work, Dr. Michael focuses on all races, acknowledging that each contributes to a multiracial society. The assembly began with an introduction from Assistant Head of School for Student Development and Community Engagement Dr. Jill Romans, who reported the results of the DEIB survey taken by students last week. “The big takeaway was the vast majority of students saw [conversations about race] as valuable for a variety of reasons,” Romans said. “…[Students] were asking for more practice to make it less forced or awkward,” she added. According to the survey, those who agreed that it was difficult to talk about race with their classmates reported that it could feel awkward or forced, with some stu-
dents feeling afraid of sounding racist or accidentally saying something hurtful. In general, there were themes of avoidance for those without a BIPOC identity. Conversely, those who did not find it challenging to participate in conversations about race with their peers cited good relationships with those around them and general comfort in sharing, especially with those they know well or share identity with. In general, the survey found that within the culture of race-based discussion at SPA, students have found it easy and challenging to contribute depending on their environment and personal feelings. Once she took the stage, Dr. Michael walked to the front to connect with her audience. She focused on the definition of race and its misconceptions, explaining how melanin content is the only scientifically-based distinctive factor
THE RUBICON PHOTO: Johanna Pierach
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. Dr. Ali Michael focused on the definition and misconceptions of race, and how students could connect them to their own discussions. Michael also presented about the difference between racial talk and racist talk while referencing student survey responses, emphasizing the importance of race-based conversations.
between peoples. Still, it is not indicative of anything other than skin color. Instead, race is a social construct created to justify horrible acts of racism. “Race is the child of racism, not the father,” author Ta-Nehisi Coates said during a speech at the Matthew Knight Arena. Throughout her address, Dr. Michael
used quotes from other experts in her field, including this one, to drive home her points on the true origins of race. Throughout her presentation, she referenced student survey responses to draw a connection to the community. “You all are so brilliant,” she said, audibly impressed by the thoughtfulness of the stu-
dent body’s responses. Using these responses, she spoke on the importance of race-based discussion, both within the school and in the broader world. Dr. Michael emphasized that it is crucial to understand the value of discussing race and knowing how to go about these conversations.
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NEWS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
Government and Citizenship follows election; seniors vote CITY COUNCILS (by ward)
ST. PAUL
1-Anika Bowie 2-Rebecca Noecker 3-Saura Jost 4-Mitra Jalali 5-Hwa Jeong Kim 6-Nelsie Yang 7-Cheniqua Johnson
MINNEAPOLIS
1-Elliott Payne 2- Robin Wonsley 3-Michael Rainville 4-LaTrisha M. Vetaw 5-Jeremiah Bey Ellison 6-Jamal Osman 7-Katie Cashman 8-Andrea Jenkins 9-Jason Chavez 10-Aisha Chughtai 11-Emily Koshi 12-Aurin Chowdhury 13-Linea Palmisano
ELIZA FARLEY THE RUBICON
Minnesota’s local elections Nov. 7 proved to be typical for an odd year, but they weren’t without some tension. St. Paul Ward 1 was a relatively close race. However, no recounts were performed, and there were no completely unforeseen upsets. Sophomore Desmond Rubenstein followed St. Paul Ward 1’s city council race for his Government and Citizenship class. Rubenstein predicted that Annika Bowie would win the ward’s seat, which she did. Bowie was part of a unique outcome from these races: St. Paul’s first all-female city council.
Even though she will be a new addition to the council, a group that is also all under 40 years old, Rubenstein doesn’t believe her election will significantly change the situation in the ward. “The council member that is currently the incumbent is [a] Democrat, and so is Annika Bowie,” Rubenstein said. There were a few close city council races in Minneapolis Wards 6, 7, and 8 which needed to go to voters’ second choices in the ranked choice vote. Five cities in Minnesota, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, use ranked-choice voting. In odd years like 2023, only local positions are up for election. These positions can include
the mayorship, city council representatives, and school board representatives. Questions are also sometimes posed to the voters, such as whether or not to increase sales tax—a question on the ballot in both St. Paul and Golden Valley. The measure passed in both cities. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, voters participated in municipal elections which select local officials. In St. Paul, voters also participated in school district elections, which select school board representatives. Senior Eli Peres voted on Election Day, but had a hard time finding sufficient information on the
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IT’S QUITE THE SKILL TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE FOLLOWING ELECTIONS. senior Lucy Shaffer
candidates up for election in his area. Even so, he emphasized the importance of voting. “It has felt very hard,” Peres said. “But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t at least try.” Senior Lucy Shaffer was not eligible to vote on Election Day, but like Rubenstein, she followed a City Council race for
her Government class: Minneapolis Ward 10. Learning about the ins and outs of local policy has helped Shaffer realize the importance of staying up-to-date, even if she can’t vote. “It’s quite the skill to be able to manage following elections,” Shaffer said. “What the people who are running vote for and what they stand for will shape the neighborhood and where the money goes in that neighborhood.” A full list of the election results can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. Newly elected officials will take office on Jan. 3.
Low COVID-19 vaccination participation aligns with low infection rates happens is significantly lower once someone is up-todate and symptoms from the illness are milder. THE RUBICON Junior Scarlett Gibson has had COVID in the past, Up-to-date vaccination means that a person has re- and also recommends that people get the booster to ceived a vaccine dose for the current year of COVID-19 lower the chances of getting and spreading the disease vaccine, but according to the MN Department of inside and outside of school. Health, as of Oct. 19, the percentage of “I think it’s very important as someone people who are up to date in the state of who had COVID before,” she said. “Do it PRIORITIZE Minnesota is 4.8%. for yourself and others around you, or GETTING A A large percent of up-to-date recipiyou’ll get sick.” BOOSTER ents are from those that are older than Booster shots have been proven to help 50, with 16.4% of the 65+ age group be- SHOT ... THERE’S prevent the spread of COVID, as they are ing vaccinated. Those in the 12-15 and NO REASON formulated to work against new variants. 16-17 age group each have only 1.3% of NOT TO MAKE Receiving the vaccine raises antibody levthe population having received the vacels within people immediately, greatly SURE THAT cine this year. reducing the likelihood of getting the disAlthough the rate of COVID booster EVERYBODY’S ease. vaccines are significantly lower this year SAFE. More than seven million people have and with teens, senior Cooper Olson bereceived their COVID-19 booster in the lieves that it is important for students senior U.S. according to data collected by the US to get vaccinated to protect themselves Cooper Department of Health and Human SerOlson and the community. vices from October. “I think that it’d be good to prioritize Back in 2022, however, 18 million peogetting a booster shot because there’s no reason not to ple received the vaccine within six weeks of CDC apmake sure that everybody’s staying safe,” he said. proval, more than twice the data from 2023. While it is possible for individuals to get COVID The CDC recommends vaccines from Moderna and even after receiving the booster, the rate at which this Pfizer/BioNTech for everyone six months and older. ANNIKA KIM
BOOSTERS? MOST SAY “NO”
The majority of Minnesotans are not up-todate on their COVID-19 vaccine
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on 4.8% Up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine up-to date on 95.2% Not COVID-19 vaccine
INFOGRAPHIC: Orion Kim INFORMATION: Minnesota Department of Heath
LOW NUMBERS. Rates of COVID remain low in Minnesota, as do booster vaccination rates. READ MORE IN OPINIONS, PAGE 7
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips challenges Biden in primary elections AARUSHI BAHADUR RUBICONLINE
On Oct. 27 — the last possible day to do so — Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips put his name on the presidential ballot. Phillips was born and raised in St. Paul and is an heir to one of America’s largest liquor dynasties and one of the wealthiest representatives ever. He represents Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, which comprises of Hennepin, Bloomington, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Brooklyn Park and Anoka counties. He became the first Democratic representative for the district in
nearly 60 years when he defeated Republican incumbent Erik Paulson. First elected in 2018, Phillips has won re-election to Congress twice: In 2020, with 55.6 percent of the vote, and in 2022, with 60 percent of the vote. Phillips is often described as a centrist or moderate Democrat. His legislative priorities, as listed on his website, include making healthcare more affordable, reducing gun violence, protecting female reproductive freedom, aiding small businesses and reducing veteran homelessness rates. Phillips has presented himself as a “fiscally responsible, socially
inclusive” moderate focused on bipartisan cooperation. Earlier in October, Phillips announced that he would step down as co-chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, a move that garnered much speculation about his rumored intentions to run for president. Phillips made it official later that month, delivering a first speech in New Hampshire at the deadline for the state’s primary. A foremost consideration of Phillips is electability — specifically, President Biden’s age. Phillips, 54, is pitching himself as a more able
alternative to Biden. Despite praising him in the past, Phillips believes Biden shouldn’t run again and has shared concerns with voters about Biden’s mental and physical fitness. “I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country,” Phillips said in an interview with CBS. “But it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future.” Despite his challenge to Biden being widely perceived as a long shot, Phillips has vowed to invest as much of his fortune as it takes to win, telling Reuters that he would loan his campaign $2 million to fund his
bid. Millions would go toward ads in primary states pivotal to the election, such as Michigan and New Hampshire. During his little more than two-week campaign trail, Phillips has drawn harsh criticism from members of his own party, notably South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, who claimed that Phillips is disdaining the Black voters who helped Biden win. Should Phillips seek to run for his former position again in Minnesota, he would face multiple primary challengers, likely with less or entirely without funding from the party establishment. So why put his future
in politics on the line? Phillips revealed his motivation to CNN. “I think in 2020, [Biden] was probably the only Democrat who could have beaten Donald Trump. I think in 2024, he may be among the only ones that will lose to him. And that’s why I’m doing this,” he said.
