February 2021 Issue

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ST. PAUL ACADEMY AND SUMMIT SCHOOL 1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105-2194

The Rubicon student news Volume 47. Issue 5.

February 2, 2021

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Biden begins term as 46th president Biden’s first week actions:

Rejoined Paris Climate Agreement

Introduced Immigration bill

Repealed transgender military ban

Mandated masks on federal property

MADDY FISHER THE RUBICON

The inauguration of the Joseph R. Biden Jr. occurred Jan. 20. The event marked the inception of Biden’s term as president and Kamala Harris’ term as his vice president.

Though the inauguration took place during a period of remarkable political, public health, economic, and national security crises, Biden’s inaugural speech was optimistic, asking for unity and trust.

Pandemic-related safety regulations limited crowd size; the National Mall, usually filled with people, was turned into a public art exhibition of American flags. In spite of this change, viewers likely saw familiar faces in the members of Congress and former presidents. Notably, outgoing President Donald Trump was not in attendance.

Senior Jane Christakos is excited to see the results of the new administration.

“My hopes for the new administration would be to unite the country again. It’s important that they actively combat the racism, sexism, homophobia etc. that the past administration put in place. I am also hoping for more climate change initiatives,” she said.

The recent senate race in Georgia garnered the Democratic Party two more seats in the Senate, allowing them a 50-50

PHOTO : @Joe Biden on Twitter MONUMENTAL MOMENT. President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff stand at the reflecting pool facing the Washington Monument on the night before inauguration to “honor the over 400,000 Americans we’ve lost to COVID-19” he posted on Twitter. split with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tiebreaker. Previously, the Repulican- controlled Senate prevented the passing of any legislation from the Democractic-controlled House of Representatives. The removal of this blockade provides the Democratic Party with an opportunity to complete Biden’s extensive legislative agenda.

While the existence of the filibuster required to pass major legislation presents some difficulty, the new majority should allow the passing of simple majority bills and presidential nominees to be confirmed without issue.

During his term as president, Biden plans to

Julia Colbert

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tackle a wide variety of issues, starting with the current pandemic. On Dec. 8 Biden introduced members of his health team such as Xavier Becerra, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, and presented a three-step plan to combat COVID-19, detailing measures such

as instituting nationwide mask mandate as well as attempting to distribute 100 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days in office.

Biden also prioritized safe return to schools and the vaccination of health care workers. According to Biden’s official website, other priorities include the restoration and improvement of the American economy and providing every American with affordable healthcare.

This includes “a plan to build on the Affordable Care Act by giving Americans more choice, reducing health care costs, and making our health care system less complex to navigate.”

Sophomore Julia Colbert has high hopes for the Biden administration.

“I think that, at the moment, their current priority should be the coronavirus because there are such high case levels. With a new variant coming, I think it’s important to make sure the vaccines are getting out before it mutates even more,” she said.

Colbert also mentioned several other issues that the Trump administration failed to address, such as the current climate crisis.

According to his official website, Biden plans to make “a historic investment in clean energy and climate research and

innovation” and aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

“I am excited for the change. I think it will be better for everyone,” Colbert said.

Sophomore Michael Goodman, while somewhat hesitant, is also looking forward to the change.

“I’m not the biggest fan of this administration, but it is definitely a large step up from the Trump administration,” he said. “I’m hoping they repeal the military ban for transgender individuals and I hope they get the stimulus checks out. ” While Goodman finds the Biden administration better than its predecessor, he has some doubts, “Even with full democratic control of the government, I just don’t feel like Biden is progressive enough to support the policies that are pretty important to get passed,” he said. “I expect this to sort of be like a stabilization.”

Biden become the 46th President of the United States after receiving nearly 81.3 million votes and obtaining 306 of the Electoral college votes.

The featured artists at the inauguration were singers Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Garth Brooks, as well as poet Amanda Gorman, the United States’ first-ever youth poet laureate.

CHOOSE PATH BEST FOR YOU

FABRICATED MEMORY

STUDENT ART: BEST OF 2020

At a college prep school, one hears a lot about four year colleges. But there are other valid pathways.

Relying on memory might not be as sound as once thought.

Despite pandemic challenges, students still found ways to show off their artistic side in 2020.

EDITORIAL pg. 4

IN THIS ISSUE:

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I AM EXCITED FOR THE CHANGE. I THINK IT WILL BE BETTER FOR EVERYONE.

Re-engaged with World Health Organization

HEALTH pg. 7

1-3 - News I 4-6 Opinion I 7 - Health I 8-9 - In Depth I 10-11 - Feature I 12-13 - A&E I 14-15 - Sports I 16 - Good Question

A&E pg. 12

@TheRubiconSPA

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NEWS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Evelyn Lillemoe Upper school students sit socially distanced in a science classroom.

Second go at hybrid begins JOHN BECKER THE RUBICON

St. Paul Academy transitioned back into the hybrid model Jan. 19, continuing the previous hybrid COVID-19 protocols. But with the pandemic not yet under control, there still is worry for being in school. “[We] could maybe do a little better job enforcing social distancing occasionally,” 9th grader Henri Peltier said.

On Jan. 29, there have been 459,000 COVID-19 cases and 6,208 deaths statewide total. On average, cases still surpass 1,000 each day.

Despite such cases, there has been a healthy buzz revolving around the return to school.

Dean of Students Chantal Thornberry is pleased to welcome students back into the building. ,,“This is an immensely difficult time, but I know we have a strong community upon which we can all rely. Assuming best intent and extending graciousness to one another will continue to be important,” she said.

Students are also excited to be back in the building and surrounded by classmates.

“I am happy to be back at school because being around other people and back in the classroom gives me a lot of energy,” senior Evan Thissen said.

“Learning is more fun and easier when I have the extra energy from being in school.”

Senior Katya Sjaastad agrees: “It was really nice to see everyone at school last week. Being back on campus is tiring, but much more rewarding.”

Numbers in Minnesota continue to decline.

The current plan is to remain in hybrid until Mar. 19, when Spring Break starts. There is a built in distance learning period of two weeks and a third anticipated return to hybrid on Apr. 19.

Robotics kicks off season HAZEL WALTENBAUGH THE RUBICON

Virtual tournaments, various safety precautions, and unique collaboration have made the upper school robotics team quite different than last year. Students have been participating in virtual competitions against a clock while dealing with lower participation and many added COVID-19 restrictions including distance learning, which have made building robots very difficult.

“We submit our scores from our robot completing the tasks laid out in the competition and then will have a virtual interview with the judges to determine our eligibility for awards,” robotics coach Kate Lockwood said. “We only need four people in the room - two drivers, a coach, and a human player (that works together with the robot).

We can mostly distance and have plexiglass partitions for when the two

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THE NEW FORMAT HAS BOTH CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGES. Kate Lockwood

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drivers need to be near each other. We are taking safety very seriously.”

COVID-19 restrictions have dramatically changed the dynamics for this year’s team. Tournaments, student collaboration, and the overall environment are different.

“Tournaments are really different this year.

They used to be all-day events with a lot of other teams. We’re working pretty much in isolation this year,” Lockwood said.

In previous years, the tournaments were played with 2 robots vs 2 robots, including an alliance with another team. This year, the virtual tourna-

ments force teams to play against the clock, rather than comparing to other teams’ robots.

“Part of the fun was getting to look at other robots and interact with teams from all over the metro area. But the new format has both challenges and advantages.

You can’t rely on your alliance partner to help score points, but you also don’t have to worry about accidentally running into other robots on the field,” Lockwood said.

There is less participation compared to previous years, due to COVID-19 restrictions and the fact that distance learning makes building robots much harder for students. Students have had to travel from home to school a lot more this year, and time together as a team has definitely decreased. This has also made team dynamics harder, as students are much more isolated right now.

“The amount of time in person we have to

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Eloise Duncan Seniors Tobi Polley and John Hall work on robotics after school. work on the robot has been reduced dramatically. To make the most out of the time we have, everyone comes to work hours with specific goals,” senior John Hall said.

The team’s first tournament happened on Jan. 30, later than usual.

“I am looking forward to competing, but I will definitely miss the sort of robotics community camaraderie that comes with a regular competition,” senior Noel Abraham said.

Despite all of the challenges, the students have come together to make the most out of the robotics season.

“I am so proud of our students. I don’t think I can overstate how proud I am. These kids have worked so hard under really extraordinary circumstances and they have done it in an incredibly empathetic way,” Lockwood said.

“Our team is proud of the quality and successes of our robot. We still have a lot left to go in the season, but our hope is that our first tournament will be successful and helpful to our progress over the course of the season,” Hall said.

Anderson, Delgado discuss US faculty searches ADRIENNE GAYLORD THE RUBICON

In a rise in teachers leaving the profession nationally, it should come as no surprise that already this year, 11 upper school faculty members are have announced plans to retire or not return to school. Current searches include US Principal, US Counselor, and teaching faculty in Spanish, math, fitness, English, physics and computer science, and science.

The first step of the staffing process is to address each faculty opening with a search committee, composed of the department chair, at least one upper school administrator, and various teachers who will work with the new hire.

“Members of the committee each call several applicants at this early stage, asking a series of agreed-upon questions and summarizing the answers for the rest of the committee,” Academic Dean Tom Anderson said.

The applicants who make it past the first round with this committee move onto the semi-finalist stage, involving a series of interviews.

The number of searches “...is not totally unusu-

al,” principal Max Delgado said. “It’s sometimes unusual to have them all in one department.”

The English department is undergoing five searches during this transition. Two of those are one year replacements that may become full hires, while the rest are built on the faculty departures of Emily Anderson, Claire Wahmanholm Matt Hoven and Philip de Sa e Silva.

Those three positions have been filled with long-term substitutes until a full search is completed. These include Amanda Minoff and Scott Telfer.

Telfer has taught in Texas, China, and Canada, and began working as a Teaching Assistant at SPA this fall.

“I’m amazed with how quickly the school has adapted to this whole pandemic, and then to throw these changes on top of that [...] everybody here has made me feel very welcome,” he said.

The school has been handling turnover and searches like they would any other year, apart from notable differences, the largest being virtual interviews and hiring committee meetings.

Anderson explained that “[Semi-finalist appli-

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HIRING IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THE SCHOOL CAN GROW CLOSER TO...

FULFILLING ITS MISSION. Tom Anderson

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cants] in non-pandemic years would come for a campus visit, and do a series of interviews over the course of 1-2 workdays.”

Members of the search committee look for people who can fill the specific needs of the role: teachers who are both masters of their craft and discipline, but are collaborators looking to grow.

“One of the things that’s most important to me is how coachable people are,” Delgado said.

“None of us are perfect at what we do, and we all need to grow. And that’s true for someone who’s a master teacher who’s been doing it forever or something straight out of college.”

In the search process the committee keeps in mind that not only are they finding new people to teachc classes but also

people want to be full members of the community: advising groups, attending events, knowing students.

In addition to the faculty search committee, new applicants are also interviewed by student panels. Senior Jackson Biggs participated in a student assessment of new teachers his sophomore year.

“Having student input on the new hires is important,” Biggs said.

Although his personal opinion didn’t align with the final decision, he still appreciated having the opportunity to be a part of the process.

Administration values incorporating student voice into the decisions.

