April 2016 issue

April 26, 2016

THE RUBICON

the student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave — St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 43. Issue 7. www.RubicOnline.com • Facebook • Instagram • Twitter • Pinterest • YouTube • @TheRubiconSPA

The April issue explores diversity, especially at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Pictured from top to bottom: junior Meley Akpa, senior Navodhya Samarakoon, junior Hana Martinez and senior Madeeha Risvi

Does SPA suitably reflect Twin Cities diversity?

Although St. Paul Academy and Summit School has a higher reported K-12 diversity than other independent schools in the Twin Cities, and SPA boasts a more diverse student population than Minnesota as a whole, there are ethnic groups absent from the community.

“It’s interesting,” sophomore Cole Fawcett said. “...you don’t really think about it because you’re so used to seeing all the white faces.”

But Diversity Dean Karen Dye thinks about it all the time.

“Even when I started here 11 years ago, it was really with communities that have been [in MN] for quite some time that we had a huge gap in.

And that’s our Mexican-American community and our Native American community,” she said.

Read the full story in Cover Story, p.8-9

ISSUE INDEX 1 - Cover 2-3 - News 4-5 - Opinions 6-7 - Feature 8-9 - Cover Story 10 - Health 11 - InDepth

12-13 - Arts & Entertainment 14-16 - Spring Sports Overview

Read more diversity articles in...

NEWS p.2: April 15 Day of Silence, Minnesota response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in other states OPINIONS p.5: Teacher diversity, Stereotype threat

Juniors develop class identity at Camp Courage retreat in April ELLIE FINDELL Staff Writer

2

News

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Steve Heilig THE CLASS OF 2017 poses in their class T-shirts at the end of the Camp Courage retreat, an annual event for juniors.

The class of 2017 loaded buses after school on April 13 to spend two days at Camp Courage, in Maple Lake, Minnesota. During the retreat, juniors participated in community-building exercises that helped them better understand themselves and each other. The retreat was planned by the Junior Class Leadership Council, with input from JCLC advisers Mary Lincoln and Sophie Kerman, as well as Dean of Students Max Delgado and US Counselor Susanna Short. The candlelight ceremony, on the last night, was a favorite for many.

“A lot of the candlelight ceremony was people thanking their friends for getting them through tough times and apologizing for their mistakes; it was great seeing people be so honest with each other,” junior Sarah Murad said.

THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

Southern states pass anti-LGBTQ+ legislation

TN

North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee all pass discrimination laws LUCAS JOHNSON Sports Editor

Has freedom of religion gone too far? Has the line separating church and state become more and more blurred?

Based on the passing of discriminatory and restricting legislation regarding LGBTQ+ rights in Mississippi, Tennessee, and North Carolina this month, many believe so.

NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed off on legislation on April 5 that requires transgender people to use bathrooms in government buildings and public schools that align with their birth certificates. “[This law] is discriminatory, senior Patrick Commers said.

“Not only is this not giving rights to members of the LGBTQ+ community and not a way to handle the issue of bathrooms, if there even was an issue, but there is absolutely no way for enforcement of the laws these states are trying to enact.”

These measures are also in conflict with our country’s belief of equal treatment and opportunity.

NC MN

MS

MISSISSIPPI According to The New York Times, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a measure that allows churches, religious charities, and privately owned businesses to refuse service if providing said service would disagree with their religious beliefs on marriage and gender.

In simple terms, said organizations can now decline service to those of the LGBTQ+ community with the simple objection that it violates their religious beliefs.

TENNESSEE Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam passed a bill on April 4 that potentially jeopardizes the access to mental health treatment for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Huffington Post reported that Tennessee’s Religious Freedom Act states that therapists and counselors can reject patients

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Lauren Boettcher, Gitanjali Raman, Meghan Joyce Because of several states’ recently passed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Minnesota is limiting contact with the states: “It is the responsibility of all Americans to stand in opposition of those discriminatory acts,” Governor Dayton said in a public statement. who they feel violate “sincerely held principles” about religious views on gender and sexuality. As of press time, Gov. Haslam had yet to declare whether or not he will sign the bill into law.