Scan this QR code to learn more about Rep. Dean Phillips’ campaign and student opinions on his bid for president.
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EDITORIAL THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023 OUR MISSION We strive to capture the spirit of the community through its stories while inspiring deeper conversations. Above all, we stand for integrity in our pursuit to inform and engage our readers.
THE RUBICON St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave • St. Paul, MN 55105 rubicon.spa@gmail.com www.rubiconline.com @TheRubiconSPA
23-24 STAFF THE RUBICON CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Claire Kim CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITOR IN DEPTH EDITOR FEATURE EDITORS SPORTS EDITORS A&E EDITORS MUSIC EDITOR ILLUSTRATOR
Orion Kim Georgia Ross Grace Medrano Sonia Kharbanda Eliza Farley Johanna Pierach Annie Zhang Amanda Hsu Clara Ann Bagnoli Juan Miguel Adams McKinley Garner Peter Ostrem Olympia Wolff Annika Kim
RUBICONLINE DIRECTOR OF RUBICONLINE PRODUCTION MANAGER CREATIVE DESIGN MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS FEATURE EDITORS A&E EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR SPECIAL PROJECTS COPY EDITOR PHOTOJOURNALIST
Clara McKoy Eliana Mann Rita Li Mariam Malik Lani Ngonethong Greyson Sale Siri Pattison Lucy Thomas Zadie Martin Zimo Xie Andrew Lipinsky Nora McKoy Thomas Chen Davan Rosen Aarushi Bahadur Thomas Kovarik
STAFF WRITERS Lina Abid, Jack Bettenburg, Eric Bjorgvinsson, Aldegundo Brenneman, Ivy Evans, Millie Farrington, Wynter Feiner, Nora Grande, Peter Lipinsky, Connor McSweeney, Allan Wang
CONTRIBUTORS Carys Hsiung
ADVISER
Kathryn Campbell, CJE PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT
Meghan Joyce
MEMBERSHIPS
Columbia Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association MN High School Press Association Quill and Scroll Honor Society
PUBLICATION AWARDS
2023 NSPA All-American, 2023 Pacemaker Finalist 2023 CSPA Silver Crown Award Winner 2023 SNO Distinguished Site 2022 JEM All State Gold
EDITORIAL CARTOON: Annika Kim
THINK TWICE. Although it might sound smart to experiment with drugs and alcohol, the data suggest otherwise.
71%
of the staff agree
Experimenting? Reconsider. EDITORIAL THE RUBICON STAFF
Perhaps you’ve been at a party or another environment with substances. Someone decides to partake, claiming that they “want to know what they’re doing” before they reach legal age. Or you’ve heard someone apply the same rationale to you, suggesting that “It’s better that you know your limits now.” Their reasoning may seem strategic and smart, but these choices are not as beneficial as they seem. In situations involving substances, particularly for those who are underage, it is essential to make safe decisions. It’s undeniable that substance use exists among teenagers, though it has been on the decline since the pandemic. In 2022, 11% of eighth graders, 21.5% of tenth graders, and 36.2% of twelfth graders used at least one kind of illicit drug, according to a survey by Monitor the Future. The most common substances used by teenagers are alcohol, cannabis and nicotine vapes. The wiring of adolescents’ brains can explain the draw of substances. According to an article published by PubMed Central, between childhood and adolescence, risk-taking increases due to changes in the brain’s socio-emotional system, which drives increased reward-seeking. This means that in the time before brain maturity, or around age 25, adolescents and young adults are more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors like smoking or binge drinking. Substances are often available in social settings, making is simpler to act on these impulses. According to the Federal ENDORSING Trade Commission, 72% of teenagers who drink alcohol do not pay for it. THE DECISION Adolescents who experiment with substances might claim TO EXPERIMENT that gaining familiarity before they are of legal age is beneficial, but there is no research to prove this. In fact, according WITH SUBSTANCES to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking alcohol can make it more difficult to control the CONDONES UNSAFE brain and make healthy choices. It also hinders the ability BEHAVIOR. to sense danger by disrupting the function of a brain region called the amygdala, all while releasing feelings of the euphoria to trick the brain into thinking that drinking was a healthy choice. It might already be obvious that substance use is risky, so why is it important to reiterate the point? After all, not every teenager who experiments with substances will inevitably develop an addiction. However, it is vital to avoid spreading or accepting the misconception that early use translates to smarter use later in life. According to an article from The American Journal of Psychiatry, an early introduction to alcohol between ages 11-14 increases the risk of later alcohol disorder, making intervention at a younger age crucial to avoiding issues later in life. Endorsing the decision to experiment with substances condones unsafe behavior that can potentially lead to a substance abuse disorder. A substance abuse disorder, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is “a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine.” It can also lead to neglected responsibilities and financial strain. Next time you’re in a social situation where drugs or alcohol are available, remember there is never a need or push to experiment. Any form of substance use, for any reason, can have a negative impact on the developing brain. However, it’s simultaneously important to recognize that ostracizing and blaming people who suffer from addiction does not solve the problem. That said, being the peer who sets the example to stay clean and sober can make a big difference. Substance use as teenagers is sometimes a reality, but it’s crucial to identify misinformation, make smart choices, intervene where necessary, and encourage seeking help.
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OPINIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
Keep your focus on staying focused PETER OSTREM THE RUBICON
As college application due dates consume senior time and end-of-semester midterms loom, classes get into the semester’s busiest times, and many students face overwhelming workloads. Students are stressed out balancing essays, tests, general assignments, college applications, and other projects. Instead of trying to do everything at once, remember the importance of focusing on just one thing. Humans are inherently horrible multitaskers, so trying to do more than one thing at once will drag down productivity. Focusing on a single thing frees up brain space for implementing other strategies that can help lessen workloads. Suppose increased focus and productivity are the goal. In that case, it’s time to eliminate background distractions, like music or podcasts, during work. They lower retention and increase time
ILLUSTRATION: Annika Kim
QUIET STUDY. It might sound appealing to study with music, podcasts, and videos in the background, but it’s not good for focus. Instead, it’s better to work in a quiet, calm environment. “Humans are inherently horrible multitaskers, so trying to do more than one thing at once will drag down productivity,” Ostrem writes.
spent on work, according to a 2023 study from Sage Journal. The study states that people only have limited mental resources
to process information, and watching or listening to something distracting can detract from that. The course of action is
clear: don’t listen to a podcast or watch a YouTube video while doing homework. Don’t sit by a TV or next to a phone.