“Kids can read adults a lot quicker than adults can sometimes read adults,” Delgado said, “Some of you at some point will get an email from Mr.Anderson asking you if you’d want to be a student liaison who meets with candidates or takes them on tours, if we’re doing in-person, and I would urge you to say yes to that invitation.”

“The school is ultimately a product of the people who do its work, and hiring is one of the ways that the school can grow closer to its ideal of

PHOTO: SPA website Part of the current staff searches is finding a new Upper School Principal after current principal Max Delgado leaves. fulfilling its mission,” Anderson said.

The search for a new principal is being taken on by Assistant Head of School for Student Development and Community Engagement Jill Romans, while Delgado focuses on the search US faculty.

He’s dedicated to finding the best group of people to take care of the school in his absence.

“The next principal is going to inherit a really strong team of new people,” Delgado said.

Search committees set a timeline for hiring by the end of the school year, but searches sometimes go into summer to find the right person for the job.

NEWS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

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Return to climate accord, policies bring hope EVE SAMPSELL-JONES THE RUBICON

Climate change has been relatively out of the news during 2020 due to more prominent topics like COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and the presidential election.

But that doesn’t mean the issues went away.

“In the last year alone there have been environmental policy changes from the Trump administration that are really problematic, but the 24-hour news cycle has been consumed—and at times rightly so—with our raging pandemic,” junior Will Sedo said. “I hope that with new policy coming down from the Biden climate team, climate change will be back in the news more and we can better address it as a society.”

Junior Ceci Watson agrees: “This only becomes dangerous if we begin to believe that climate change will not affect us in the future just because the impacts of climate change aren’t directly affecting everyone yet.”

The Paris Climate Agreement, a pact adopted by 196 countries in 2016 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, seeks to limit global warming. This goal may be achieved by limiting greenhouse gas emis-

sions, “to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century,” as stated on the UNFCCC website.

After his election in 2016, former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from this agreement, making the U.S. the only country to abandon the accord.

One of President Joe Biden’s first actions in office was re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement.

Senior Annabelle Bond appreciates this change. “Trump has shown throughout his time in office that he doesn’t care at all about protecting the environment. I think in general the last four years have been a step back for environmental protection,” she said. “I hope that Biden can follow through on his plans to put more emphasis on reducing emissions and protecting land, but we need to hold him accountable.”

Students see the end of Trump’s presidency as a symbol of hope for climate action while still recognizing the work that has to be done.

“I am encouraged by what Biden has announced so far for the roles critical to the nation’s environmental policy- he even has created a new cabinet-level position of Special Envoy for Climate Change,” Sedo said.

Before Biden’s inauguration, the Trump admin-

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CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIETAL INEQUALITIES GO HAND IN HAND.

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Linnea Cooley istration made attempts to auction off pieces of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to energy companies for processes like oil drilling. The auction wasn’t very successful; however, the issue surrounding the ANWR highlights the struggle of how the country integrates environmental protections into the government and the economy as climate change continues.

“I am against drilling in the Arctic because the short term economic benefits will never outweigh the long term effects drilling will have on our climate change and wildlife,” Watson said.

“The two big problems with drilling in this area is that it’s Indigenous land and it would have a huge impact on the wildlife in the area. The land has been protected by the national government for 60 years and has been largely untouched,” Bond said.

Another issue is the ongoing struggle over mining in the Boundary

PHOTO REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION: Florian Schulz ARCTIC WILDLIFE. Grizzly bear standing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Waters Canoe Area. The change is to hold the sions from large corporaarea has been fought over large corporations that tions are curbed signifibetween copper-nickel are behind the majority cantly.” mining companies and of pollution accountable Cooley notes that clienvironmentalist groups. and demand change,” mate change doesn’t have “I have more of a per- sophomore linnea Cool- to be separate from other sonal connection to the ey said. “We can do this issues in the world.

BW because I have been by educating ourselves “We do not have there a number of times. and being responsible enough time left to pick The lakes are crystal clear, consumers, realizing that and choose which issue to there is a lot of wildlife, these powers are driven focus on. Climate change and you are almost com- by greed and short-term and societal inequities go pletely surrounded by profit, and until enough hand in hand, and one nature,” Bond said. “Pol- customers demand ac- cannot be solved without lution from sulfur min- tion, they have no incen- the other,” she said. ing - which is particularly tive to change.”

In the meantime, beSedo added that cause of decisions made harmful - would put all of “There are some actions early in this presidency, that at risk.”

With all that’s going that can be done in your BWCA mining is on hold, on people can feel dis- own household, little discussions of ANWR heartened and powerless. things like turning off sales have ended, and But there are still a few the lights when you’re there will be a U.S. repways to help the environ- not in the room, taking a resentative at the upcomshorter shower, and buy- ing Paris Climate agreement right now.

“The most important ing sustainably produced ment meeting Nov. 2021 thing individuals can do food, but no real change in Glasgow. to help prevent climate will happen until emis-

Strains from United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil spreading globally LIZZIE KRISTAL THE RUBICON

INFOGRAPHIC: Lizzie Kristal Here are the facts to know about a new strain of COVID-19, first found in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

The appearance of another mutated strain of COVID-19 sparks fear with its name. In late December, a new strain of COVID-19, called B.1.1.7, was detected in South Africa and the United Kingdom. There have now been 76 cases of the new variant detected in Colorado, Georgia, California, New York, and Florida. At this point, the strain has likely reached most states and has now reached about 33 countries, including the United States.

There have been over 1,000 mutations of COVID-19 detected, but this is the first that has changed its major effects. According to British health officials, it isn’t increasing the severity of illness, but it has a much higher rate of transmission. It is estimated to

spread 55% to 70% faster, meaning space in hospitals will become an increasing issue and more deaths are likely to occur. It will only get worse when travel restrictions throughout Europe are lifted. That said, both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are effective in restraining the new strain according to British health officials.

While a lot is unknown, researchers speculate that the strain could have developed in September and may even be responsible for the second wave. Common COVID-19 tests only test for the virus itself, unable to detect which mutation it is. This makes it challenging to detect how present the new strain has become.

With its alarming rate of transmission, the majority of cases might be the new strain by March if no

stronger safety measures are taken.

“Even with the vaccine coming, I think that the government, both national and state, needs to set out more specific and tighter restrictions,” senior Pilar Saavedra-Weis said.

While government restrictions, including the Minnesota mandates and new mandates on federal land, they often aren’t enforced. Masks are seen dropped below the nose and six feet apart has shrunk. Many believe that in order to restrain the higher rate of transmission, tighter restrictions need to be made.

“It’s very important that the people in power -- doctors, government officials, celebrities, and other public figures -continue to spread awareness about the severity of COVID,” sophomore Naysa Kalugdan said.

Some have suggested wearing two masks to increase filtration of any outgoing and incoming particles, while it might be an useless precaution to others.

“I don’t think people should wear two masks quite yet. It seems a little extreme,” sophomore Dev Kharbanda said.

While the new strains have a higher rate of transmission, its danger can be limited by practices already put into place like masks, social distancing, and vaccinations.

Variants in a virus are to be expected. Current vaccines account for all COVID-19 mutations that are known.

At press time, there was growing information about mutations coming from Brazil, with variants detected in Minnesota Jan. 25.

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OPINIONS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Don’t limit your path beyond SPA Four-year college is far from the only option EDITORIAL

THE RUBICON STAFF

A core value of the college prep school experience, is getting accepted to and attending a four year college.

College counseling support is a big draw for families navigating that competitive process.

Sometimes the signs pointing to the four-year degree or BA/MA/PhD path drown out other options. The alternative to this, other post-high school graduate paths, community college, military service, gap years, may fall through the cracks as valid postgrad options.

There is no denying the draw of a four-year university. It is a place where students make lifelong friendships, explore their interests and meet like-minded people. The four year degree opens doors to graduate school. Having a degree also correlates to higher lifetime earnings, greater access to medical insurance and has been shown to extend life expectancy.

Four-year universities also help students network and find internships, making connections in their intended field. For certain careers a Bachelor’s degree is required or preferred for applicants.

For some attending community college may be the best route following SPA graduation. While this is a private school and many will be able to afford college without going into debt, this is not the reality for everyone.

Even with financial aid packages, a four year university may still be out of reach. Community

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Noa Gross MANY PATHS. With the emphasis on applying and gaining admission to four year colleges at SPA, other post-high school options such as community college and military service may be overlooked or invalidated. college provides a more accessible and affordable alternative. Aside from this financial aspect, a two year degree may more quickly place people in the workforce and fields they care about. For seniors who don’t know yet what they want to do, community college gives them more space to try out options. There is also more flexibility with community college night and weekend courses, which makes them easier to schedule around other aspects of life.

With many seniors 18 at the time of graduation, the military is another option and it may surprise some to know that most careers exist in the service branches: from security to chef’s training, medical and emergency responders, management

NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT; AVOID SNAP JUDGMENTS AND LET PEERS CHART THEIR OWN COURSE. and education. Joining the military allows access to the GI Bill, which covers tuition costs following military service.

Additionally, different branches of the military provide training programs that give members real-world experience. Free medical and dental are also included in any branch of military service. For some the discipline of the military and the stability may be appealing as they

leave the safety of high school.

While more common than community college and the military for SPA students, taking a gap year can take a number of forms: whether it’s work, an internship, service or travel, there are real benefits to a year away from the classroom.

The Gap Year Association found that students who took gap years developed more openness and understanding of the world and the gap year helped them learn emotional and technical skills useful in life. In the study, 77% of those that took gap years reported that they found their purpose in life.

That said, even with the emphasis on college prep, the SPA college counseling

department does a good job of supporting senior choice. They encourage students to choose a school or a path that will work best for them and coach students to allow privacy and respect around each other’s decisions. While college counseling works to set this standard, it’s essential that every member of the community support their efforts and celebrate individuals’ decisions for their future. There are an endless amount of ways to enter the real world following high school, and just because a four year college is on many students’ minds doesn’t mean it is the best or only option. Interests, needs, and paths are different; avoid snap judgments and let peers chart their own course.

MANY ROADS TO SUCCESS

Community College: -Eileen Collins: first woman to pilot a space shuttle; first woman in NASA history to command a space shuttle; Corning Community College alumna -Steve Jobs: cofounder and CEO of Apple; De Anza College alumnus Military: -Jimi Hendrix: considered one of the greatest guitarists in history; enlisted in the army in 1961 -Bea Arthur: actress on the “Golden Girls” television series; served in the Marine Corps as a typist and truck driver Gap Year/Study Abroad: -Vera Wang: fashion designer; spent a semester studying abroad in France, developing her love of fashion in Paris, before beginning a degree -Katie Ledecky: Olympic gold medalist in swimming; world record holder for 400, 800, and 1500; meter freestyle; deferred enrollment to college to swim full time before the 2016 Olympics Source: US News, Business Insider, Winterline

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Megan Erickson

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Extreme measures needed to encourage vaccination THE U.S NEEDS

and public health by encouraging and requiring people to get vaccinated.

It’s inadvisable, if not impossible, for the federal government to mandate vaccines.

Not only would it set a worrying precedent for government control over personal healthcare, but it would also lend credence to the claims of more paranoid anti-vaccine activists. However, there may be other ways Washington could speed up the immunization process.

First of all, all vaccines that prevent

COVID-19 should be free. To Washington’s credit, this is mostly true already. According to the CDC, all vaccines have already been paid for with taxpayer dollars, and the service of getting the vaccine is either covered by the patient’s insurance or the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.