“JUST TREAT PEOPLE LIKE PEOPLE.” — SOPHOMORE MIRA ZELLE Major corporations and government heads won’t stand for it. According to The New York Times, PayPal, a major online

payment system, has rescinded its plans to open a global operations center in Charlotte, North Carolina. PayPal had also pledged to create 400 jobs and invest $3.6 million by the end of 2017.

“I’m really concerned that Republican lawmakers in states like Tennessee and North Carolina are more worried about protecting the rights of non-LGBTQ+ citizens than about the groups that have been historically oppressed,” junior Paul Watkins said.

MINNESOTA RESPONDS Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has barred state employees

from traveling to North Carolina and Mississippi indefinitely in response to the legislation.

Dayton said that there would be few exceptions to the motion with any non essential travel eliminated until further notice.

“When the rights of some Americans are threatened, it is the responsibility of all Americans to stand in opposition of those discriminatory acts,” Dayton said in a statement to KTTC Rochester.

Action such as this may change the permanence of the restrictive legislation and possibly will reverse it altogether.

“Just treat people like people, sophomore Mira Zelle said.

Gay Straight Alliance hosts Day of Silence to bring attention LGBTQ+ issues MARLEE BARON

Arts & Entertainment Editor Students sit in class, silent.

They are seated quietly at lunch with their friends, go to sports practices and rehearsals and participate without a sound. They nod and shake their heads, but every year on Day of Silence.

Youth around the world vow to stay quiet for the entire day to raise awareness for members of the LGBTQ+ community who remain silent about pieces of their identity.

An annual day to build solidarity through silence, the Day of Silence fell on Apr. 15, and participants at St. Paul Academy and Summit School refrained from speaking, wore purple, or both.

Sophomore Lauren Datta, vice president of the Gender and Sexuality Acceptance group, said that she chooses to be silent because “I want to raise awareness about people being singled out and bullied because of part of their identity. I think people should talk about that. Why does it happen and what can we do to stop it

GSA VICE PRESIDENT LAUREN DATTA remained silent throughout the day on April 15 in order to commemorate those who were victimized by anti-LGBTQ+ violence. “I want to raise awareness about people being singled out and bullied because of part of their identity,” she said. Day of Silence is sponsored by GLSEN. from happening?”

Datta and GSA President Leo Bukovsan organized this year’s activities.

Sophomore Hunter von Tersh Porher has participated in Day of Silence at SPA for two years.

“Day of Silence is a day where people of the LGBTQ+ commu-

nity are recognized for having their voices silenced, whether it’s [through] bullying or just the enforcement of heteronormative ideas,” von Tersh Porher said.

He added that, “It’s a day where people, whether they identify as something other than straight or cisgendered or not,

don’t talk all day.”

Everyone who participates in Day of Silence has a different reason for participating. Von Tersh Porher participates to raise awareness about the heteronormativity that exists everywhere but especially in boys basketball, a sport that he plays.

“I identify as bisexual so there’s that aspect of it, but that’s not the main reason I do it. I play basketball, and that’s not one of those sports where you normally find members of the LGBTQ+ community,” von Tersh Porher said.

“There is a lot of heteronormative reinforcement in boys basketball. That is especially true for the [out-of-school] basketball team I play for, since it’s Catholic.

I participate [in Day of Silence] to recognize the heteronormativity [in sports] and that it exists off the court as well,” he said.

Participating in Day of Silence is not easy.

“It’s rough. It really depends on whether or not you’re super social like I am. It really var-

“DAY OF SILENCE IS A DAY WHERE PEOPLE OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ARE RECOGNIZED FOR HAVING THEIR VOICES SILENCED.” — SOPHOMORE HUNTER VON TERSH PORHER

ies based off of the environment you are in, like what classes you have,” Von Tersh Porher said.