Instead, try to find a quiet place to work efficiently and get it done. Don’t underestimate how distracting technol-
ogy can be, especially social media. Scrolling on Instagram or texting friends while working can be far too tempting. These unnecessary breaks can decrease work quality and make assignments take longer than needed. Social media can also train brains to have a shorter attention span, negatively affecting work, according to a 2023 article from The Standard. To lengthen attention spans and increase focus, leave the phone in another room. Use browser extensions to block social media sites, if necessary. Log out of social media sites after browsing, and only log back in if it’s essential. If work is starting to feel overwhelming, take a breath. Don’t think about how many assignments there are, how important this test is, or how much work this essay will take. Instead, focus on one task at a time and take it from there.
Gun violence awareness is everyone’s responsibility GRACE MEDRANO THE RUBICON
Gun violence. Gun restrictions. Gun safety. Gun laws. These have all become major trigger words in the modern day United States, as legislation surrounding the use of lethal weapons grows more and more politicized and gun violence statistics continue to rise. The perception of safety has been twisted to only be available for the upper class of the country. The ideas of safe neighborhoods vs dangerous neighborhoods is more often than not determined by the location and racial makeup of the area. Within the walls of SPA, there is a lack of knowledge surrounding the El Paso Walmart shooting of 2019, the sixth most deadly shooting in USA history, when 21-year-old Patrick Wood Cruisius shot and killed 23 people, injuring 22 others. This was deemed a do-
mestic terrorist attack, and was considered by the FBI to have been a racially motivated hate crime against the 81.6% Hispanic population of El Paso. Why don’t students know about El Paso? One argument that could be made is that it is simply the perception of safety. El Paso, with its “high” murder rate, undergoing a mass shooting isn’t surprising. But El Paso has a lower overall violent crime rate than many upper-class blue cities. So what is the actual problem with the illusion of gun safety? That it is unacceptable for certain examples of violence to take place, and that they must trigger discussion in our school, when the shooting of a predominantly Mexican neighborhood stirred nothing. Race is at the root of this lack of legislation around guns. Since 1982, there have been 148 mass shootings. Mass shootings are not the only form of gun
violence, and, even if it’s not right, the kind that gets the most coverage. 53% of mass shooting perpetrators were white. Yet, the perception of gun violence is that perpetrators are of primarily Black and Latino heritage. Realistically, those identities are more likely to be victimized in gun violence, but they only account for 18% and 8% of mass shootings respectively.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WITH THE ILLUSION OF GUN SAFETY? junior Grace Medrano
Urban areas with predominantly Black and Latino populations (which are more likely to be victims of gun violence, not perpetrators) can become desensitized to
the violence due to trauma. Their reaction can intensify the perception that they are more likely to be perpetrators of gun violence. Gun violence is a problem across the board. Every group is responsible for the monster that has its grip on this nation, but those who put the blame entirely on Black and brown Americans, and who look the other way when the South suffers horrific shootings, but then are surprised when that violence comes to knock on their door — they are the biggest problem. Within the walls of this school, there is a lack of awareness. The answer is not to be afraid of the reality of gun violence, but to acknowledge it. To take action through protest, through petition, through voting. The problem is not going away. It will not go away, and this generation must be the one to fix it, since no one else will.
PUBLICATIONS POLICIES PUBLICATION INFO The Rubicon
is published eight times a year. We distribute 750 copies of each issue to the Upper School which are available for free.
ADVERTISING The Rubicon does not accept advertisements.
ANONYMOUS SOURCES Although
it is always preferable to use names when reporting, there are times when it is necessary to protect those we report on. In the case of a student, the use of grade level as a name designation will be the preferred method of anonymity.
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conducted interviews, drafted, revised and fact-checked an assigned story. Shared bylines are given to joint effort assignments. Stories that include supplemental materials include a credit at the bottom that states “Additional reporting by” followed by the name of the reporter.
EDITORIALS articulate the collective opinion of The Rubicon staff, while mini-editorials, opinions pieces, arts reviews, and columns belong to the author.
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Opinions are welcomed as Letters to the Editor or Submitted Opinions and may be published in the print or edition. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 400 words and Submitted Opinions should not exceed 650 words. Both may be edited for length and style. All pieces must be submitted and will be published with a full name.
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IN PRINT: Corrections are printed at
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NAME AND PRONOUN USE
The Rubicon uses the name and pronouns reported by the individual source. Each interview and survey begins with a request to say and spell the person’s name and to share the pronouns they would like to see published in the story, and the reporter is transparent about where the story will be published. If a mistake is made in the course of reporting, a correction will be posted per the corrections policy.
OPINIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
ASL PROVES POPULAR WITH STUDENTS
FREE SPIRIT
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Diving deep into the right to assemble ORION KIM
co-EDITOR IN CHIEF
ASL at SPA? Signs point to “yes” CLARA ANN BAGNOLI THE RUBICON
If Spanish, French, German, and Chinese are offered as language courses to build cultural awareness, why can’t American Sign Language (ASL) be included as well? In years prior, students have been able to do an independent study with Señora Starkey or other teachers fluent in the language, but with the introduction of the ASL Club and more disability awareness, now is the time to invest in a new language. Offering American Sign Language allows students to further their interactions with the world and form deeper connections with hearing impaired people. ASL has no formal creation. However, humans have been using gestures to refer to things since the dawn of time. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, some suggest the beginnings of ASL were around 200 years ago with the mixing of local American signs and French Sign Language. Unfortunately, due to the eugenics movement of the 20th century, hearing impaired people were often stripped of their right to learn their language and forced to learn oralism, which is a form of communication through lip reading. As a result many hearing impaired people opted for a cochlear implant, a small electronic device that can provide a sense of sound or partial hearing. Through the 21st century, the deaf community has moved away from adapting to their hearing counterparts and become proud of their language. In addition to the hard of hearing community, many people with disabilities who are nonverbal use ASL as well.
According to ASL Deafined, over 1,000 public high schools offer ASL as a language course. Teaching this language demonstrates an effort to support this community and puts students at an advantage in communication. Plus, there’s interest for this kind of experience at SPA: 53.6% of poll participants marked 5 on a scale of 1-5 on interest of learning ASL at school.
OFFERING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE ALLOWS STUDENTS TO FURTHER THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE WORLD. senior Clara Ann Bagnoli
A conversation between a person who signs and a person who cannot can often be awkward, trying to understand each others’ gestures, sounds and then often giving up and pulling up a phone. Meeting someone with the ability to speak to them automatically shows a sign of respect—you now not only see them, but hear them. Also those who are interested in learning a new language can use tools like Duolingo to practice, whereas ASL, being a physical language, is harder to learn during one’s free time. This is a benefit of teaching it at school, the structure provides space to practice it consistently and improve retention. The gift of language is the opportunity for connection. As our society moves toward more inclusivity for people of all abilities, communication is the first step, and the first hello. READ MORE IN FEATURE, PAGE 14
At the heart of recent college protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas conflict lies the First Amendment. While a certain moral duty drives protesters to push for change, the amendment’s fourth freedom, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, makes this advocacy possible. The right to assemble, alongside the freedom of speech, has paved a powerful platform for action. However, it’s equally important to understand the limitations that ensure protests are carried out peacefully, so heavily emphasized by the First Amendment. The right to speech and assembly are legally granted under the government regardless of content. One notable exception is hate speech, which is not protected if it incites violent threats toward a person or group. Furthermore, private institutions can monitor the expression of First Amendment freedoms on campus. Now more than ever, it’s important for students to understand their school’s policy on protest. For example, many schools have free speech zones that provide designated areas and hours where students can congregate. Others are committed to the same law as public universities. According to the Freedom Forum, private institutions that declare freedom of expression are bound to their commitment. U.S. colleges have recently been under fire for their response to the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Some institutions, such as Stanford University and Northwestern University, have restrained themselves from making any statements. On the other hand, schools such as the University of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt have made their support for Israel clear. At Harvard, a private university, students who signed a petition deeming Israel solely responsible for ongoing violence were doxxed, leading many to withdraw their signatures. A combination of heightened emotion and disagreement with various universities’ statements has led to anger on both sides. Naturally, many students across the nation have expressed their concerns through protest. Passionate students, regardless of their stance on the conflict, should use their rights to initiate change. However, it’s important to understand protesting rights specific to various institutions and know the boundaries of what’s legally promised by the Constitution.