However, there’s no guarantee that a patient’s insurance will cover the entire cost of the treatment, and it’s key that the HRSA also step in to pay for the difference.

Secondly, Congress needs to ensure that Americans are informed about the various vaccines’ low risk and high effectiveness.

Evidence shows that this is an effective way to encourage people to get the shot. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who said they would “definitely” or “probably” get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus rose from 51% in September

Society, the accessibility of digital petitions is their greatest strength.

A petition shared across social media has the potential to reach millions of people through only a few clicks.

When one signs a petition on Change.org, the most popular petition website, they are then given the opportunity to place a call to lawmakers or share on social media.

After this step, the website provides ten more recommended petitions.

The website is then also likely to send more follow up emails encouraging the recipient to sign more petitions. This system is similar to a lot of petition websites, and it is a quick and effective

way to get a lot of people behind a certain issue.

For example, a petition created on Change. org fighting for justice for Breonna Taylor has garnered nearly 11.5 million signatures. A downside to Change.org in particular, is that there is an option to donate, but the donations go to the website itself, not the cause in question.

Of course, a politician or corporation is unlikely to make huge decisions or changes to policies solely based on a couple signatures, but a petition with many signatures can send a strong message. Plus, if even a small percentage of petition signers make calls to lawmakers or

donate to a cause, that message becomes even stronger and change is even more likely to be made.

Signing a single petition is not enough to make someone an activist. If an issue is truly important, then calls to lawmakers, protests, or donations are more effective ways to make change.

However, do not write off the importance of sharing petitions through social media. Sharing a petition on a site like Instagram where it could reach a brand new audience is an important way to advocate for important issues.

PHOTO: @WHO on Twitter About 65.6 million vaccines have been administered worldwide according to Bloomberg News.

COLIN WILL

THE RUBICON

With two vaccines against the novel coronavirus approved by the FDA, and many more in use and testing abroad, the US is closer than ever to returning to something resembling the pre-pandemic normal. But the antivaccination and vaccine hesitancy movements threaten to derail plans for vaccinations and a safe reopening. All levels of American government, as well as private organizations and businesses, need to take a stand for science

TO DECIDE COLLECTIVELY THAT EVERY PERSON WHO CAN GET VACCINATED, MUST. to 60% in November as people became more informed. Out of the group who said they would probably or definitely not get vaccinated, almost 50% said they might get it once more people became vaccinated and more information came to light. Not for the first time in history, PSAs and propaganda would literally save lives.

On the state level, harsh restrictions and lock downs have battered economies, so it’s natural that as more people get the vaccine, states will try to rush into reopening. For a short period, states should

continue to enforce social distancing, and only allow the vaccinated or those with medical exemptions to participate in activities that would have been against social distancing regulations in the past, instead of letting everyone off the hook.

Most of the responsibility to require vaccinations will fall on individual businesses and organizations. Airlines must continue to help enforce state guidelines regarding testing and quarantine times for the unvaccinated.

Schools should not return to fulltime in-person classes until enough students have been vaccinated.

The US needs to decide collectively that every person who can get vaccinated must get vaccinated.

It may not be until this summer or even the fall that vaccines will be widely available enough to make them a requirement, but it’s never too early to strategize and inform.

Change.org petitions promote awareness, don’t equal action MAREN OSTREM

MANAGING EDITOR

Every day, social media feeds are flooded with petition after petition, and after a while, it’s easy to wonder: do they all actually do anything?

The simple answer is yes.

The more complicated answer is that petitions are incredibly effective in raising awareness and leading to bigger action, but cannot be a substitute for other kinds of activism.

While often criticized for being a cheat out of “real activism,” according to Rosemary ClarkParsons, the associate director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center on Digital Culture and

POLICIES, MEMBERSHIPS AND AWARDS 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.

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 (i.e. Sophomore Student) will be the preferred method of anonymity.

BY LINES credit the individual who

conducted interviews, drafted, revised and fact-checked an assigned story.

Shared bylines are given to joint effort assignments, with reporters listed alphabetically by last name. Stories that include supplemental materials include a credit at the bottom that states

In 2019, Change. org garnered 673,668,876 signatures.

Over 41,000 petitions are launched on Change.org each month.

INFORMATION: Change.org

5

THINKING OUT LOUD

Who’s your Valentine?

JENNY RIES

THE RUBICON

I don’t usually celebrate Valentine’s Day. But ever since I heard that this month Iris Art & Lit is asking members of the community to write a love letter to someone, I’ve been thinking about what Valentine’s Day can mean, right now and always.

Having spent nearly a year feeling farther away from the people I care about than I ever expected to be, I’m starting to see the appeal of a day celebrating love and friendship. It’s cold outside, none of us know what the next year will look like, and we’re all trying to stay connected.

Is it just me, or does the idea of having a socalled ‘valentine’ sound kind of appealing?

To be clear, this isn’t me telling you to shoot your shot. (Though, if that’s how you want to celebrate your Valentine’s Day, I wish you the very best.)

What I’m thinking is that, whether it’s a romantic relationship, best friend, family member, or pet, what better time to stop and think about who that someone, or multiple someones, is in your life, and tell them that they’re important to you?

At its core, the day is about loving and being loved.

Think about those special someones. When Feb. 14 rolls around, give them an elbow-bump, a box of chocolates, a cringey poem, fireworks in the shape of a heart. Or just tell them: “I’m glad that you’re in my life.”

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published online, will be corrected following the online corrections policy.

EDITORIALS articulate the collective

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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.

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During the post-critique process, staff members identify inaccuracies and report feedback from readers. The staff publishes corrections when an error is discovered during critique or reported to a staff member. Corrections should be directed to the Editor in Chief or appropriate section editor.

IN PRINT: Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be printed in the month following the error and, if the story is also

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6

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Death penalty discriminatory, unconstitutional JULIA BARON THE RUBICON

2,550 inmates in the United States currently sit on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

This number went down by 13 last year, as former President Trump ended an unofficial 17year moratorium on federal executions in the final six months of his presidency. Waiting for procedures, appeals, and requests, these thousands of inmates are usually held in prison for years anticipating their legal murder by their own government. Followed

by China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt, the United States executes the 6th largest number of their own citizens each year, according to the BBC. A gruesome, unconstitutional, and discriminatory procedure, the death penalty must be abolished immediately, as it violates the 8th amendment of the Constitution, is too obsolete for a criminal justice system

THE DEATH PENALTY IS INHERENTLY IN VIOLATION OF THE CONSITUTION. permeated with wrongful convictions, and egregiously discriminates against BIPOC. Going back to the era of slavery in the United States, executions were committed as a strategy to dicourage possible slave rebellions, and to control Black populations from becoming too large or powerful. This wasn’t just the policy of some slaveholders; the federal government stimulated the murder of enslaved people by monetarily compensating slave owners for the act, arguing that it resulted in a financial loss for their plantation. With this policy, and the law’s horrific racial prejudice, racism was etched into the practice of execution.

In the pre-Civil War era,

death penalties in court were disproportionately given to Black men, as the rape of a white women by a Black man required a dealth pentalty sentence, while the rape of a white woman by a white man only faced prison time of 2-20 years. Furthermore, the rape of a Black women only resulted in “fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court,” according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Fast forward nearly 200 years, and the federal government is still sanctioning the execution of a disproportionate number of Black men.

While there are no longer Black Codes, the Death Penalty Information Center reported in October of 2020 that 41.6% of the current death row inmates are Black, while the US Census reports that they only comprise 13.4% of the US population. This is in sharp contrast to white citizens, who make up 76.3% of the population, and only 42.15% of inmates on death row.

Population not proportionate to death row inmates Information from the US Census and Death Penalty Information Center

76.3%

41.6%

42.1%

13.4%

Black population in the U.S.

Black death row inmates

White population White death row inmates in the U.S.

INFOGRAPHIC: Julia Baron and Jenny Ries There are a disproportionate number of Black inmates on death row proportional to the racial makeup of the general population of the United States..

Not only is the death penalty rooted and upheld in white supremacy, but it is inhernelty in violation of the constitution. The 8th amendment, passed in 1791, protects citizens against the infliction of “cruel or unusual punishments.” Even if it could be argued that a peaceful execution wouldn’t constitute a “cruel or unusual punishment,” the means in which the killing is completed would. In Elizabeth Bruenig’s article The Man I Saw Them Kill, published in the New York Times, she details witnessing

the execution of 56-yearold Alfred Bourgeois in a chilling and shocking reflection. It took more than 20 minutes for Bourgeois to die, gasping for air as pentobarbital was shot through his veins, following his last words: “I did not commit this crime.”

Bourgeois’s haunting final words leads to possibly the most gruesome aspect of the death penalty: wrongful convictions. According to the Death Penalty Information Center 170 victims of execution have been exonerated after their death just since 1973. That is 170

innocent lives taken from the government.

If exonerations had come while these people had been serving life sentences, even if they would have sat in prison for years for a crime they didn’t commit, they could have gotten some semblance of justice, been able to see their friends and family again, and even, most crucially, received the rightful validation of their innocence. The death penalty carries no such insurance, and a wrongful execution is an unforgivable mistake that cannot be undone.

Be informed before adopting a spiritual practice EVELYN LILLEMOE CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR

Spirituality has been a diverse and deeply rooted practice in almost every culture around the world.

Spirituality can look different for every person but many common spiritual practices have gained popularity among Generation Z, popularized through social media. But while you may have learned about Chakras or manifestation on TikTok, these spiritual practices have deep cultural roots that are often glossed over by social media.

Sometimes, using spiritual traditions from a culture outside of your own can become cultural appropriation.

The problems of following another culture’s spiritual practices arise in a couple different ways.

First, spirituality has been commodified

by those in the West.

Spirituality should never be about money.

Big brands and people from outside the culture who are selling sage burning kits, overpriced yoga classes, dream catchers, and everything imaginable with the Buddha printed on it reap the benefits of commodifing ancient practices they likely do not even understand.

Some of these spiritual practices are not even accessible to the majority of people due to the price.

Another problem with the widespread use of spiritual practices of nonWestern or Indigenous cultures is that sometimes those within a religion or culture would prefer that this practice not be used by those outside of the culture or religion. There are many reasons for someone to feel this way, especially when those within the culture or religion have

IS IT OKAY FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THIS RELIGION OR CULTURE TO USE THESE PRACTICES? been persecuted for this spiritual act in the past. It is up to people who are a part of a culture to decide what they would like to share with the world and what they would rather have remain just a part of this community. If you are outside of a culture it is your place to respect their wishes.

Finally, these spiritual practices are often not portrayed correctly. This is especially present on social media where users make these practices simple and digestible for viewers. This can take away the depth

and history of these practices, and can change the effect they have. For example, many South Asian people have voiced their concern about how the appropriation of the Hindu concepts of chakras and manifestation have been simplified and distorted to the point where they are no longer what they were intended to be.

In understanding the context and history of these practices the question arises, is it okay for people outside of this religion or culture to use these practices? The answer is complicated, but it comes down to listening to the members of a given culture and religion. Some practices are deeply sacred to a specific culture, and those within such culture would prefer it not practiced by those who are not a part of that culture. For many practices, people within the culture or religion

ILLUSTRATION: Adrienne Gaylord Before adopting a practice, do research to learn whether it is part of a religion or culture, and if so how you can practice it in a way that is respectful. would just ask that you understand the true meaning and cultural history of these practices and practice them authentically. Before you begin a new spiritual

practice, do your research on where it comes from and how those within the culture where it is from would prefer you practice the practice.