“It’s a really challenge to be silent for the entire day, but it’s worth it.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network at their website, www.glsen.org.

Student groups collaborate to host first annual Justice Jamboree

PHOTO CREDIT: Diane Huang CO-PRESIDENT OF SSJ, KATHRYN SCHMECHEL, plays dodgeball, one of the many activities of Justice Jamboree held on Apr. 21.

The first annual Justice Jamboree, held during X-period on Apr. 21, was put together by student groups PLAY and Students for Social Justice. Students and teachers participated in dodgeball, ‘guess that song’, jump rope, obstacle courses, and a 3 legged race. Each winning team was given points, each point going toward a dollar amount donated to charity of the winning team’s choice. Organizations included MN Girls are Not for Sale, the Neighborhood House, Breaking Free, and many more.

The Acapella club crashed US History teacher Ben Danielson’s classroom to serenade him on his birthday.

Hear them @TheRubiconSPA on Twitter

News 3

APRIL 2016 • THE RUBICON

Peter Blanchfield qualifies for the National History Bee & Bowl

Q&A

CLARE TIPLER Sports Editor

with Peter Blanchfield

Q: What are nationals like?

A: It’s a lot of fun. It’s nice to talk to people at nationals because they like the stuff I like. We are able to converse about cool things that I wouldn’t normally be able to talk about. It’s super fun to meet people, and to be able to travel to DC is great. And our nights are free so you can go see a game or something.

Q: What are the questions like?

A: They give you trivia questions and it’s all history related. If you know the answer you buzz in on a Jeopardy-like buzzer. They’re not short questions, they’re like five sentences long. Basically they start off with some random, obscure facts like ‘this king wrote some edict’ and eventually it gets down to something that basically everyone will know.

What author wrote a poem about a man who frames Ralph de Wilton before dying at the Battle of Flodden Field? Need a hint?

This man wrote about Jeanie Deans, who seeks a pardon from Queen Caroline after the Porteous Riots. Another hint? Frederick Douglass borrowed his surname from the work of this author, who included the Templar Brian de Bois-Guilbert, Robin Hood, and Richard the Lionhearted in another novel. Do you know now? No? The answer is Sir Arthur Scott.

This exact question was worth 10 points at last year’s National History Bee and Bowl in Washington DC, an event that sophomore Peter Blanchfield attended and will attend again this year.

Blanchfield placed first at the regional History Bee & Bowl on Feb. 27, qualifying him to compete at nationals from Apr. 22-24.

Blanchfield competes with freshmen and other sophomores at the JV level while juniors and seniors compete at the Varsity level.

The regional competition was in Des Moines, Iowa this year.

“There were 11 people competing, two from Minnesota, most of them were from Iowa, and then one from Kansas,” Blanchfield said.

Questions asked include the one above, but more generally, they are trivia questions. “If you know the answer you buzz in on a Jeopardy-like buzzer,” Blanchfield said. The questions at Nationals are “just a lot harder,” he added.

Blanchfield will travel to DC in late April to compete. “Last year at Nationals, the varsity (juniors and seniors) had about 400 competitors and at JV I’ll compete against about 200,” Blanchfield said, “it’s a lot of fun.”

“It’s nice to talk to people at nationals because they like the stuff I like. We are able to con-

Submitted by: Peter Blanchfield SOPHOMORE PETER BLANCHFIELD wears his medal after his History Bee & Bowl regional competition victory on Feb. 27. He qualified for the national competition in Washington DC Apr. 22-24. verse about cool things that I wouldn’t normally be able to talk about,” Blanchfield said. “And our nights are free so you can go see a game or something,” he added.

Shimkus steps down from Senior Project Committee after 20 years DIANE HUANG

Online Editor-in-Chief A decades old painting of a black tree on a red and yellow background hangs above a desk in the math department. This desk, covered in piles of paper and textbooks, belongs to Upper School math teacher Anne Marie Shimkus, the Senior Project Coordinator. Stepping through the office doors, it’s common in the spring to find Shimkus toiling away on a senior project proposal under that painting with her ever present purple pen.