Amidst rock-bottom vaccination rates, stay up-to-date with yours AMANDA HSU THE RUBICON
On May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 public health emergency ended, concluding a more than three-year-long journey. Or did it? New COVID-19 cases are still being identified every day, so it is essential that every individual does their part and stays up to date on their vaccinations. The COVID lockdown started in Mar. 2020 and caused a worldwide shutdown. The rising number of cases and deaths prompted people to increase their efforts to quarantine, wear masks, and put their health first. In Dec. 2020, the first vaccines were approved for individuals 16 years or older, slowly growing
to include younger age groups. Some pushback and misinformation spread about the vaccine, but in general, there was a mass scramble to get vaccinated and protected. Currently, over 70% of the world’s population has been administered at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Our World in Data. However, only 4% of Minnesota residents have gotten the most recent COVID-19 vaccine released in Sep. 2023 (MNDH). So what has changed? People no longer view COVID as a pressing issue because a solution has seemingly been found. The virus was sidelined, and vaccination rates for boosters and updated shots decreased be-
cause public health is no longer placed front and center in our area of concern. But COVID is still around and will continue to be an issue. Individuals should refrain from brushing aside the gravity of the situation and continue to be cautious and aware of their role in the transmission and spread of the virus.
ONLY 4% OF MINNESOTA RESIDENTS HAVE GOTTEN THE MOST RECENT COVID-19 VACCINE. sophomore Amanda Hsu
Even if someone got the first dose of the vaccine, getting the most recent update is still beneficial to renew immunity, especially with the rise of numerous COVID variants. The downward trend in vaccination rates is also harmful to public health, particularly because COVID-19 disproportionately affects elderly individuals and people with immunodeficiency disorders in the community. The vaccine is also a way to stay protected without actually contracting COVID and suffering through its symptoms. The shot might have some side effects, but generally, the vaccine is a safer, more reliable way to stay immunized. The vaccination also of-
fers added protection for people who have already been infected with the virus. Keeping COVID hospitalization rates down is essential. Hospitals already have limited space for regular illnesses and injuries without accounting for a pandemic. By lowering the contagious spread and infection rates of COVID cases, medical equipment and capacity can be reserved for other patients. Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccine will help decrease the spread of cases, deaths, and hospital visits, especially during the cold and flu season. U.S. citizens have the privilege of even having the option to get the most updated vaccine in the first place, unlike
many other parts of the world, so the population should take advantage of this unique opportunity. Doing your duty to protect yourself and others goes a long way in helping boost public health. COVID-19 will not disappear anytime soon, so neither should people’s willingness to stay vaccinated and protected. READ MORE IN NEWS, PAGE 4
Wondering where to get vaccinated? Visit the MN Department of Health’s webpage.
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ARTS & ENTE
THE RUBICON - N
Classics to specialties, Crumbl Cook RITA LI
STRAWBERRY C
RUBICONLINE
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Crumbl Cookies are big enough to share, and with so many kinds to choose from, a half dozen, cut into quarters, can provide an assortment that will light up taste buds again and again. The average Crumbl Cookie ranges in price from a single specialty cookie at $4.50 to packs ranging in size from 4-pack at $14.63, 6-pack at 22.50 or 12-pack at $38.25.
MILK CHOCOLAT
Twin Cities locations nearby include:
Milk Chocolate Chip is very aesth warm cookie coming right out of isn’t 5/5 because the chocolate loo thin cookie dough. Breaking this in the middle with crunchy edges olate chips in every bite is filled w all the types of cookies. The cook and chocolate chip chunks that a cookie isn’t anything special in t doesn’t taste as stunning as the co ies. If eaten with milk, Milk Choc
345 Radio Drive, Suite B Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 321-1177 Ten Acres Center 2037 S Robert St #300 West St Paul, MN 55118 (612) 268-0152 1270 Promenade Pl Suite 130 Eagan, MN 55121 (612) 699-2424
BUTTERMILK P
3833 Lexington Ave N Suite 104 Arden Hills, MN 55126 (612) 564-5940
RUBICONLINE PHOTOS: Rita Li
DELUXE DESERT. The variety of cookies that Crumbl Cookies has to offer makes it the perfect fit for people and their friends to share a box. From a cookie modeled after a pancake, to a pumpkin brownie cookies, you can find the cookie that suits you best with ease.
Christobal explores Filipino Savoring Heritage: Phillipe culture through generational recipes JUAN MIGUEL ADAMS
RECIPE: SINIGANG
THE RUBICON
Every day, sophomore Phillipe Cristobal comes home to deliciously prepared traditional Filipino dishes. The culinary maestro behind these recipes? His parents – consistently creating delicious food for dinner. “I am always happy coming home because it’s good food,” Cristobal said. One of the dishes Cristobal regularly enjoys is Sinigang: a savory Filipino soup known for its sour broth – usually made with tamarind, that can feature beef, pork, or shrimp accompanied by an assortment of vegetables. Another stew the family enjoys is Kare Kare; it has a thick peanut sauce made from a base of stewed oxtail, beef tripe, pork hocks, calves feet with chunks of oxtail mixed in. The dish is one that frequents Cristobal’s plate the most: “Even though my family has it often, it never really gets old” he said. Cristobal’s favorite is Pork Adobo, a marinated and simmered pork in a blend of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices. “I like the savoriness in contrast with the sour,” he said. Cristobal’s parents both hail from different backgrounds; his father, a native of the Philippines, inherited the art of crafting tasty recipes from his parents. Cristobal’s mother, a half Filipino born in the U.S., gained her cooking ability from her Filipino father and husband.
- 2 lbs Pork Belly - 1 bunch spinach - 3 tablespoons fish sauce - 12 pieces string beans SUBMITTED PHOTO: Phillipe Cristobal
SPECTACULAR STEW. Sinigang is a savory Filipino soup known for its sour broth, and is one of Cristobal’s families favorites. “I am always happy coming home because it’s good food,” Cristobal said.
Their culinary legacy moves from generation to generation, passing down recipes. As Cristobal learns theses culinary traditions, he joins his parents in the kitchen in the hope of one day being able to pass down these recipes again. “Cooking is an important part of your culture; you learn your family recipes when you’re young so you can pass them down to your children,” Cristobal said.
- 2 pieces tomato - 3 pieces chili - 1 tablespoons cooking oil - 2 quarts water - 1 piece onion - 2 pieces taro - 1 pack sinigang mix - A little bit of love RECIPE: panlasangpinoy.com
The warm cookie base has a st less. The frosting was similar t ing texture made the overall c shaped like a pancake, the coo taste a lot more like a cookie the outside edges, and a little textures complement one an one has to eat it warm to gain ing off, the cookie loses its but topped with imitated butter overall rating of 4 out of 5 coo
TAY TAY. Taylor swift has gone through a wide array of “eras.” Each era represents a unique stylistic and aesthetic period of time that she created music.
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ERTAINMENT
NOVEMBER 2023
kies offer more than enough to share PUMPKIN BROWNIE
CHEESECAKE
This cookie is harder to cut because of its emphasis on being a cold cookie, it is harder to cut. The overall cookie smells like a brownie, but the frosting has a too-strong pumpkin taste. This cookie targets a very specific audience of pumpkin and chocolate lovers. Without the heavy frosting, the cookie base feels similar to dark chocolate but has a strong aftertaste of strong sweetness. If one likes pumpkin, this cookie would be a 4 out of 5 cookie rating. Chocolate base, pumpkin frosting, and brownie top — Pumpkin Brownie is a super thick yet well-decorated cookie rated 2 out of 5 cookies.
strawberry syrup on the cookie is mixed strawberry coating on top distinguishes okie, giving it a fruity and refreshing tionally designed to be a cold cookie esecake. The ‘Strawberry Cheesecake’ heesecake in appearance. While for a a small portion of the cake. But on the was a lot thicker, but the frosting was sthetically appealing cookie, Strawberry nt, obtaining an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5
HONEY BUN
TE CHIP
Taste more like cinnamon than honey, Honey Bun also possesses a slight buttery smell. Honey Bun doesn’t stand out among the rest of the five cookies; however, this dense cookie has a relatively bread-like texture. The sweetness of this cookie is really intense without benefiting the overall taste experience. Shaped like a glazed cinnamon roll, the Honey Bun cookie receives an overall rating of 1.5 cookies out of 5.
hetically appealing, between its golden edge and tips, this the oven had a strong chocolate smell. The aesthetic oks slightly less appealing because it is covered by soft cookie, one can see how the chocolate melts s. This cookie has an abundant amount of chocwith satisfaction, making this the sweetest out of kie had an even ratio between melted chocolate added to the texture. This Milk Chocolate Chip the field of chocolate chip cookies. The chocolate ookie itself, so this cookie earned a rating of 3.5 cookcolate Chip can accelerate to 5 cookies.