7

HEALTH

Reality check:

THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Can memory be trusted?

ADRIENNE GAYLORD THE RUBICON

Imagine pulling off an elaborate heist as a youth, full of decoys, lasers, and getaway drivers. Sounds like something to remember, doesn’t it? In a 2015 study participants shared memories of committing crimes that all led to some run in with the police.

But none of them had ever happened.

Scientists were able to induce rich false memories in 70% of participants after only three interviews.

Some participants even took their stories further, generating details beyond the stories they had been prompted to believe were their own. So even though one may remember robbing a bank of every last penny, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t imagined.

To what degree can memory be trusted?

Memory isn’t as precise as we think.

Scientists have found that instead of reScientists were able membering distinct to induce rich, false details, often we rememories in 70% of call just the gist of participants in a 2015 what happened.

According to Dr. study after only three Charles Brainerd, a interviews. professor of human development at Cornell University, in an interview with Healthline, “A key rule about memory change over time is what we call fade-to-gist That is, we lose the details of experience rapidly but retain our understanding of its gist much longer,” he said.

TELL THE TRUTH

TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE WHEN...

Episodic memory is the category of long term memory that allows us to recall past events. It’s how we store personal experiences.

Junior Sonia Ross struggles to remember the details in books she reads. “I really like to read, but I never really remember after a few months...I don’t remember plots of books. But I can very clearly remember the images in my mind that I could see,” she said.

Ross has found that even her momentous episodic memories can be full of holes: “Last year, I was in this elevator and I saw Joe Biden, and it was like a really shocking thing. And so, I have a very fragmented memory of it. And I was with a friend and I was talking to my friend and she was bringing up these things that he said that I just do not remember at all, because I think I was just so shocked,” she said.

Episodic memories are defined by time and place, but also emotion, and they are incredibly flexible.

ILLUSTRATION: Adrienne Gaylord THAT’S WHAT I REMEMBER. Human memory is flawed, so recalling details can be hard.

Due to episodic memory’s immense malleability in eyewitness interviews it’s best to ask open-ended questions. If a witness is asked a question like, “Did the perpetrator have green eyes?” they’re more likely to say yes and now remember green eyes, than if they

other than the color of his middle school. “Brown,” he said. His short term memory proves more useful when trying to recollect what he ate for breakfast.

I KNOW WHAT I FELT WAS TRUE.

If memory is so unreliable in providing details of the past, why even have it in the first place?

The case of amnesiac Henry Molaison of Hartford, Connecticut brought new insight to scientists. Molaison lost his memory in 1953 and from then on engaged in hundreds of studies until his death in 2008.

In some interviews Molaison was asked about his plans for the future, and it was discovered he was just as blank imagining the future as he was in recalling the past.

We use the same parts of our brain in remembering the past as we do in imagining fictitious scenarios and the future. This helps explain why it’s so easy to twist or fabricate memories. No one’s mind is a steel trap, and memory blends into the world of imagination.

had just been asked to describe what they remember.

In a 2003 study published on Psychological Science scientists found that emotional memories fade at the same speed as other memories, but that people feel more confident in them. Fifty-four students were tested on the memory of first hearing about the 9/11 terrorist attacks and of a recent everyday event that happened later. The accuracy of the shocking 9/11 memory and the everyday memory was the same: the only difference was in their confidence in the memories accuracy.

Although, not everyone lives under the guise that their mind is a steel trap. According to junior Mason Brooks, his memory is awful.

“I can’t remember anything,” he said multiple times. He can’t recall anything before eighth grade

WHY BOTHER WITH MEMORIES AT ALL?

Fitness culture, at its best, promotes holistic approach NOA GROSS

ILLUSTRATOR

The scientific community is in complete agreement on very few things, but exercise is one of them. Fitness can be a great tool to improve self-confidence, attitude, and general well-being. It’s an important distinction that fitness culture often misses: those things don’t stem from being thin or muscled.

Steven Blair, a professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina, discussed how health doesn’t always equal thinness in an interview with The Guard-

ian. He describes how body mass index (BMI), a method often used in determining someone’s weight class relative to health, doesn’t account for many factors in fit people who may be considered obese. “You simply cannot tell by looking whether someone is fit or not,” he said.

So when students trying to find an athletic outlet are faced with, often gendered, stereotypes of what fitness should look like, a toxic environment is perpetuated.

Junior Annika Brelsford, a tennis and basketball player no-

“

WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

”

Will Johnson

ticed a toxicity they encountered while participating in Insanity Workouts for basketball conditioning.

“There were very subtle things in language that [the instructor] would use sometimes to motivate us, to keep pushing through, that were very centered

around looking good instead of feeling good,” they said.

Brelsford reflected on the difficulty of ignoring that messaging: “[fitness toxicity] is really pertinent wherever you go, and it takes a lot of energy to not play into it.”

Fitness programs have already begun changing the way students view fitness. Fitness for Life teacher Will Johnson said the first step in creating change is recognizing the problem.

“I think as educators and teachers and adults really, we need to be talking about men-

tal health and getting those students who are struggling and having a tough time. Having them be open and honest with people about, that this happens to everybody … So just having that openness,” he said.

In his classes, Johnson prioritizes a number of initiatives.

“Each week we try to create a habit that’ll hopefully last throughout high school if not their entire life. One of the weeks is self-love and self-appreciation week. As a group, we brainstorm and try to think about ways to feel better about our-

selves and appreciate who we are,” he said. “I have two acronyms, JFZ and ELE. JFZ stands for judgment-free zone, and ELE is for everybody love everybody.

Just having those in the back of our mind when we’re going through fitness testing or for going through a sport that somebody is not comfortable with. It doesn’t matter if you’re really good or really bad at the sport as long as you’re playing...as long as you’re doing your best, that’s all that matters,” Johnson said.

“And it does make me a little nervous, sometimes, just kind of the general fear and doubt that’s that people aren’t 100% accepting even if they say they are.”

8 Queerness and faith are often considered to be two mutually exclusive identities and for a good reason. Throughout history, LGBTQ+ people have been persecuted, villainized, imprisoned, and murdered by several organized religions for merely being “other.” This constant harassment from religious groups has made participation in classical worship inaccessible for countless queer individuals and families. Simultaneously, as more and more faithful communities become more vocal about their approval of queerness (such as Pope Francis’s recent open support for same-sex marriage), many more queer people, especially young adults, are rebuilding their relationships with religion. I am honored to present some of SPA’s queer community’s personal stories, experiences, and thoughts regarding religion.

RUBICONLINE

MIMI HUELSTER

While junior Gray Whitaker-Castañeda does not subscribe to a distinct set of religious beliefs, religion still plays a role in their identities. Their father was raised Catholic, and their maternal grandmother is a regular churchgoer. That said, their apprehension surrounding religion does not directly stem from their family ties.

“I haven’t had any conflicts with people who practice religion, or any specific religions, but I do take issue with how, specifically, the Bible can be interpreted and used against queer people,” Whitaker-Castañeda said.

This general concern around the usage of holy texts, like Leviticus 18:22, to condemn queer people has significantly contributed to Whitaker-Castañeda’s anxiety in religious areas.

“I tend to get somewhat nervous entering religious spaces, whether that be churches, or I shadowed DeLaSalle [a Catholic high school in Minneapolis] in my high school process, and spaces like that that do tend to make me tense up a little bit, just because I get scared to be open about my queerness in those spaces.”

Although they haven’t had any distinctly ill-willed experiences with their father or grandmother, there’s still a small part of Whitaker-Castañeda that tells them to be wary because of their family members’ religious beliefs.

“I do often wonder about my grandma’s religious beliefs and my dad’s affiliation with religion; I don’t know how deep that runs in him, but I do always wonder how that plays into how they view me. And it does make me a little nervous, sometimes, just kind of the general fear and doubt that’s that people aren’t 100% accepting even if they say they are.”

Gray Whitaker-Castañeda (they/them)

that’s nearly

LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. are religious

million

INFORMATION: UCLA School of Law Williams Institute

INFOGRAPHIC: Maren Ostrem and Evelyn Lillemoe

of LGBTQ+ adults from Minnesota are religious

Senior Gracie Tilney-Kaemmer, a self-proclaimed hippie and lover of all things spiritual, reflected on her experiences as a young child with organized religion and interpretation.

“I’m not a huge fan of when the Bible is used to justify homophobia,” Tilney-Kaemmer said. “Because from my reading of the Bible—because I did grow up reading it, you know, we went to church as a family—and when I was a kid I never felt particularly passionate about pursuing it any further. But we did go to church and I never, in my understanding of the Bible, felt that it was able to justify homophobia.”

Along with her childhood memories of church, Tilney-Kaemmer also sings with a Christian choir outside of school, a community in which she surprisingly found a large amount of support.

“I [came out to] my choir manager who’s very heavily Christian, and she told me that God loves me, and not in like ‘God loves you, even though you’re gay,’ it was like, ‘God loves you as a person no matter who you are.’ And I’m not particularly religious, but I appreciated the sentiment that I’m accepted regardless of my sexual identity.”

Although Tilney-Kaemmer is not a part of a specific religion, she firmly believes that there is not anything holding queer back from fully participating in whatever faith they choose.

“I think it’s so not hard to just be gay and Christian, or gay and Muslim, or gay and Jewish. Like there’s really nothing written in religious scripts that expressly forbids

Gracie Tilney-Kaemmer (she/her)

the interaction between religion and LGBTQ identity

have a little

THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

IN DEPTH

“...she told me that God loves me and not in like ‘God loves you even though you’re gay.’ it was like ‘God loves you as a person no matter who you are’.”

9

Max Spencer (he/him)

“It’s important sometimes in modern religious communities to remember what your religion was founded off of.”

“I have no conflicts because I have no religion.”

Sophomore Linnea Cooley was raised as an atheist and has continued to practice not-practicing as she grows older. Even though she’s admittedly never fully understood religion as an identity and not a “fun hobby people do,” she still feels affected by it as a queer person.

“Internally, I have no conflicts because I have no religion, but I know there are some religious communities that have some problems with the queer community,” Cooley said. “And, personally—I also don’t know a lot about religious texts—but I know that in the Bible it’s just very open to interpretation, and I feel that people choose to interpret it in a way that just benefits them. I feel that people kind of interpret it as oh, you shouldn’t be queer because that goes against my religion. I feel like that really isn’t the point of the religion.”

Linnea Cooley (she/her)

Sophomore Max Spencer, while more scientifically and rationally-inclined, regularly worships with his family at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in St. Paul. His parents, originally members of the Catholic Church, left to join the Episcopalian community after several disagreements with the Church’s policies, including ones surrounding the LGBTQ+ community.

Spencer himself does not believe in God but instead relies on his faith for personal guidance. “[The Episcopalian] belief in the Bible is a lot looser, however, the moral foundations on which the Bible was created like “love thy neighbor,” and all of those really important messages on morality, that’s something we value above a lot of the religion stuff like believing in God,” Spencer said. “That part of my moral compass, I guess, it’s developed in community and I value it because it keeps me morally grounded.”