After 20 years of service Shimkus will step down as coordinator at the end of this year. US history teacher Tom Fones and US science teacher Steve Heilig, who have been longtime faculty advisers on the Senior Project Committee, will take her place.

“It takes two people to do the job that [Shimkus] did, so she can feel really good about that,” Heilig said.

For most St. Paul Academy and Summit School students, senior projects happen in the small window of time when the school feels emptier for a month after the seniors leave the building. However, for Shimkus, planning for senior projects happens well before January, when she orients seniors to the project process during Senior Retreat.

From setting up internships so students can have options come

PHOTO CREDIT: Diane Huang HEAD OF SENIOR PROJECT COMMITTEE ANNE SHIMKUS looks over project proposals. “I’m not sure what I would change—that might be partly because there’s just a ton of things to stay on top of, and I don’t know how to do it differently,” Shimkus said. spring, to organizing committee meetings during the school day for the review process, “[Shimkus] runs this whole show and it’s a yearlong process,” Heilig said.

Nonetheless, Shimkus emphasized the efforts of US Assistant Anne Harness, who produces online and print resources for the projects. Shimkus also noted the importance of the faculty advisers, grade level coordinators, and students on the Senior Project Committee, which reviews project proposals every year.

The project design consists of three main components: a focus activity, community service, and supervisor signatures. Before pursuing their projects, seniors put together a proposal that goes

through a review process with the Senior Project Committee. The proposal itself is detailed, including goals, supplies, signatures, and calendars. Shimkus noted that the overall process often requires a lot of paperwork. For instance, some students might pursue multiple activities, requiring them to obtain several signatures and coordinate how these activities fit into their calendar and required hours.

Senior Milo Wittenberg, a volunteer member of the Senior Project Committee, felt that in some cases, the scrutiny of the review process warrants some change: “There are very small things that demote you from an ‘approved’ to an ‘approved pend-

ing’ project, like you add up your hours wrong,” he said.

Projects that are approved by the committee demonstrate a solid plan and connections to those who will support the project. Pending projects need to be updated by the senior within 7 days, and then are reviewed again

by Shimkus. Projects with significant gaps are not approved, and often go back to seniors with a long list of requirements that must be completed before they can submit again.

Nonetheless, Wittenberg is still a fan of the review process, and considers a sympathetic student presence on the committee as a beneficial and necessary aspect.

Heilig stressed the importance of some of inconveniences students might dislike: “You want students to face certain [difficulties], like the fact that you have to call somebody to set this up.

That’s an important skill,” he said.

Whether or not the senior project process changes significantly, the spirit of the project remains: “It’s wide open what [seniors] want to do, and I would hope that there would be a structure there that they could follow that would allow them to pretty much do what they want and have a good result,” Shimkus said.

Senior projects are not only an opportunity for freedom and exploration, but also one of the few consistent ways SPA students can

get involved in their local community.

“I think this opportunity [to be directly involved in the community] is a really great thing,” Wittenberg said.

The final part of the senior project process is a presentation in June during the week of graduation. Across the board, members of the Senior Project Committee agree that this is their favorite and most anticipated part of the process.

“A student that I might have had in class who’s a really quiet kid but they’ve done something that they really, really like that they can’t stop talking and we have to say ‘Sorry, time’s up’...

They are just so into whatever the project was, they’ve had a great time, and they just want to say more,” Shimkus said. “There are a lot of kids for which that happens and that is the most fun part of the whole thing—it’s listening at the end.”

Next year, US math teacher Anne Marie Shimkus will still be found toiling away under the painting of a black tree on a yellow sky with her ever present purple pen, but the work may no longer be senior projects. Not that much will have changed in her 21st year since first assuming her position as Senior Project Coordinator, though, as she intends to continue to serve on the committee as a faculty adviser for many years to come.