PANCAKE
CARROT CAKE
trong buttery smell, but the frosting is odorto cupcake frosting, but the crystally frostcookie taste more abundant. Although okie has a dense dough that makes it rather than a pancake. Crunchy on e undercooked in the middle, these nother. Because it is a warm cookie, n the full taste experience. After coolttery smell and taste. Syrup-glazed and frosting, this pancake-like cookie has an okies.
The proportion of the base cookie to the frosting balance is just right: half and half. For carrot cake lovers, this cookie is a perfect fit. There’s walnut on top of the frosting that adds to the overall texture. This cookie has the right amount of sweetness in which you can finish the whole cookie without needing water. The frosting has a more dense texture than the buttermilk pancake cookie. The cookie itself tastes very much like the other butter-based cookie. With swirls of vanilla frosting and sprinkles of walnut on top, this carrot cake cookie earns an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 cookies.
stay loyal to Touring (Taylor’s version): Swifties their icon CLAIRE KIM
co-EDITOR IN CHIEF
ILLUSTRATION: McKinley Garner
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which began in March 2023 and ends in December 2024, is projected to bring in nearly $5 billion in consumer spending in the U.S. alone. But behind the contributions of Swift’s loyal “Swifties” fans are two reasons: a desire to support Swift and to engage in the community she’s created. Junior Andy Allen first heard of Swift in first grade but became an avid fan with the release of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021. He emphasized her identity as a self-producing artist and songwriter as a main attractor, on top of her musicality. “I think it’s really, really cool that she writes her own songs… She has an amazing voice and everything, but then when you are actually the one who wrote [the song], you get stuck on that,” Allen said. However, he also appreciates Swift for her humility, even as an artist worth more than $1.1 billion. “She’s someone that everyone can look up to, and she’s really humble,” Allen said. “Like, you can tell she doesn’t take anything for granted, so it’s fun to support her.” From encouraging artists to fight for better ownership terms to showing public support for the LGBTQ community and supporting organizations fighting racial inequality, Swift’s activism has played just as large of a role in her career as her music.
Sophomore Luwam Mebrahtu has liked Taylor Swift since she was little but wouldn’t define herself as a huge fan. She hasn’t been to any of her concerts, but listens to some of her songs on repeat, especially Swift’s older songs. However, Mebrahtu supports Swift in her role as an advocate for artist rights, equality, and social justice. “I like that Taylor focuses on doing what is right,” Mebrahtu said. Beyond Swift’s work as an artist and activist, the “Swiftie” community is also a crucial part of the fan experience. Freshman Iris Luther-Suhr, who watched the Eras Tour concert in Minneapolis in June, plans to travel to Amsterdam next summer to see Swift perform again. “I’m excited to experience it with my aunt, who’s a big Swiftie, and my cousin, who’s a little Swiftie” she said. For Luther-Suhr, showing her support with family members makes the experience more special; but she also connects with distant fans through Swift’s music and engagement with the community. “I know that I don’t actually know her but I feel like I kind of know her because of her songs,” Luther-Suhr said. “I listened to her videos talking about fans, and I feel like I’m part of the people she’s talking to.” With hit songs like “Love Story,” which describes a forbidden romance, and “Shake It Off,” which encourages listeners to be themselves, a diverse range of fans relate to Taylor Swift’s music and feel a sense of belonging.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
Poetry should be your new hobby, here’s why: OLYMPIA WOLFF THE RUBICON
Hobbies provide students with an outlet and a space for students to express themselves, and can become a unique, core facet of identity. Senior Delaney Devine, a passionate poet and short-story writer, found her voice through creative poetry. She began writing poetry last year in a creative writing elective. “It was the first time I had experimented with creative writing,” she said. Devine loves music, which adds a distinctive aspect to her poetry. She often gets inspiration from songs and lyrics. “I love music so I turn lyrics into poetry, and I’ve continued doing that as a way to express emo-
tion and my creativity,” Devine said.
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I LOVE MUSIC SO I TURN LYRICS INTO POETRY, AND I’VE CONTINUED DOING THAT AS A WAY TO EXPRESS MYSELF EMOTIONALLY AND CREATIVELY.
senior Delaney Devine
In addition to music, Devine finds inspiration from other media sources. “For poetry specifically,
ILLUSTRATION: Annika Kim
POETIC INSPIRATION. Devine finds inspiration from sources in her daily life, like social media, music, and even Google. When asked what inspired her, Devine said, “a creative writing class at school inspired me to start.”
it’s all about reading lots of it,” she said. When not writing poetry, Devine spends time researching or gathering inspiration. “There are some nice poems on Pinterest and Google and Instagram,” she noted. By exploring these various avenues, she gains perspective, which contributes to her growth as a writer. In addition to poetry, she experiments with
short stories. She started writing short stories around the time when she began poetry, too. “Honestly, a creative writing class at school inspired me to start,” she said. Similar to how she finds inspiration from other poets, Devine also draws influence from short story authors. “There are lots of great short story authors,” she
said. Her appreciation for narrative brevity highlights her versatility as a writer, developing the skills to navigate through different forms of creative expression. Devine’s creative well is deep and diverse. Beyond writing and music, she experimented with writing inspired by visual storytelling. Devine has taken ideas from some of her favorite TV series and
movies and added her own touch of creativity. “If you watch a show you like, you can use some of their plot points in your writing,” said Devine. People who are aspiring writers, or hobby seekers should draw inspiration from her eclectic sources, find a personal well of creativity, and trust that “Inspiration will come,” Devine said.
GAME REVIEW
“Phantom Blade: Executioners:” a bloody blast of a time ANNIE ZHANG THE RUBICON
Phantom Blade: Executioners features a world centering around 4 different characters and their stories unfold, “Phantom Blade: Executioners” is born. In Phantom Blade: Executioners, players are rewarded more for their skill and ability to strategize and build characters to perform optimal damage. In terms of the lore, upon logging in to the Asian-inspired fast-action RPG, players are greeted with one of four different characters to play as, allowing for a vast amount of content to be enjoyed. Although each individual hero has their own story, they are all connected to one larger storyline. These 4 characters are known as Soul, Mu Xiaokui, Zuo Shang, and The Chord. “Phantom Blade: Executioner’s” art style is quite whimsical and displays much Asian influ-
ence. The character and enemy design appear to be inspired by traditional Chinese clothing and mythical creatures. However, like many RPG games, the female characters’ designs are heavily sexualized in comparison to their male counterparts.
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PLAYERS ARE REWARDED MORE FOR THEIR SKIILL AND ABILITY TO STRATEGIZE.
junior Annie Zhang
The structure of the game is loose; players have a somewhat open world to explore and complete quests in order to level up their hero. However in this nature,
deciding what to do after the game’s tutorial can be a struggle. Additionally, there is a limit to how much content is able to be played at a time because each quest requires a certain amount of energy to be played, and when energy runs out, players must wait for their energy to recharge before continuing. Surprisingly, “Phantom Blade: Executioners” does not contain ads at all. Instead, the game relies on in-app purchases and mainly, the Gacha and pity system. This system works by letting players roll a dice to randomly obtain upgrades and characters, guaranteeing the rarest items after a certain number of rolls. Players receive rolls throughout the gameplay but rolls can also be purchased, meaning that although the game is not necessarily pay-to-win, those who are willing to splurge do receive an ad-
Screenshot: Phantom Blade Executioners
FEROCIOUS AND FUN: “Phantom Blade: Executioners” offers players an engaging story to accompany the excellent gameplay.
vantage over those who are free-to-play. Phantom Blade: Executioners is a game like no other in terms of art and character design, and
RATING: 4/5
although the game has its ups and downs, it is still worth a download. The game is available for free on App Store, Google Play, PS5, and Windows. read about the latest from the film industry at:
RUBICON online
SPORTS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
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Sections ends tumultuous Sparks season GRACE MEDRANO THE RUBICON
After decades of placing 1st or 2nd, the Sparks swim and dive team had an upsetting confrencne, placing third for the first time since the 1980s. This came after a long season of adapting to a new coaching style, and struggling with illness both in the team, and on the coaching staff. The team has struggled with their new coach both in and out of practice, as their coach has put swimmers in events they don’t typically swim, as a training exercise. The coach, who has more experience coaching football, pushed swimmers past their comfort zones, but not in a way swimmers felt got them to their best times. In a typical season leading up to sectionals, the team would go through taper, a process in which swimmers slowly decrease swimming
volume and increase rest time to prepare their bodies for the race.