Spencer especially appreciates one of his pastors, Rev. Craig Lemming from Zimbabwe, who is an openly gay man. Spencer has often found solace in having an openly queer adult as one of church’s primary worship leaders, especially when Rev. Lemming finds ways to incorporate queer culture into his teachings. “[Craig] gave a sermon one day about drag queens, and if I had the balls to do so I probably would have talked about how great that sermon was, and how awesome is that we can have in our church community a sermon about drag queens and learning to be yourself rather than some boring stuff by some dad or whatever..’”

And while Spencer continues to take pride in his religious community, he still takes issue with some aspects of religion as a whole, especially when interpreting scripture.

“It’s important sometimes in modern religious communities to remember what your religion was founded off of. Like, say if you have a holy text and that is the base of your religion, like Christianity with the Bible—consider who was writing the Bible. What were their beliefs, what would they want to say in there, and how would they have put that in there?”

2.0%

28.0%

8.3%

8.0%

2.5%

Age 50 to 64

Age 50 to 64

of LGBTQ+ adults from the South are religious

Age 35 to 49

55.8%

24.5%

24.8%

2.0%

Other christian Other Christian

Roman Catholic Roman Catholic

Protestant Protestant

No Noreligion religion

Other Other

Jewish Jewish

Mormon/LDS Mormon/LDS

Muslim Muslim

Religious affiliation of LGBTQ+ adults in U.S

Age 18 to 34

40%

51.1%

64.9%

Percent of LGBTQ+ adults who are religious

of LGBTQ+ people in the U.S

“Religion, for me, has always been about family and community.”

RUBICON online

read more features at

This story has been modified in digital copy from the original to feature new voices.

Sam Gilats is a 9th grader who belongs to the Shir Tikvah Synagogue in Minneapolis. While she does not believe in a higher power or God, she has still found plenty to identify within the Jewish faith.

“A big part of Judaism is about being a good person and treating other people well, and I connect with that a lot, and I find a lot of comfort in that,” Gilats said. “Additionally, I don’t necessarily believe in a higher power but I still take a lot of comfort and enjoy a lot of the practices and rituals associated with trying to connect with whatever form of God you believe in.”

When it comes to her religious community, Gilats feels extremely fortunate to be a member of such an open-minded and respectful synagogue.

“I’m really lucky to have always been exposed to religion in a really supportive way. My temple actually started because the head Rabbi was gay and wasn’t allowed to continue being a rabbi at the synagogue he was at before.

And so I’ve been surrounded for as long as I can remember by Jewish queer people and people of color in a very, very accepting community.”

Despite the more progressive nature of their community, however, Gilats has still had to face gender and sexuality conflicts rooted in early Hebrew scriptures. One especially notable instance concerning the Torah portion they had to read for her bar mitzvah: the infamous Leviticus 18:22.

“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”

Obviously, this Torah portion did not sit well with Gilats.

“So much of homophobia and arguments against the LGBTQ plus community are based in religion, and so I struggled with the idea of, can I be religious and still accept my identity?” she wondered.

Thankfully, because of her community, Gilats has been able to find peace and acceptance in their identity.

“Religion, for me, has always been about family and community. And I think that’s the core of it, is about being the best person I can be. And it’s not about following every single thing these ancient texts say to the letter, it’s about using the related religious principles to help myself and the people around me.”

Ultimately, Gilats shared why exactly their temple is significant support in their life.

“Judaism has a belief that all people are created in God’s image. And I and my Rabbi and my temple have taken that and use it as, like, God created you the way you are for a reason,” Gilats reflected. “So, really, for me, my religion helps me be authentic and myself, and I think religion should be something that helps you and makes you feel safe or teaches you things, not suppresses yourself. You should be comfortable with your religion and yourself.”

Sam Gilats (she/they)

homosexuality,” Tilney-Kaemmer said. “If you’re saying it’s a sin, you’re not saying it’s a sin because you’re a ‘good Christian,’ you’re saying it’s a sin because you’re homophobic.”

Despite her belief that queer people can, and should, be able to practice all faiths openly, Tilney-Kaemmer did offer a solid piece of advice for straight and cis religious group members.

“If you are a person that practices organized religion, and that organized religion is one that people use as an excuse for homophobia, or if you are [someone of faith] that is accepting of the LGBTQ population, is accepting of queer people, you need to make that very clear because so many queer people throughout history have been traumatized by religious organizations, and that is unacceptable and that cannot be happening now.”

10

FEATURE THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Virus vacation Families find new ways to travel CATHERINE HOOLEY THE RUBICON

“

This recent holiday seaI THINK WE son, the annual decision DID IT THE of whether or not to travel became far more difficult.

SAFEST WAY Minnesota winters can be quite dreary so the option IT COULD of traveling can become HAVE BEEN tempting, but this winter the decision became DONE. complicated by the global pandemic: is it worth it to Gracie travel?

Tilney-Kaemmer For some the answer was no, because of their close contact to family and lack of a reason to travel. For others, they don’t live close to family, and since the holidays are considered a time of reunion, it made sense to travel. As students traveled, they noticed differences, both big and small, in contrast to their regular experiences. Although it is the same virus across the globe, the virus and it’s policies take on various forms in various places.

Senior Gracie Tilney-Kaemmer and her family traveled to Maine for the New Year to see her family, and managed to avoid air travel. She made her way through the country in a van, adding up to roughly 27 hours of driving. “I think we did it the safest way it could have been done in a pandemic, but it still made me nervous,” Tilney-Kaemmer said.

Not only was being in a new state stressful, but coming back was nerve wracking for Tilney-Kaemmer because no matter how safe people are during the pandemic, it is never certain if lives are being put

”

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Johnna Melk-Johnson Sophomore Johnna Melk-Johnson and family hit the slopes in Aspen Colorado. Despite the pandemic, the trip felt relatively normal, other than having to wear masks on lifts. at risk. “I had to be careful coming back to Minnesota that I didn’t get into close contact with anyone at my job or around the Twin Cities. I was really scared about somehow transporting COVID,” Tilney-Kaemmer said.

Tilney-Kaemmer describes Maine as being similar to Minnesota with mask mandates and generally trying to keep everyone healthy. This included a mask mandate even on the beach, as it is a populated area, and even if it is outside the safety of citizens always comes first. The trip to Maine went smoothly and there was very limited contact while still allowing the family to enjoy the New Year.

Other students had experiences where the things they would usually do without thinking were much

more difficult. “It wasn’t super different, but like on the ski lift we had to wear masks and the activities that we would do normally didn’t feel as natural,” sophomore Johnna Melk-Johnson said. Melk-Johnson traveled to Aspen Colorado and spent her days skiing. The break from school and ability to escape the house was a relief, and it was a safe and enjoyable trip.

Although it wasn’t necessarily scary or nerve wracking, it was hard to adjust to the protocols in both traveling, and once she was in Colorado. New safety protocols and travel locations opening up have helped create a safe, and semi-normal environment for those who have chosen to travel. It has certainly not been the ideal season for travel, but students have made the best of their situation .

Teaching assistants bridge gaps across hybrid learning COLIN WILL

THE RUBICON

It was a time of reunion with teachers, classmates and friends when Saint Paul Academy returned

to in-person learning in the Fall of 2020. But along with those familiar faces came a slate of unfamiliar ones: the school’s new teaching assistants, or TAs. With students once more back in class, it’s time to dive into these educators’ roles.

The term “TA,” which can also mean “teacher’s aide,” might in ordinary times refer to a student or adult who assists the lead teacher of a class with their duties, like sitting in for office hours or helping teach neurodivergent or disabled students. But t h e

“

OUR JOB IS TO FACILITATE IN-PERSON LEARNING FOR LEAD TEACHERS. Steph Hagan

”

new TAs at SPA were hired specifically to deal with the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by serving as an intermediary between teachers who chose to work from home and their students at school.

“The main function of our job is to facilitate in-person learning for lead teachers,” Steph Hagan, a TA for Mollie Ward of the history department and Pam Starkey of the Spanish department, said.

The TA’s school day is not much different from that of a student, just much fuller. Hagan starts her day at 7:45 with a churro smuggled out of the lunchroom from the

day before. After unlocking classrooms and putting away her personal belongings, it’s time for the real work to begin.

“We’re pretty much in a classroom from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a 30 minute break for lunch,” said Hagan. She also helps run Ward’s advisory.

“I would finish up around 3 with the class schedule for the day. And then afterwards I would go and I would hang out with the student athletes, until 4:30, and sort of did a study hall with them [...] until their coaches would come and sweep them away for whatever game or practice they had, so I got to know a lot of the student athletes, actually,” Hagan said.

“I only had her briefly in Semester 1 because of Hybrid, so I don’t know her very well. But she was always so nice to our class and was a positive addition to the classroom,” said Delaney Devine, a 9th-grader in Starkey’s Spanish class.

Hagan hasn’t always

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Colin Will Steph Hagan discusses the presidential inauguration with sophomore Quenby Wilson in her World History II class.

taught high school. In fact, this is her first job in secondary education.

Before that, she was a lecturer at Yale University, teaching religion, philosophy, and history.

“I actually taught mostly a bunch of future priests and nuns,” she said. Her area of historical expertise was early Christianity through the fifth century.

When she moved to Minnesota, Hagan knew she wanted a job at an independent high school.

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching more than research. And the way to teach more than you research is not to stay in academia, but to start to transition into more of a secondary school environment,” she said. “[She] would make a great full-on history teacher if a position ever opened up,” said Solvej Graff, a student in Ward’s 10th grade World History II class.

Although she only started teaching high school students this year, Hagan’s already come to appreciate them. “[My favorite part of my job is] the students.

Easy. I just laugh the entire time at school, because the students are so funny and witty.

And I don’t know how many people can say that about their jobs, especially in a global pandemic. But I just laugh all day,” she said.

FEATURE THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

11

Only child, Lynch finds older siblings worldwide Want to host or be an exchange student?

International Student Exchange(ISE)

ISE has places over 30,000 exchange students and offers 5, 10, or 12 month exchange programs. Visit iseusa.org for more information.

AFS-USA

AFS connects host families with exchange students from over 90 countries and offers abroad programs in over 45 countries. For more information visit afsusa.org and sign up for a webinar.

Greenheart Exchange

Greenheart Exchange has been around since 1985 and has placed over 20,000 exchange students. Visit greenheartexchange.org to learn more.

JENNY RIES

FELT LIKE “ITGROWING

THE RUBICON

Senior Liam Lynch may not have any biological siblings, but he has older sibling figures all around the world.

Lynch’s family has been hosting exchange students and visiting adults from other countries since he was young.

“In that sense, I got an effective older sibling staying with us,” he said.

His family has hosted students and adults from Norway, Bangladesh, France, Spain, and China long term, as well as a Mexican exchange student for a week through the sister school program at the SPA lower school.

“The one I spent, I believe, the most time with was a woman from Spain, and the other was a man, and he was from France,” Lynch said. “Both of them stayed here for a significant portion of time, and we’ve grown quite close.

They’ve come back or [done a] return visit, and we visited them in Spain and France, respectively… It felt like growing up with a much older sibling, especially with Ana, who’s the woman we hosted from Spain.”

UP WITH A MUCH OLDER SIBLING. Liam Lynch

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Liam Lynch Liam Lynch’s family and exchange student, Ana, pose for a family photo. Ana stayed in contact with the Lynch family after her visit from Spain.