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Opinions

THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

Student groups empower on a range of issues

Editorial Cartoon: Sophie Jaro SPA offers dozens of interesting, diverse groups that provide outlets for students to accomplish amazing things. Options arise for every student, from Spartan Boosters to Film Club to Spartan Beats to Quiz Bowl to Intercultural Club. Plus, it’s incredibly simple to start a new group when there’s interest.

EDITORIAL

The Rubicon Staff As students enter the auditorium before senior speeches, they’ve grown used to hearing exotic beats of foreign artists that Intercultural Club selects, but on Apr. 1, Spartan Beats performed a couple of songs they’ve been working on instead.

Music at assemblies illustrates one way student groups visibly add to the quality of the Upper School experience. Their community engagement reminds students of the many student groups offered on Thursdays.

The expressive opportunity of student groups is not always fully capitalized on, but it should be. There are many students who use their Thursday X-period to do homework, while others attend groups they don’t have any actual interest with the hope that it’s inclusion in applica-

THE EXPRESSIVE OPPORTUNITY OF STUDENT GROUPS IS NOT ALWAYS FULLY CAPITALIZED ON, BUT IT SHOULD BE. tions will appeal to colleges. Students should participate in groups that they find real interest in and in which they can express themselves.

While some student groups are based on affinity, others bring together people of similar interests.

Student groups offer a safe haven from intellectualizing issues that have personal significance, and they allow students to be the person they may not feel they can be anywhere else in the school day.

Some groups offer an extension of academic passions, while

others offer connection with students outside regular social groups. They provide a space to advocate for action and spread awareness.

SPA offers dozens of interesting, diverse groups that provide outlets for students to accomplish amazing things. Options arise for every student, from Quiz Bowl to Film Club. Plus, it’s incredibly simple to start a new group when there’s interest.

Spring is a time of transition throughout the school. When seniors leave, they vacate seats in their student groups that can be filled by anyone, regardless of previous attendance.

X-periods are meant to be used for these groups; homework can be done during a free period or during Tutorial. Student groups exist for students: do not be afraid to switch things up and sit in on different groups. No one should feel pressured to join a group

because it looks good on college applications and no one should feel obligated to join a group with their friends. Instead, pick a group that centers on personal interests.

As senior speech assemblies come to an end and the class of 2016 leaves for their senior projects, there has never been a better time to try attending a new student group— or several.

Now is the chance to find a group that fits individual interests and passions exactly. When looking back, it will be much more interesting to say that Thursday X-periods were spent delving into new, engaging subjects with like-minded people than to say it was just an extra 45 minutes to do homework.

In May, make a point of attending one or more of the Thursday groups, and pick one to invest time in next school year.

MINI EDITORIALS

In student elections, cast a vote for qualified candidates

When casting votes this spring for next year’s elected and selected student groups, it becomes easy to follow the lead of the presidential state primaries, where being dynamic or entertaining drowns out the issues.

Student elections offer opportunities to stop this corrupt political system. Electing students to lead the community who have proven their determination and work ethic will only make the community stronger. It’s not about the person’s persuasive, hilarious speech or their popularity.

Earning a vote should be about a passion and a plan for making the Upper School a better, stronger place rather than popularity.

At the end of the day, the stakes are not as high for USC President as for US President; but, student officers and representatives have similar opportunities to change and add to the great community that is SPA.

In college choice, consider state politics

College campuses feel like their own communities, but with recent legislation in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee, colleges and universities — especially those which are state funded — will be impacted by these new laws. A central tenant of this school is one of acceptance, and policies that deny rights and services to LGBTQ+ people or place religious freedom above personal liberty fly in the face of values we practice here. Spending tuition dollars in states go against the values of equity, inclusiveness, and the need for discriminatory laws to change. As sophomores and juniors explore college options and as seniors make final decisions, it’s worth considering how state legislation may influence campus culture. Choose to attend a college or university in a state that doesn’t discriminate.