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GOING INTO SECTIONS WE’RE NOT SUPER CONFIDENT ABOUT OUR ABILITY.
freshman Audrey Peltier
However, this year the taper technique has been very different, and not following the typical workout set, resulting in many of the team members experiencing confusion. Freestyle and butterfly swimmer Audrey Peltier is struggling to adjust to this change. “It’s been a hard dynamic with the coach and the swimmers,
with the techniques and strategies our coach uses. So, going into sections, we’re not super confident about our ability” Peltier said. On a similar note, freestyle swimmer Ayla Rivers agrees confidence has been an issue for the whole team.“Confidence levels aren’t super high right now. I think everyone is just dealing with the disruption of the season,” Rivers said. The disruptions Rivers mentioned primarily deal with illness. She explained that their coach had to take a step back midway through the season to deal with personal health issues, and that amongst the team there had been various colds circulating, resulting in gaps in the roster and limited practice attendance. However, the team still carries appreciation for the season, and the community that has been
THE RUBICON PHOTO: Clara Ann Bagnoli
STRONG FINISH. Freshman Audrey Peltier sprints to the end of the lane in the 200 freestyle relay. Peltier has been dealing with shoulder pain this season. “Going into sections we’re not super confident with our ability,” she said.
built over the last few months. Breaststroker Anja Seifert felt the love from her team during by the season. “I was really excited and grateful
to bond with my lane buddies, learn cheers as a team, and perservere through sections,” Seifert said. “The swim team reinspired my love for the
sport.” The swim team placed ninth overall, with four students and relays medal in their events, each placing from 6-8th place.
Water sports head ashore for the winter PETER OSTREM THE RUBICON
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Adele Gjerde
PRACTICE PERFECTION. Adele Gjerde and water skiing club team the Twin Cities River Rats preform. During the colder months practices for Gjerde change dramatically.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Anneli Wilson
TRUSTING TEAMWORK. Anneli Wilson and her team row at a regatta over the summer. During the summer they transition from river to machines.
FALL SPORTS RECORDS
WE ROW AT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE TWIN CITIES AREA. sophomore Carsten Bauer
Bauer joined rowing in the first place because of his time overseas. “It was pretty popular when I was in Germany, so when I came back to Minnesota, I wanted to try it here,” he said. Freshman Anneli Wilson also participates in rowing. “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing a sport,” Wilson said.
9th at sections
6 - 13 - 0
14 - 4 - 3
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SPARKS SWIM & DIVE
VOLLEYBALL BOYS SOCCER
As the weather grows colder, the ground begins to frost, and the water starts to freeze, students participating in water sports practice and competition change significantly. As they can no longer practice their sports on the water, they have to search for alternatives in indoor simulations and weightlifting. Sophomore Carsten Bauer does rowing with a club year round. “There’s really nothing I would change [to the winter practices], there’s not a lot of alternatives,” Bauer said. The winter practices consist of mainly grueling exercises on the rowing machine, as well as occasional weightlifting exercises. During the typical rowing season, Bauer’s rowing team meets
six times weekly. “We row at a bunch of different weeks around the Twin Cities area,” he said.
GIRLS TENNIS 11- 6 - 0
GIRLS SOCCER
Wilson’s rowing team practices five times a week during the summer on the Mississippi River, but only occasionally practices on the weekend in the offseason. Wilson’s team rents out large facilities with a large amount of rowing machines. “It’s a really great time,” she said. In addition to rowing, another water sport popular with students is water skiing. Junior Adele Gjerde participates in show water skiing with the Twin Cities River Rats. Show water skiing consists of multiple acts choreographed to music and centered around a theme. During the regular season, the team has practices on weekdays and shows every Thursday. During the winter, the team practices on dryland. They run through
their acts the same, just on land instead of water. “We practice stunts dryland pretty regularly,” Gjerde said. Gjerde learned how to water ski at a young age as her parents, who grew up doing the sport, passed it on to her. She joined the River Rats because she wanted to water ski more often and in a more structured and competitive setting. Like many other water sports athletes, the community Gjerde has found through water skiing combined with her love of the water “My favorite part about water skiing is being around my friends and family, especially on the River Rats team,” she said. “It’s a very community[-based] activity, there’s a lot of different people involved and we all trust each other a lot.”
CROSS COUNTRY 15th at state
SMB WOLFPACK 6 - 13 - 0
12- 6 - 4 ILLUSTRATIONS: Claire Kim
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SPORTS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
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THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Sonia Kharbanda
1: SISTERHOOD. Juniors Johanna Pierach and Taylor Barkwell embrace after the state cross country meet. The team qualified for state Oct. 24 after four years since their last appearance. 2: FIGHT TO THE FINISH. Maren Overgaard is neck and neck with a state competitor. 3: DASH. The state cross country teams all race amongst the masses after the start beep.
Four years in the making: XC goes to state SONIA KHARBANDA THE RUBICON
At 12:45 p.m. on Nov. 4, a horde of about 160 runners began a mad dash to the finish line in search of the state championship trophy. For the first time in four years, the Spartan girls cross country team was in the race. The team took second place at the Section 4A meet on Oct. 24. Trailing Nova by two points with a score of 56, the top two teams in each section advanced to the state meet,
in addition to the next eight individual finishers. Last year, freshman Paloma Good was the only runner to qualify for the state meet as an individual. “[That] was a lot less exciting because I didn’t get to [run] with my team … I had to warm up by myself,” Good said. “But with the team, it makes it a lot more competitive.” Sophomore Maren Overgaard attributed the team’s collective success to their new competition in Class A since, in previ-
ous seasons, they had to compete against larger schools in Class AA. “We went into the season with a goal of going to state … we spent the entire season training for this,” Overgaard said. Like all Minnesota cross country races, the state meet occurred on a winding, muddy, 3.1-mile course. The Spartans arrived at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolstad Golf Course around 11:30 a.m., and it was a buzz with excitement. Runners adorned
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WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD STARTING PLACE.
sophomore Maren Overgaard
in training gear or this year’s state sweatshirts huddled outside their school’s brightly-colored tent, while thousands of
parents and friends carried pun-filled signs like “Why do all the good ones run away?” and “Why is everyone chasing each other… tag? The bright blue skies and crisp air provided “perfect” running conditions. In between races—as the next set of runners warmed up—upbeat music blared from the speaker, and crowds assembled on either side of the starting line. Still, the chaos was over in less than half an hour. The cross country
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM TRADITION? WINTER CAPTAINS WEIGH IN
CHARLOTTE GOINGS: HOCKEY Some of us wear fun socks on days that we have games.
MILAN MISHRA: FENCING Going out to eat with the team at Chipotle or Noodles and Co after practice.
team finished in 15th place, and junior Taylor Barkwell held the fastest finish for the Spartans, in 51st place out of 158 finishers. Though the Spartans’ performance didn’t live up to their hopes, Overgaard sees the result as motivation for next season: “We have a lot of work to do, but we have a really good starting place,” she said.
Quotes Compiled by Olympia Wolff THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Olympia Wolff
MADELYN MOSER: GIRLS BASKETBALL We always meet before practice, go over film and catch up with each other.
RISHI BHARGAVA: BOYS SWIM AND DIVE Water polo after difficult practices, pasta parties before meets, and bagels after meets.