The fact that most of Lynch’s experience being part of a host family was when he was young also affected his experience.

“I didn’t have a lot of responsibility, so I just kind of got to spend time with them,” he said. “I just got to enjoy having people from [other] cultures who were very nice and wonderful to have in our home.”

He was influenced by this experience in many ways. For example, his close relationship to Ana

supplemented and influenced how he learned Spanish, which many students take at SPA’s lower school. “My Spanish, what I did pick up, is now much more tailored to Spain’s Spanish than Mexico’s Spanish, which is kind of what we were learning in lower school,” he said.

However, “I didn’t pick up any other languages,” Lynch said. “We maintained conversation in English, because a lot of the time they were

over here to try and help learn English. When Ana was here she was teaching Spanish at another school, and was hoping to use this experience to go back to Spain and become an English teacher there, so we continued to converse in English.”

According to Lynch, hosting people from all over the world at a young age had a “significant influence” on him. “Beyond kind of the surface level impact, it has helped me gain a richer understand-

”

ing of different cultures…

Most of the impacts I think have been unobservable, because they’re just being able to experience wonderful things from different cultures.”

One example was his palate. “When people stayed with us, they would want to help out, and they would also want to be able to experience some of the food that they... knew back in the country they were from, so they would decide to cook for us. So I got [a] wider appreciation for different foods,” he said.

“Ana cooked paella a bunch, [and] she now sends us candy for Christmas, which I cannot stop eating.”

Lynch maintains relationships with the people his family hosted to this day. “We’re still wonderfully… attached to them,” he said.

Burris-Brown and Hlavka dominate digital debate LEARN THE LINGO

according to speechanddebate.org

Affirmative: The competitor arguing in favor of the resolution Negative: The competitor defending the current system Resolution: the subject of debate Constructive: The first speech given in a round to build a case Contention: arguments made for or against the resolution

Debate has always been a strong suit of SPA’s, this THE RUBICON year, a pair of juniors have excelled in local and national competitions. Instead of gathering in high schools to compete, debate took place over Zoom meetings this year, which has worked both for and against debaters.

The debate season typically starts around mid September and lasts until late November to early December, from there the postseason and national tournaments begin. Debate partners juniors Jack Hlavka and Spencer Burris-Brown have had a successful season thus far.

“There is not a lot of precedent for how well they’ve been doing. They’ve participated in all but one local circuit, out of all those tournaments they’ve taken first or second speaker for six in a row, and there were only two local tournaments they didn’t place first at,” US Director of Debate Vincent Cheng said.

Hlavka has found that while this season may not be a traditional one, he has been able to tailor it to his liking.

“I think I actually prefer online debate, it’s more comfortable.

I don’t have to get up SALAH ABDULKARIM

early, drive to school, to take a bus to a loud school, and get lost trying to find classrooms. Instead I can set my alarm for 30 minutes before we have to be ready for the tournament...I still dress up, to get me in a debating mood...when I’m done, I can go downstairs and eat,” Hlavka said.

But while online debate brings many pros to the tables, it also brings about some cons.

“I personally haven’t really had a lot of difficulty with online debate, but I know a lot of people have tech issues...I also miss the [in person] tournament environment sometimes, [online] debate feels a lot more isolated,” Burris-Brown said.

Due to the online debate format this year, many new doors have also opened for Hlavka and Burris-Brown on a competitive level.

“COVID has given us a lot of new opportunities. Spencer and I would never fly out to Princeton to attend a tournament there, but when it’s online, Princeton is just as far away as Eastview High School, so we can attend it,” said Hlavka.

Online debate has brought about some challenges, but Hlavka and Burris-Brown have pushed themselves to make the best of the season since they have greater opportunities.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Spencer Burris-Brown Juniors Jack Hlavka and Spencer Burris-Brown present their plaques after a successful debate tournament.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR ARGUMENT according to Spencer Burris-Brown

-Use analogies -Use powerful rhetoric -Be thorough in explaining your argument and why it matters -Understand common counterarguments and how to defend against them

12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

The best of 2020: student art

Though the pandemic has prevented in-person learning, SPA students have found ways to make art at home. Displayed are the pieces and stories of several art students in 2020.

ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

MAGGIE FRIED: CHOIR Sophomore Maggie Fried sang with the Academy Chorale during the fall of 2020. This year was Fried’s first semester in the high school choir. Classes that occurred during the hybrid model were occasionally held outdoors while distanced classes involved singing while muted. This year, the Academy Chorale worked on songs such as “Wonderwall”

by Oasis and “When the Party’s Over” by Billie Eilish. Fried’s favorite song was “Don’t Start Now.” Though such safety measures made choir difficult, Fried appreciated the community provided by the class. “It’s really different, but the core of it is still the same,” Fried said. “It was still very much a community. We’d still come together and sing; we’re still learning music and putting together songs.”

FAIR-USE PHOTO: John Severson STRIKING CONTRAST. The fall play’s lighting crew produced a stark contrast between illuminating the actors and creating mystery in the background.

WILL SEDO: STAGE LIGHTING

Junior Will Sedo spent his fall semester working on lighting for the fall play, Under Milkwood. Lighting work is a collaborative process, and Sedo typically spent free periods doing work. However, due to the pandemic, this year’s process was far different, with limited time on campus and only one person in the lightbox. “There was a lot of thought put into how we could be safe, but I’m really glad that we were able to put on a production this year,” Sedo said.

Sedo found that the community aspect of the production was made far more difficult by the unusual setup. In a normal year, Sedo would spend time hanging out with other students backstage, a habit that was discouraged for safety reasons. This year, he found he missed the audience and anticipation of performance night. Regardless, Sedo still found value in the unfamiliar structure. “It was kind of interesting this year because we filmed the play instead of performing live,” he said. “I think that was a really interesting opportunity for everybody; to get used to a different type of performance. I think it was a really good year of growth, and a really good year for us to try new ways of doing theater, new ways of putting shows on.”

LUKA SHAKERCHECK: CERAMICS PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Luka Shaker-Check

Shaker-Check’s ceramics creations combine function with an earthy aesthetic, still able to create outstanding art in a hybrid setting.

Senior Luka Shaker-Check has been taking Ceramics since freshman year. Due to distance learning, the class transitioned away from work with a pottery wheel and focused more on hand building, a practice Shaker-Check found more difficult than work with a wheel.

“It’s a lot harder to do hand building, because it’s harder to make the form as refined,” he said. “I tried to take inspiration from the stuff I see every day. I feel like oftentimes I don’t give those simple things enough appreciation. The piece with the pipe going through it is similar to the pipe that runs across my basement.”

Daryn Lowman, US Art Teacher and Fine Arts Department Chair, loaned students materials to use at home, a practice Shaker-Check found helpful. Though the change was relatively easy to handle, Shaker-Check found that he missed the smaller moments provided by in-person classes. “I think what was lost was more of those small things, the smaller conversations that people have before class and during passing times,” he said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Poppy Ploen Ploen’s photography peers through road signs into a scene of nature, the perfect pandemic-safe shot.

POPPY PLOEN: PHOTOGRAPHY Freshman Poppy Ploen took a photography class with US Art Teacher Stefanie Motta this past fall. Ploen appreciated the freedom the class provided during the pandemic. “It was one of my favorite classes that semester because it was one of the only classes where I could get outside during the pandemic,” she said. Being outside often inspired Ploen’s work.

The class focused on photo composition, Photoshop, and managing a camera. Though the distance made learning new technology and presentations difficult, Ploen appreciated Motta’s efforts to personally check-in with the students. “When we were at home, she would schedule one-on-one meetings, which was really nice,” Ploen said. She often drew inspiration from the presentations Motta showed the class.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

13

Bridgerton elegantly advertises modern issues through Regency era plot

FAIR-USE PHOTO: @bridgertonnetflix The Duke of Hastings watches as his love interest, Daphne, accepts a gift from another suitor.

ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

Ball gowns, love, and drama galore: the new series “Bridgerton,” released on Dec. 25 on Netflix, amazed audiences, adding onto the acclaimed repertoire of the Shondaland production company.

“Bridgerton” provides viewers with an escape from reality, transporting them into the colorful and dazzling world of the elite Bridgerton family in 1813 London. The eight episode season follows the story of Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest Bridgerton daughter, and her desire to marry for love as she debuts in society. She meets many unwanted suitors, leading her to form an arrangement with the independent bachelor Simon (Regé-Jean Page), the Duke of Hastings. They agree to fake a courtship in order for her to have more time to find a desirable match and for him to avoid his fears of a committed relationship. Throughout the season, Lady Whistledown, an anonymous writer, releases the gossip of the elite from prominent families. Spoken by Julie An-

drews, she narrates the show as well, giving a sort of “Gossip Girl” touch to the Regency Era of London.

This mysterious writer is a part of how gender plays into the show - Lady Whistledown, a woman, showcases intelligence, independence, and cleverness through her writing, all characteristics undesirable of women at the time. Eloise (Claudia Jessie), a younger Bridgerton daughter, also portrays these characteristics. These independent women are refreshing against the backdrop of women’s inferiority and compliance.

THE AMOUNT OF WORK NECESSARY IN CREATING SUCH A VISUALLY ALLURING SERIES IS EXTRAORDINARY. There is also an entire other layer of sex and sexuality explored in the show. This is seen in the intense sexual scenes and in the presence of sex as such as taboo topic for women, demonstrated in Daphne’s naivety and the hiding of Lady Marina Thompson’s (Ruby Barker) pregnancy as an unmarried woman. Additionally, this is seen in the secret relationship between Henry Granville (Julian Ovenden), a London artist, and another man that Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) accidentally sees, revealing the taboo view of homosexuality.

The show also includes a racially integrated elite, which is explained as a result of history and love. The king married the queen, who is multiracial, which granted the ability for people of color to climb higher up the social ladder. This racial inclusivity may not

Crystals form alternative healing method ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

Alternative spirituality has been rising to popularity and now many teens are experimenting with a new method of enhancing positive energy: healing crystals. Healing crystals focus heavily on bringing positive energy to a person’s mind and body, but all crystals have special traits that make them unique.

Healing crystals can be deceiving to some because the healing is less so physical, and more so for the soul and mind.

Crystals are believed to have a molecular composition that allows specific frequencies and vibrations to take place, which allow specific energy to flow from them. They allow humans to attract their positive energy and bring it into their lives.

“Crystals have helped me gain a more positive mindset and I use it from time to time when I want to be more relaxed and stress free,” said sophomore Milkii Tigro.

Crystals vary in looks as well as the energy and healing that they bring into someone’s life. Some of Tigro’s favorites include Amethyst, which

promotes calm energy and spiritual awareness, Green Aventurine, which attracts love and success, and finally Tiger’s Eye, which can bring clarity and decisiveness.

Although some crystals and stones may be similar, their diverse physical properties can also affect the way they work.

For example, shape. Cubed crystals are best for grounding oneself and can be helpful in meditation, or protection. Pyramid crystals are effective for manifestation because they set your intention and send it out to the universe.

Crystals with points hold immense energy and are used for focusing.

“I don’t think that crystals solely have made a difference in my life, but they have enhanced the impact of other practices that have made a difference in my life. I use crystals mostly in meditation, so they have been able to enhance my meditation practice which helps me to be less stressed and to find more positivity in daily life,” said sophomore Becca Richman.