THE RUBICON • St. Paul Academy and Summit School • 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 • rubicon.spa@gmail.com www.RubicOnline.com • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest • YouTube • @TheRubiconSPA 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.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITOR FEATURE EDITORS COVER STORY EDITOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDITOR INDEPTH EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS SPORTS EDITORS ONLINE SPORTS EDITOR COLUMNIST VIDEOGRAPHER ADVISER

Boraan Abdulkarim Meghan Joyce Javier Whitaker-Castañeda Diane Huang Gitanjali Raman Lauren Boettcher, Emily Thissen Sophie Jaro Dianne Caravela, Iya Abdulkarim Mari Knudson Amodhya Samarakoon Noor Qureishy Marlee Baron, Stephanie Li Lucas Johnson, Clare Tipler Breandan Gibbons Riley Wheaton Rafa Buettner-Salido Kathryn Campbell, MN Journalism Educator of the Year

STAFF WRITERS Jack Benson, Ellie Findell, Michael Forsgren, Jasper Green, Claire Hallaway, Ethan Less, Ellie Nowakowski, Isa SaavedraWeis, Krista Schlinger, Garrett Small, Andrew Johnson, Kaia Larsen, A.M. Roberts, Jennifer Sogin, Kelby Wittenberg CONTRIBUTING WRITER Mimi Geller

BY LINES Authors of full story content are credited in by lines.

PUBLICATION INFO The Rubicon is published eight times a school year.

We distribute 750 copies of each issue which are available for free.

PUBLICATION AWARDS JEM All-State Gold, MHSPA Best of Show, (Print and Online), NSPA All American (Print) and First Class (Online), Best of SNO Distinguished Site (Online), CSPA Gold Medal w/ All Columbian Honors, CSPA Silver Crown Award, Pacemaker Finalist (Print) Pacemaker (Online) MEMBERSHIPS Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Minnesota High School Press Association, Quill and Scroll Society

EDITORIALS Editorials articulate the collective opinion of The Rubicon staff, while mini-editorials, opinion pieces, and columns belong to the author of those works.

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DIVERSITY:

Opinions 5 APRIL 2016 • THE RUBICON

How to fight stereotype threat in the world and in ourselves

Riley Wheaton Columnist

The popular musical Hamilton repeats over and over that New York is the “greatest city in the world,” despite the demonstrable fact that they don’t have nearly as many lakes as we do in Minnesota or nearly the number of Mr. Boulgers that we do at SPA. What makes New York great?

I visited New York for a few days over break and sought to answer this question. Do the streets run with rivers of gold? If they do, I missed them… Are the people filled with exemplary kindness and politeness?

Nope.

So what makes it great?

I finally figured it out.

New York holds within its limits the full depth and breadth of humanity. I stood in line with high class ladies wearing mink and pearls and I stood in line with people wearing jackets so worn they looked rescued from blast craters. I met people who barely spoke English and I met a group of young black men who used a masterful understanding of psychology to captivate audiences on the street.

What makes New York great is its diversity.

Diversity is probably a word we’re all familiar with since it’s used as a statistical selling point for many schools, but diversity of all kinds (including varying socioeconomic, racial, religious, gender, sexual orientation, and just generally experiential background) is valuable, even if it is sometimes falsely advertised.

I did some research and found some remarkable writing about the importance of diversity of student body as well as how to teach in a culturally diverse way.

When I hear “diversity” I think of the colleges that have beat di-

Fair use image from: Flickr Creative Commons STEREOTYPE THREAT is a psychological term used to describe a situation in which a person is aware of a negative stereotype attached to a group to which they belong and they behave differently because of their understanding of that stereotype.

I spend a lot of time worrying about stereotypes: Am I imposing any stereotypes on others? Am I letting any affect the way I think? Am I satisfying stereotypes? Is my worrying about stereotypes making this person across from me uncomfortable?