SPORTS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
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Behind the bench: managers at state
MANAGING MISSION. GVS manager Charlotte Goings and BVS manager Finn Cox assisted the soccer teams at the Bank during state finals, along with BVS players and managers Caden Burns and Kiki Sullivan.
GEORGIA ROSS
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WE WERE GOING TO DO THE BEST There is an instant rush as the girls WE COULD AND WE soccer team walks onto the field, and THOUGHT THAT COULD the crowd explodes. “There’s different clapping [...] it’s a really big deal,” TAKE US PRETTY FAR. CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR
manager of the girls varsity soccer team Charlotte Goings said, smiling while talking about the experience. An unexpected excitement develops “when someone who normally doesn’t play gets minutes and does something important,” co-manager of the boys varsity soccer team Finn Cox said. As the teams advanced, the coaches made decisions about who they’d plan would play and who would support the team from the bench. While Cox had already worked as a manager, midfielder Caden Burns had begun the season playing on the team, but the coaches promoted him to co-manager with Cox as they entered state. Walking through the Huss doors, down the hallway, into the lunch room, or when opening Instagram, the excitement around boys and girls varsity soccer sweeping State Tournament victories is infectious and apparent. Players and coaches are at the forefront of the victories, but lingering behind the bench are
TYSEN HAYES: BOYS BASKETBALL Getting food with the team after games.
junior Caden Burns
another essential member of the team: the managers. Managers show up and support the team game after game. Managers wear many hats, from leader, to ball-runner, to number one supporter, water-bottle filler, but first and foremost, friend to the team. “I would help out by pumping balls and grabbing [jerseys],” co-manager of the team boys varsity soccer team freshman Kiki Sullivan said. Last season was the first time that girls soccer advanced to state since 2004, and though they finished as runner-up, this season they returned in a tight come-back game in the state finals to claim their gold medals as first. Meanwhile, boys soccer succeeded to win first in state backto-back, and for the sixth time in the
EVY SACHS: ALPINE SKIING The team does a trip over MLK weekend to Giants Ridge.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Clara Ann Bagnoli ILLUSTRATION: Orion Kim THE RUBICON PHOTO: Luwam Mebrahtu
history of the Boys Soccer program. The players have emphasized how the energy from the benches improve their mentality on and playing on the field. For example, Goings has tried to facilitate “...a lot more cheering on the bench.” The positive energy promoted on the bench carries on the general atmosphere of the team. “Throughout my years managing I have become good friends with the players ... [which] translates during the school day,” Goings said. Similarly, Sullivan felt a special connection to the players. “Relationship-wise, I had one of my best friends on the team and my brother[... I basically felt like I was on the team, I just couldn’t play.” Cox agrees that the team has become the friends that he hang outs with the most. Cox also said the most rewarding part of being a manager isn’t the work; it’s the people. “Just being there with all the players,” Cox said. Goings appreciates the unique position a sports manager has. “It’s fun because its a different way to experience sports,” Goings said. Mangers across the board agree that GVS and BVS shared an exciting buzz going into state. Cox found that
HENRI PELTIER: BOYS HOCKEY Having breakfast with the team after an early ... skate.
the boys had a “cocky” expectance to return to state as they did the year before, yet a nervous eagerness to make it to the US Bank still prevailed. “I think going into the season there was this expectation that we were gonna go far because we won it all last year,” Cox explained. Burns noted that the intensity was up and agreed that “[the players] were quite confident ... we spent the season working really hard. We were going to do the best we could and we thought that could take us pretty far,” Burns said. For GVS, the nail-biting sections game created a positive momentum that led the girls to state: “Since Minnehaha is a really big rival, [sections] was [a] really exciting game… [it was a] last minute goal to win, great energy there,” Goings said. With bigger stakes, a bigger stage, and a bigger crowd, the soccer team managers agreed that their roles allowed them to experience the adrenaline from state in a unique way. “I’m just excited to be at the Bank with all the players. Even if I’m not a player, it’s exciting to be there,” Cox said.
TAYLOR BARKWELL: NORDIC SKIING Playing the Nordic vs. Alpine capture the flag game.
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FEATURE THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
Visual Verses
Pitcher conveys emotion through ASL and music COMMON HAND SIGNS ILLUSTRATION: Annika Kim
HAND GESTURES. As a language, ASL relies on hand gestures, body language, and facial expressions.
ANNIKA KIM
THE RUBICON
“I AM DEAF” Pointing an index finger to the ear is a common signal to communicate that someone is hard of hearing or deaf. Individuals will also end the gesture by pointing to the corner of their mouth, or do the opposite.
Sophomore Violet Pitcher has always shared with her hands. Whether she is teaching about deaf culture to other members of ASL Club or performing with her violin, Pitcher strives to communicate her emotions in many physical forms. Pitcher started ASL Club as part of her passion for learning languages. Her parents worked with a nonprofit organization that works with ASL, so she has been exposed to the deaf community from a young age. “I’ve overheard people talking like, ‘Oh, I really want to learn ASL and about deaf culture.’ I think it’s really important to spread awareness,” Pitcher said. For Pitcher, the ASL Club is not only a place for people to learn sign language; she wants the club to share the diversity and inclusion present in the deaf community. She was inspired to create this environment after seeing the discrimination that deaf people face in a society that can predominantly hear. While the fluctuating attendance of club meetings makes it more difficult for Pitcher to be able to teach everyone at the same time, she aims to share deaf culture with ASL club members and the rest of the upper school. Aside from ASL, Pitcher also plays the violin, an instrument she has been learning since she was two and a half years old. Having played alongside her sisters in the Suzuki program for
years, she sees violin as a large part of her life, noting how hard it is to learn and the feeling of accomplishment from learning hard pieces that she enjoys. “It can get really frustrating when...you keep messing up or keep tripping over. But I know I’ve had those moments of just pure joy when I finished a song and I know I’ve got it and it’s memorized and down,” Pitcher said. Pitcher connects her love of playing violin with learning ASL as both involve the motion of hands to carry messages. “You need to have super soft flexible fingers to produce the sound that you’re producing, and to communicate certain emotions,” she said about playing violin. Pitcher feels passionate about learning and teaching others about conveying ideas through gestures as she does when playing violin or communicating with ASL. The link she has between violin and ASL is a thing Pitcher greatly values. She feels it important for people to know how to share ideas with their physical gestures. “There’s something really powerful about using your hands instead of your voice,” she said. “I find myself seeing the world in a new perspective through people who use their hands and their voices to communicate.” THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Annika Kim
“I CAN HEAR” Rotating your index finger in a circular motion pointing to the right communicates that someone is able to hear. The motion mimics words tumbling from someone’s mouth.
UNITY Putting two closed fists together and rotating them in a circular motion means together or togetherness. The gesture is similar to mixing together batter to form a cohesive product.
SIGN SERENADE. For Pitcher, her hands are everything when it comes to practicing ASL and playing the violin.
FEATURE
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ADVENTURE KIDS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Annie Zhang
RETURNING ROLE MODELS. Seniors Aurelia Meza and Jane Higgins bond with lower school students during their shifts in the after school care program. Whether indoors or out, kids and AK coordinators have often had fun playing and skating outside. “I usually play some kind of game with the kids,” senior Tysen Hayes said.
Seniors leave their mark on AK program CLARA ANN BAGNOLI THE RUBICON
Running around the Goodrich Campus field, crafting, helping with homework or engaging in gossip with a sevenyear-old are all part of an AK coordinator’s job description. Adventure Kids, more commonly known as AK, is the after-school program for lower school students. Like most programs, it serves to bridge the time gap between the school day and when parents are available to pick up their children. What is unique about the program is the con-
nection formed between the upper and lower School, as many of the activity coordinators for the program are seniors. Senior Tysen Hayes started working at AK at the beginning of the school year after being inspired by his friends. To work at AK, “You need to be a fun easygoing person,” he said. Most of his shifts, Hayes said, consist of playing with the kids or refereeing their games. Being in high school, play is not a common routine and for the coordinators; certain skills are needed to be play-
ful while also enforcing rules. In this, a certain balance between being fun and being assertive is required. “I usually play some kind of game with the kids, like tag or basketball,” Hayes said. Senior Max Cooper has this skill set from working in childcare positions in the past, but at AK he appreciates the diversity of personalities of the lower school students and all the conversations he has had working there. “I played catch with a third grader for an hour and we talked about all her favorite stuff and it
was really interesting,” he said. Cooper joined SPA
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I PLAYED CATCH WITH A THIRD GRADER FOR AN HOUR...IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
senior Max Cooper
sophomore year, and has feels more connected to
the school’s community through his job. “Working at the lower school allows me to see the linear progression of kindergarten to where I am now [as a senior],” Cooper said. Unlike Cooper, senior Poppy Ploen is a lifer and has the unique experience of being an alum of the AK program and employed by it. While the program has changed some, Ploen enjoys returning to a wholesome guidepost of her childhood. “It is very full circle; it is so fun,” she said. Besides seeing her
school life coming full circle, Ploen agrees that the connection of the lower and upper School through AK strengthens the community. “You know who the kids are, the kids know who you are, so it really gives a sense of fullness to the school,” she said.