This is a major part of the practice; the owner has to create a physical connection between the

be totally historically accurate, but is a very conscious choice. Despite the presence of racial diversity, race is barely a part of any character’s story as one might expect, especially due to the strong racism of Britain and its colonization efforts at the time. However, the presence of more serious topics like gender, sexuality, race, and even class add to the interest of the show because they demonstrate the very real hierarchies and expectations that are ingrained into society.

One of the most enticing aspects of the show is, of course, the visual appeal. The show seems somewhat saturated in its vivid use of colors both in the scenery and in the outfits adorned by the characters.

The outfits emanate the elite’s love for money and status with their intricate attention to detail and the accessorization with loads of feathers, jewels, pearls, and fancy hair. They also represent the characters in unique ways. For example, the Featherington family is recognizable by their brightly colored and patterned clothing while the Bridgertons choose more simple and elegant pieces. The amount of work necessary in creating such a visually alluring series is extraordinary.

Overall, the show was a beautiful escape combined with the serious realities of our society and society of 1813 London. Viewers are immersed in the drama and romantic lives of London’s elite and their glamorous world, all while being shown aspects of the many hierarchies that permeate society. Both the audience and the characters keep up with the drama through Lady Whistledown while putting clues together in an attempt to uncover her identity.

RATING: 4/5

Hades game intrigues players with complex levels ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

FAIR-USE PHOTO: @energymuse Crystals illustrate a wide variety of colors, shapes, and effects depending on their origin. crystals and themselves so that they are able to make an impact. Users put crystals in their room, carry them around in bags, hold them while they are trying to practice a particular skill, or anything that connects the two and brings them closer. Crystals are used to enhance, and are not as effective when they aren’t being used properly.

Although there is no concrete evidence behind crystals and many scientists consider them a pseudoscience, crystals are an ancient practice allegedly dating back to Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Because crystals have been around for so long, it is believed that they hold an abundance of information and that their immense source of energy has a positive impact.

When the action role-playing game Hades came out in Sept. 2020, it was an instant hit. The release of the full game on the Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, and macOS followed an early access release in Dec. 2018. The mythology based roguelike game won Best Indie and Best Action Game of the Year and was nominated for seven other awards from the Games Awards 2020.

In the videogame Hades, the player assumes the role of Zagreus, son of Hades, who is trying to leave the Underworld and reach Mount Olympus. The player progresses through levels of the Underworld, battling ghosts and other enemies and receiving help and gifts from various gods along the way. The creative interpretation of Greek mythology makes the game appealing not only to avid gamers, but to anyone interested in mythology as well.

Healing gifts are hard and rare to come by and as a result Zagreus (the player’s avatar) dies often. In roguelike games, character deaths are per-

manent and there are no checkpoints, so when the player dies, they start all the way over. However, currency and gifts earned every time Zagreus completes a room can be used to buy power-ups and weapons that make play easier as it goes on.

GAME PLAY IS FASTPACED WITH DIFFERENT ENEMIES, REQUIRING DIFFERENT FIGHTING TACTICS AND APPROACHES. The game does not hold its players hand, letting them figure everything out for themselves, leading to a challenging and engaging game play.

Game play is fast-paced with different enemies, requiring different fighting tactics and approaches. The plot is revealed slow enough to keep the player interested. While the constant dying and repeating could be te-

FAIR-USE PHOTO: supergiantgames.com The video game can get repetitive with its lack of checkpoints, but it keeps the player entertained with challenges. dious to some players, the variability of the rooms and the storyline makes it much more interesting.

The difficulty of the game makes minor success all the more satisfying.

Hades can be purchased for 25 dollars either on Steam for PC or on the Nintendo Switch.

RATING: 5/5

GET HADES NOW: available on Stream for PC or on the Nintendo Switch for $25.

14

SPORTS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Sports suffer from gender binary

Rigid gendered teams affect athlete experience JENNY RIES

THE RUBICON

There are many facets of gender inclusivity in athletics, from how sexism and patriarchy manifest themselves to the use of the exclusive, problematic binary view of gender.

SPORTS SPLIT Sophomore Cooper Bollinger Danielson, a member of the boys varsity soccer team, said that he has seen improvement placing the Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer teams on more equal footing.

“I remember a long time ago… my dad was a coach, and we used to be the varsity soccer team and the girls varsity soccer team, and they wouldn’t make the distinction… it was almost as if girls were the second class, I guess, and so I think in that respect, it’s gotten better. But at the same time I think there’s always going to be room for improvement,” he said.

While the boys and girls soccer teams both play during the fall season, the girls and boys tennis teams play during different seasons, the girls team in the fall and the boys team in the spring.

“We really don’t interact with them,” said senior girls tennis captain Maya Choi.

“

THE CULTURE BETWEEN CIS-MALE AND FEMALE TENNIS IS QUITE DIFFERENT. Kai Sih

”

According to Choi, there is a difference in culture between the teams, with more intensity in the boys team than the girls team. “The boys team is hardcore committed to playing tennis, they all play year round,” she said. “The girls team largely does not, or it’s like a half-and-half split.

Our coach is… very relaxed.”

Choi has not experienced sexism in her time playing tennis at SPA. As to why, she said, “Tennis, at least like how the girls play it, it’s just you and your opponent on the court. And there’s no judges or anything, like, you’re the only ones calling it, and it’s just you and the other person.”

BINARY CONFINES Junior Kai Sih, who has played on SPA tennis and on other tennis teams outside of the school, noticed sexism in games of tennis doubles where one partner was cis fe-

male-identifying and the other was cis male-identifying, often called ‘mixed doubles.’ They noticed that the female-identifying person in those partnerships tended to be assigned a more passive role in those games.

“It first interferes with the productivity of both partners and their ability to play the game. Because one partner is expected to cover most of the court. And the other may be even more skilled, and that would put that team at a significant disadvantage, because they’re not using the resources at their disposal,” they said.

“Socially, I would say it has equally bad impacts.

It kind of necessitates one person kind of just taking control and subjugating whatever the other person says or does because they have more control of the situation in general,” Bollinger Danielson said.

Sih talked about their experience as a non-binary person on the SPA tennis team, as well as teams outside of SPA. Playing on boys Tennis was, “a little bit to kind of keep up an appearance of being quote unquote normal or, like everyone else, a little bit. But at the same time I did really enjoy the experience,” they said.

Sih said, “There [are]

not many opportunities for non-binary people to play tennis. Because it’s either usually a male or a female league. And the policies on trans athletes are really terrible.

They’re just not inclusive. Even the medical policies on hormone-assisted transitions are really weird.”

Sih talked about how the separation of timing of the boys and girls teams seasons facilitates an exclusive division in culture.

“Based on playing in USTA... based on playing in the unnecessarily gendered leagues there, I would say that the culture between cis-male and female tennis is quite different. And that difference is unhealthy...

I’ve played in a summer league where it has been combined. And it was much healthier and more inclusive,” they said.

COMBINATION According to Sih, combining boys and girls tennis teams would be a step towards inclusivity.

“I think to feel truly included and to have that experience for everyone, I think that the best way to go about that would be to blend those cultures together, to completely combine the boys’ and girls’ tennis seasons. I’m

GENDER IN SPORTS percentage of gender separated sports 68.3% boys/girls teams 31.7% co-ed teams

percentage of students on ‘boys’ vs ‘girls’ teams 61% boys team 39% girls team percentage of students who feel there are enough competitive athletic opportunities based on their gender 95.2% yes 4.8% no INFOGRAPHIC: Jenny Ries Information from poll of student body grades 9-12 with 63 students responding. Some spartan athletes have noticed discrepancies between boys and girls sports at SPA. I would say that the culture between cis-male and female tennis is quite different. not sure how feasible that is, but I would say that’s the first step,” Sih said.

Sih does not plan to continue with SPA Tennis. When asked whether the lack of gender inclusivity was a big motivating factor for them in leaving tennis, they said.

“Absolutely.”

“I don’t quite fit with the gender binary. And, as far as I know, everyone else on the team does.

And even if I don’t say anything, that makes me

feel like a bit of an outcast, not socially in any way but it just doesn’t feel right to be on a boys’ tennis team,” Sih said.

If the boys and girls tennis teams were combined, Sih said, “I would definitely feel more comfortable. I would consider it more as an option.”

The student athletes at SPA are mostly in agreement. Gender in sports is a complicated issue that isn’t going away anytime soon.

Girls hockey team back on the ice, without Visitation

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Eloise Duncan The girls hockey team has split from their previous co-op with Visitation. They have now combined with multiple other schools to form a new team.

ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

The St. Paul Academy girls hockey team has faced many challenges this season; the COVID-19 pandemic

caused their season to be delayed, with the team finally getting back on the ice after winter break rather than in November like they do in a normal year. The pandemic

has given the team new changes to adjust to, such as mask wearing, a shorter season, and no fans cheering them on, and so has the team itself. This year, the SPA girls hockey

team joined a new team, splitting up from their previous co-op with Visitation that had been together since 1995. They have now conjoined with St. Agnes School, Providence Academy, DeLaSalle High School, and Minnehaha Academy to create a new team, United.

“This decision was made because we need to ensure that girls hockey remains a thriving, sustainable and healthy athletic option for SPA students. Like with other co-ops we are constantly revisiting how to best position ourselves. So we wanted to ensure the health of the program and aligning with conference partners who have similar ethos was the icing on the cake,” SPA Athletic Director Dawn Wickstrum said.

The news of changing teams and leaving the Visitation players was hard for the SPA players to hear and they can’t help but still miss their old teammates.

“It honestly was really sad because last year everyone got so close. We spend so much time together with hockey going until at least 7 each day, so it was hard to hear that we wouldn’t be together this year,” senior captain Erin Magnuson said.

“I definitely miss my old Visitation teammates, but I am excited to be a part of a bigger program with many schools,” sophomore Heidi Deuel said.

Despite the major changes and nostalgia for their former team, the girls hockey players have adjusted to the new team and the transition has gone smoothly.

“I am becoming friends with the girls from the other schools we just combined with and I am happy to have a larger team. We skated together in the summer, which made going into the season a lot easier,” junior Lucie Bond said.

“The transition has actually been pretty easy and the team is coming together. While some parts are still awkward at times, I think that once games start up everything will kind of fall into place,” Magnuson said.

The SPA girls hockey players have been confronted with many new changes and difficulties to their season, both from the pandemic and from switching teams, but the team is remaining optimistic for the future of their season and for the future of the program.

SPORTS THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

Weightlifting lifts mental, physical health LIZZIE KRISTAL THE RUBICON

Many sports are canceled. It’s too cold to workout outside. So what’s next? For some, the answer is weightlifting. Most gyms are open with safety precautions in effect, so it’s a great alternative to what might be the usual form of physical activity during the winter.

Weightlifting is beneficial for many reasons, but mostly for strength building and mental health. A technique called progressive overload means that building muscle involves gradually increasing weight, reps, or decreasing rest time. With this, proper form, balanced diet, and consistent training, weightlifting acts as a healthy workout that can benefit both mental and physical health.

“I started lifting weights after the tennis season ended last fall. I was doing tennis drills a few times a week during the winter, but I knew I needed to do something other than cardio to stay in shape. I convinced my parents to get a family membership at the YMCA in midway and I started going every day after school that I didn’t have tennis,” sophomore Ali Browne said.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Lizzie Kristal Weightlifting provides a great alternative for students to stay in shape and maintain mental health during isolation.