— COLUMNIST RILEY WHEATON versity to death. They argue that they’re diverse because they could find enough multiracial students to fill a happy photo on a lawn and they use every trick in the book to inflate narrow minded statistics that they believe will convey the narrative of “diversity.” However, no matter how colleges seek to water down the ideal of diversity, I still believe it matters. Growing up in an atmosphere where you meet people who speak differently than you or look different or think differently is incredibly important since it teaches you things you can’t learn from a homogeneous group.

Let me be very clear so there’s no

doubt what I’m talking about: There’s nothing inherently wrong with straight cisgender Caucasian Christian men (present company included), but they do not have all the answers. Going to school with people of a different race or socioeconomic class or sexuality or gender identity makes us much better people.

One of many ways diversity improves our lives is that it cuts down on stereotype threat. Stereotype threat is a psychological term used to describe a situation in which a person is aware of a negative stereotype attached to a group to which they belong and they behave differently be-

cause of their understanding of that stereotype. The Psychology Glossary gives a good example of what I mean by stereotype threat: “we sometimes hear that men are better than women in math and science. A woman who is aware of this stereotype may try to fight it by getting a really high score on a math exam, but the anxiety and distraction caused by the stereotype may actually lead her to get a lower score on the exam than she would otherwise.” We know, of course, that the opposite can be true as well. When students feel their expectations are extremely high for some reason they can also perform poorly because of anxiety surrounding those expectations. I spend a lot of time worrying about stereotypes: “Am I imposing any stereotypes on others? Am I letting any affect the way I think? Am I satisfying stereotypes? Is my worrying about stereotypes making this person across from me uncomfortable?”

In New York there were a few times when I found myself in extremely diverse atmospheres and

I didn’t feel those worries quite as palpably. The people around me seemed more relaxed and less threatened by stereotypes.

I came to wonder if maybe the diversity of an atmosphere can lead to a little relaxing of stereotype threat and an opportunity for honest interaction. This kind of interaction, free from some of the constrictions of expectations and insecurities, can perhaps help us break down stereotypes within ourselves.

This year we’ve heard a lot of hate spat on cable news, Facebook, twitter, and elsewhere and I find myself wondering how in the world it manages to ferment.

How can someone really stew to that kind of simmering vile loathing? I believe it is lack of experiences with diversity. Most of the kind of hatred I’m talking about happens in rural areas where there is not much diversity. Isolation breeds fear, and openness is the best antidote. If you want to do something to stop the wave of hatred in America, go to a diverse place.

I write this column acknowledging that diversity is an incredibly deep and complex issue and is rich in questions I do not answer here. Fundamentally how can you define diversity in a useful way?

What are the best ways for you to seek more diverse experiences? How can you handle atmospheres that aren’t very diverse?

How can you respond sensitively when reading an author of color or discussing issues of race when there are few people of color in the room? How do you respond if you are one of the few people of color in the room? My column doesn’t answer these questions but I hope that it can play a role in a broader dialogue and provide stereotype threat as a useful tool for analysis.

School must keep working to increase teacher diversity 18%

at St. Paul Academy

13% at NAIS

17% SOURCES: Karen Dye, Diversity Dean of SPA; National Association of IIndependent Schools; National Teacher Workforce.

Mari Knudson

Cover Story Editor On St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s Living Diversity webpage, it is stated that “Our faculty and staff also represent a broad range of diverse identities with regard to race, ethnicity, religion, [and] national origin.”

This statement may seem at odds with the actual statistics of teacher diversity at SPA. While 28% of the SPA student body is

comprised of students of color, only 18% of the faculty are people of color, according to the school’s Diversity Dean, Karen Dye, whose many responsibilities include recruiting teachers of color.

However, in context, these statistics seem a little better. The average percentage of faculty of color in all schools of the National Association of Independent Schools is only 13%. And

according to a study conducted by the Center for American Progress in 2014, while only 17% of the teaching force is composed of people of color, a much larger gap than the one at SPA. Still, there is much room for improvement.