Scan this QR code to read a feature reflecting lifer learning at SPA at RubicOnline.
Rucker explores internet fame through cosplay ELIZA FARLEY THE RUBICON
Becoming someone else might sound impossible, but for senior Bri Rucker, it’s just part of the hobby. As a cosplayer, they dress up as fictional characters, design costumes, props, and makeup looks, and post videos in-character for an audience of 35,000 TikTok followers. If it sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. However, for them, doing cosplay is worth it for its supportive community and potential for joyous self-expression. Their journey into the hobby began during the COVID-19 lockdowns, but their interest was piqued long before that. As a self-proclaimed theater kid, they held a deep love for costumes and makeup, but they were also intrigued by prop-making, which they had never done before. “The pandemic was definitely a catalyst,” Rucker said. Having the time and resources to begin getting into cosplay allowed them to “start making stuff, and experimenting with makeup and characters that I enjoyed, and new pieces of media that I felt that I wanted to convey in a more true-to-myself way,” they said. Their process, which they cataloged on TikTok, started small. “My first video was me, in a corner, wearing a normal shirt with makeup on my face, and that was it,” they said. Over time, they began to try a few more ambitious ideas and cultivated a small following. Then, a video they posted went viral.
“I had about 82,000 likes on [the viral video],” Rucker said. “It’s my most seen video of all time. It got me from 200 followers to about 5,000 in a week.” Although they acknowledge the similarities between theater and cosplay, they see a big difference, too: when they cosplay, they are their “own everything,” Rucker said. “I was the set designer, I was the sound designer, I was the lighting designer, I was the actor, I was the makeup person and also the clothing designer, and everything. I was the entire production by myself.”
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STEP BY STEP
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
STEP 1. Secondhand fabric is stitched together to make the base of the costume.
I WAS THE SET DESIGNER, I WAS THE SOUND DESIGNER, I WAS THE LIGHTING DESIGNER...I WAS EVERYTHING.
STEP 3. Pieces of foam are glued together to make an armor face guard.
senior Bri Rucker With the demands of junior and senior year, their online presence has taken a backseat since last fall, but they’re not stepping away from cosplay for good. “I think I stopped posting consistently around junior year, right around this time,” Rucker said. “But I’ve got lots of ideas for projects that I want to continue doing.” Becoming someone else is a thrill that’s hard to put down, Rucker said, especially with full creative freedom to add artistic takes and share them with a wide audience.
STEP 2. Rucker cuts up pieces of old jackets to make a vest.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS: Bri Rucker
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MUSIC THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2023
JOHANNA PIERACH THE RUBICON
Sophomore Elzie Bieganek is the lead singer for the indie band Rock Melon. The band has played graduation party gigs and a three-set Halloween show in costume. Bieganek is the only SPA student in the band the other singer, bassist, guitarists and drummers all attend Highland Park High School. Bieganek found the band through their search for a new singer after a fellow SPA student left.
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WE KIND OF WANT TO BRING FORTH THAT INDIE SOUND THAT PEOPLE DON’T USUALLY HEAR. sophomore Elzie Bieganek
Although the band had been together for a year before Bieganek joined, it is not a decision she regrets at all. “I gained a lot of friends from it, which is also really great,” she said. The band takes a collaborative approach to the songwriting process. “When we all want to
Rock Melon stars onstage
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Elzie Bieganek
ROCK OUT. Rock Melon’s band members perform their new single “Astropunk” in a music video uploaded to YouTube. Sophomore Elzie Bieganek joined the group a year before it formed, but she’s never looked back. “I gained a lot of friends from it, which is also really great,” she said.
write a song, we all get together...and we kind of just brainstorm things,” she explained. Emphasizing the contributions of each bandmate, the group is open to the art individuals write on their one time. “Sometimes people write music on their own and bring it back to Rock Melon. And we listen to it and see if it fits our genre. And if it doesn’t, we bring in a different song that they’ve written,” she said. Instead of writing songs from a first-person perspective about their
own life experiences, the band takes a unique approach. They take on the role of a storyteller, and a lot of their songs are from the point of view of a character. One such song, called “Rhode Island Red,” takes place on the East Coast. Although all the band members live in Minnesota, they can create new worlds through their songs. “[Rhode Island Red] is told through a character who feels the same feeling that we do… but we aren’t them,” Bieganek explained.
Inspirations for the band include a lot of indie rock, similar to Rock Melon’s own sound. “We kind of want to bring forth that indie sound that people don’t usually hear,” Bieganek said. “My inspiration for singing definitely came from my dad because he’s a big artist. Not wellknown, but he’s definitely out there in the music world and has his own band. …I got inspired,” she said. Extending her love of music beyond the band,
Strings & songs or to distract herself from other obligations. For Putaski, msuic has the ability to convey a depth of emotions in her songs and lyrics.
THE RUBICON
Junior Ellie Putaski has written over 100 songs in the past year alone. Putaski’s composing process starts with picking a bass chord progression that will become the song’s backbone. Then, she will use voice memos to do some improv over the chords and play them back to pick and write down the parts she wants to keep. “[I’ll] just keep doing that until it’s refined,” Putaski said. The inspiration for most of her pieces comes from dealing with mental health and processing feelings. “I use [music] as an outlet to express my emo-
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I USE [MUSIC] AS AN OUTLET TO EXPRESS MY EMOTIONS.
Ellie Putaski
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Ellie Putaski
100 SONGS. Junior Ellie Putaksi poses with her ukulele in costume.
tions,” Putaski explains, “it’s a more healthy way of coping and dealing
with past experiences.” She will often write music just for the fun of it
her own music on the side and is apart of Summit Singers.
LISTEN NOW. Scan the Spotify code to listen to see more from Rock Melon.
Putaski composes and performs with artistic flair
ILLUSTRATION: Annika Kim
AMANDA HSU
Bieganek takes voice lessons at School of Rock, alongside some bandmates. Performances with the company have given her previous experience taking the stage, which has been an important part in learning how to deal with nerves. “Handling those can sometimes be a little tough, but I’ve kind of learned to pick someone out in the crowd that I know and focus in on like my family or my friends,” she said. Bieganek also writes
Putaski composes on and plays several instruments, including the guitar, piano, ukulele, violin, mandolin, dulcimer and Chinese gourd flutes. Growing up, she took
violin and ukulele lessons, but she is also selftaught in many other instruments. Throughout middle school she was invoved in SPA’s music ensembles, however she is not currently. Her favorite instrument is the ukulele, which she has played for eight years. “It’s just like my comfort instrument, I like to draft a lot of stuff on there,” Putaski said. Putaski doesn’t currently have a platform she posts her music on. Due to schoolwork, she doesn’t have time to complete an official recording, but eventually, she would love to start uploading on Spotify. Putaski mainly only performs in SPA’s annual talent show at the beginning of
the year. After she graduates, Putaski hopes to attend college for music composition. “It’s always been my dream,” Putaski said. She is also interested in film and video game scoring, as well as musical theater. Currently, she is working on writing and scripting a musical she will perform in the spring for the One Acts called “Still Here.” Putaski has also scored some of the video games her brother has designed. “I like doing a lot of different stuff to learn more valid knowledge and skills,” Putaski said. She plans for these projects to be a big part of her applications.