There are many approaches to beginning weightlifting. For example, a workout split can take many forms such as separate lower and upper body days or combining them with cardio.

There are also plenty of exercises to choose from.

Resources such as fitness influencers across social media platforms are a great way to begin. Even then, the best way to learn is to simply start.

“I’ve learned that technique and form are more important than lifting super heavy. When I first started lifting weights at the YMCA, I would make the weights heavier than I could handle and just try to lift them in whatever way I could but watching workout videos and looking at other people’s tech-

nique has really helped me engage my muscles and work harder during my workouts,” Browne said.

While cardio exercises are extremely beneficial as well, weightlifting works in a different way.

Cardio, such as running or jumping, focuses on strengthening the heart.

A lot of calories are burned during this process. While weightlifting doesn’t burn as many calories in the moment, it does over time. Since muscles actively burn calories even at rest, growing them increases the body’s resting metabolism.

Weightlifting also improves sports performance. Since many sports focus on cardiovascular training strength training reaps surprising bene-

fits for power. According to St. Paul Academy’s trainer Lauren Kijewski, strength training reduces the risk of injury, increases metabolism and bone strength, and improves range of motion.

“I started weight lifting when I wanted to be stronger playing hockey.

It has helped me physically and mentally being able to push through fatigue… working out and lifting has helped me find a second wind late in hockey or soccer games because I know that I get mentally tired before I actually run out of energy,” sophomore George Peltier said.

Most importantly, weightlifting can massively improve mental health. It decreases stress.

It can create an outlet for your body and mind to reset which will benefit your overall day to day health.

“Weightlifting and working out, in general, helps me clear my mind and work off any stress that I have,” Browne said.

Weight lifting has many great benefits when performed correctly. It’s a great alternative to sports that may have been canceled due to the pandemic and a booster for physical and mental health.

Competition season on hold for the fencing team EVELYN LILLEMOE

CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR

Fencing is starting their season strong, but with an abundance of safety protocols. This year the team has adjusted to fit COVID-19 social distancing guidelines in order to keep athletes, and the St. Paul Academy community as a whole, safe. Junior and captain of the team Jack Hlavka described some of these changes.

“Rather than practice with the whole team in person, each weapon squad, Foil, Epee, Sabre, gets one to two days per week of in-person practice. We obviously have to wear masks, even below our fencing masks, and we can’t shake hands after bouts,” Hlavka said.

While the team has figured out a safe way to practice, the prospect of competing is slim.

“Our schedule is basically non-existent. We may have a few dual meets, but we won’t have the SPA Invitational, the state meet, or the mega duals meet,” Hlavka said.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Evelyn Lillemoe Fencing resumes practices even though the competition season is pending.

Because of the altered schedule and the safety precautions, The team has struggled to connect in the ways they have in the past. Senior Tobi Polley has felt the disunity of the team first hand.

“I think not seeing any of my teammates in person until the recent hybrid schedule has hindered the atmosphere.

Fencing is already a very individual sport as every match is a one on one, and not being in person to share conditioning or... training has isolated us even more. Also not all taking one bus from school to the gym means that time of team bond-

ing before practice is not happening either,” Polley said.

Despite all the changes, those on the team feel lucky that they play a sport that is fairly adaptable to COVID-19 guidelines.

“Fencing is a relatively individual sport making social distancing not too much of a hassle. Additionally when fencing the distance between you and your opponent is a key skill to master and is commonly around six feet although we are still required to wear masks,” Polley said.

The captains have even been able to make use of

the partially online format by sharing videos with the team to help in their training. With little to no competition this year, Hlavka has refocused his priorities for the team to other things.

“I think that skill-building will be really important. We have a lot of younger students, so their improvement will be crucial for future years,” Hlavka said.

Despite the unfortunate and uncertain circumstances for the season, the fencing team has been able to push through to make this season the best it can be.

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THE RUBICON PHOTO: Salah Abdulkarim Cameras have been added to the gym as well as the ice area for online streaming access. Games can be streamed at www.nfhsnetwork.com.

Winter sports update: watching games from home SALAH ABDULKARIM THE RUBICON

After much anticipation, winter sports are no longer on ice. On Dec 16 the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) announced that in person sports practices could begin on Jan 4, and on Dec 28 approved competitions to begin on Jan 14.

Since the start of fall sports, restrictions have been implemented to reduce the spread of cases. Due to the fact that most winter sports take place inside, restrictions have been altered to keep both players, spectators, coaches, and WE ARE any other individuals in the environment STREAMING healthy.

“The major differALL OF OUR ence from the fall is HOME GAMES the requirement of masks during practicTHROUGH THE es and competitions, per a new MSHSL NFHS mandate. Due to NETWORK sports moving indoors, there are also Ken McNish limitations on the number of spectators allowed at games...Unfortunately, for the winter season, we cannot have spectators for basketball games,” said US Director of Athletics Ken McNish.

Although MSHSL guidelines determine physical spectators, SPA has taken steps to allow supporters to stream basketball and hockey home games online.

“Spectator rules are the decision of each school based on what they can safely execute based on the MSHSL guidelines...We are streaming all of our home games through the NFHS Network. Because spectators can be safely separated from athletes in Drake, hockey is allowing 2 family members per student-athlete and implementing a ticket list,” said McNish.

McNish explains that winter sports will continue with two exceptions, “While there are individual circumstances that could cause a team to pause play, the decision to stop all play would be a decision made by Gov. Walz and the MSHSL, with information from the MDH and CDC.” To stream eligible games, visit www.nfhsnetwork. com, register or login, search “St. Paul Academy”, and select a game to view.

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WANT TO CHEER ON THE SPARTANS? Go to nfhsnetwork.com to watch games for free Upcoming home games: Boys basketball vs. Trinity School @ 7:00 PM Feb. 3 Boys hockey vs. Southwest Christian @ 1:00 PM Feb. 6 Boys hockey vs. Saint Agnes @ 7:00 Feb. 8

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GOOD QUESTION THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2021

If you could create a new class what would it be?

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“

WE SHOULD HAVE A CLASS WHERE WE LEARN GRAPHIC DESIGN. I THINK

COMPUTER. Mimi Longe

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I’D CREATE A CLASS THAT TEACHES BASIC LIFE SKILLS LIKE HOW TO DO TAXES...I THINK THIS

THROUGHOUT THE

WOULD BE A REALLY IMPORTANT

”

IF I COULD CREATE A NEW CLASS...

I THINK IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE PSYCHOLOGY OR SOME SORT OF COOKING CLASS BECAUSE I THINK THOSE WOULD BE REALLY FUN. Ali Browne

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SO WE CAN BE ACTIVE

Noah Lindeman

FOR STUDENTS TO GRAPHICS ON A

FOR UPPERCLASSMEN

LONG SCHOOL DAY.

IT IS IMPORTANT LEARN TO CREATE

I’D MAKE A GYM CLASS

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CLASS FOR EVERYONE TO TAKE. Lily Ellis

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”

I’D CREATE A MARTIAL ARTS AND SELF-DEFENSE CLASS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE USEFUL AND FUN. Mikkel Rawdon

”

How is new curriculum created?

At SPA, students are given a dozens of THE RUBICON course options every semester. Each has its own unique curriculum, style, content, and importance. No two class periods are the same; teachers and students make classes what they are based on how they choose to teach and learn. Likewise, each teacher leaves their own distinctive mark on how a class is taught long after they’ve stopped teaching it. Although some of the courses offered at St. Paul Academy may have a history going back decades and an almost legendary reputation, they all have to start somewhere.

Over the past three years, the US science department has added 15 new electives for juniors and seniors interested in expanding their knowledge of science beyond basic physics, biology, and chemistry.

COLIN WILL

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[ELECTIVE CLASSES] ALLOW STUDENTS TO TAKE THEIR OWN PATH. Karissa Baker

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Karissa Baker, chair of the science department, explained that the elective courses were designed to “allow students to take their own path.”

“The whole goal around creating this slate of electives was to allow students after they had taken what we call our three core courses, which are physics 9, biology and chemistry, to be able to dig into whatever they’re interested in,” said Baker. “Once they had sort of the foundational core classes behind them, and they could build on those and kind of choose their own adventure in a way.”

Before the science department could start making the classes, they had to brainstorm collaboratively to decide what kind of courses they wanted to add. Once they had decided, they then needed to write what Baker calls “detailed course proposals.” Course proposals are fully fleshedout illustrations of what a semester in the class would look like, which would then be submitted to the Academic Council of principals, deans, and other administrative leaders for discussion.

“We kind of divided [writing] the proposals up into what made the most sense in terms of the teachers that would probably end up teaching the classes,” said Baker. Still, the proposals were a collaborative effort. “I read through all of them, and I gave feedback on all of them,” she said.

Once a proposal has been reviewed by the

council, the curriculum has to be finalized.

Evan Klavon, an English teacher, taught the new Transnational Literature course for the first time this fall. Klavon had to plan the class over the summer, at a time when SPA’s modality plan for the school year was uncertain.

“During the summer, which is the main time to ideally be prepping, our daycare was closed so I was taking care of my son, full time. So it’s basically planning the course during the couple hours a day that my son was napping or doing some reading in the evening,” Klavon said.

Even after the start of the school year, a course is subject to change. “Even while the course was going on, I might have decided, okay, we should read this text. But there’s still the process of being like, okay, out of a whole book, let me pick eight or ten poems for us to read […] there was still a lot of finalizing that I had to do sort of class by class,” Klavon said.

Much of the Transnational Literature course’s development was left in the hands of the students. “Dr. Klavon asked us what we wanted, and what we were looking forward to doing, and we were able to do most of those things. We somewhat guided the path of the course, which made it really enjoyable,” said junior Levi Smetena, who took Transnational Literature last semester.

The teacher of a new course also has limited knowledge of how their class will be received and how long students will take to complete an assignment. “The first time any course runs it’s always very much an experiment. It’s a matter of, you improvise, and you adjust as you go, and [... I] know there’ll be a number of things I’ll definitely do differently next time that I just think may be slightly better. But that’s that’s the nature of doing anything,” Dr. Klavon said.

In a new class, “The teacher doesn’t know how students will interpret assignments, which can either have very cool outcomes or be kind of rough,” said Maxanne Millerhaller, a senior who took Transnational Literature in the fall. However, “teachers of new classes are especially understanding,” she said.

As it goes on, the course will grow and change, taking on a culture and reputation of its own. Like any course, it will be as much shaped by those who take it as it is by those who made it.

Before a department decides to make a new course or courses, they discuss what these courses should be like and how they would enrich the student experience

The department then uses a cooperative design thinking process to brainstorm ideas for courses and cirriculum.

After coming up with fresh ideas, the department narrows the field by choosing their favorites. This and the previous step are repeated until the department has decided which proposals to write.

For each course, the teacher most likely to teach it writes a “detailed course proposal” to the administration. Although they are authored individually, these proposals are a collaborative project.

The course proposals go before the Academic Council, a group of administrators and learning specialists, to recieve feedback.

Finally, the teacher who will teach the new course finishes details like lesson plans and assessments. This is work that continues into the first semester of instruction.

INFOGRAPHIC: Colin Will The process for creating a new curriculum is long and complex, being made up of six seperate steps.