The lack of teacher diversity at SPA is not a result of a lack of effort. However, that goal of increasing teacher diversity has been obstructed by a wide array of issues.

National Teacher Workforce INFOGRAPHIC: Diane Huang

Minnesota is unattractive to potential faculty of color not only due to its unforgiving climate, but its reputation for being racially homogeneous. While historically Minnesota has been predominantly white, that fact is changing of late with the incoming immigrant populations.

Other obstacles are the lower salary of independent schools compared to their public counterparts, and the competition SPA

faces from other independent schools. However, with recent turnover in faculty and ongoing search committees for new hires, recruiting teachers of color is more urgent.

SPA is actively trying to bridge the gap between private and public school. Still, it may not be enough.

InDepth 6

E

ach school lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year.

J

ust one average-size middle school creates over 40,000 pounds of lunch waste a year.

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Christine Lam and Noor Qureishy

A

merica’s schools spend more than $7.5 billion annually on energy—more than they spend on textbooks and computers combined.

Sources: California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), CalRecycle, and Energy Star,

THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

Students, faculty strive to decrease school’s adverse impact on Earth STEPHANIE LI

Arts & Entertainment Editor Everyday, students fill up water bottles at drinking fountains, compost food during lunch, and recycle papers. Although students may not realize it, their routine actions benefit the earth.

However, there are still many other opportunities for students to be involved in protecting the environment at school.

One way students can express their interest in protecting the environment is through student groups and science electives. In these settings, students are exposed to environmental problems that they may not be aware of now.

In the Environmental Science elective, students discover ways that the community can decrease human impact on the environment. In one of the labs the class conducted, students studied the forest near St. Catherine University. Students retrieved data on how healthy the land was and what factors in the surroundings affected the soil quality.

President of People for Environmental Protection Ora Hammel is very involved in raising the community’s awareness about conserving the Earth’s resources.

She helped organize projects such as the rain garden in SPA’s backyard last year.

The rain garden helps slow stormwater and prevent erosion.

Another project that PEP took on regards the composting system in the lunchroom, which was improved last year.

“We first attempted to stand at the trash cans to try to get people to compost and throw away their waste correctly. That didn’t work, so then the lunchroom got the new [setup]... it worked out really well,” Hammel said.

Hammel also believes that integrating environmental issues into other academic subjects would help.

“We talk a lot about different issues in history class and chem-

PHOTO CREDIT: Stephanie Li

Go to ubicOnline to see a Q&A with Ms. Baker about ways SPA interacts with the environment.

PHOTO CREDIT: Amodhya Samarakoon JUNIORS RAFFI TOGHRAMADJIAN AND DIANE HUANG weigh one of their tilapia from their aquaponics system. “I don’t think SPA itself should have an aquaponic system, but maybe the catering company could look into buying some of its produce from aquaponic farms,” Toghramadjian suggested. istry class and sometimes I think that there is room there to talk about the history of environmental issues [too],” Hammel said.

Junior Raffi Toghramadjian currently is conducting an experiment in the Advanced Science Research elective about Aquaponics in Minnesota. Aquaponics is a system that disposes waste using nutrients from fish or other aquatic animals.

In an Aquaponics system, fish and plants maintain a symbiotic relationship. While the fish waste offers an organic food source for the plants, the plants filter the water and provide a clean environment for the fish to live in.

By growing plants without soil, the dependence on soil quality won’t get in the way of production. Aquaponics also offers a solution to problems associated with traditional soil-based gardening such as the amount of water required, animal intrusion, and weeds.

“I don’t think SPA itself should have an aquaponic system,

“[EVERYONE TAKING] THE EXTRA STEP TO RECYCLE OR COMPOST OR USE LESS WATER IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WORK ON.” — SENIOR ORA HAMMEL but maybe the catering company could look into buying some of its produce from aquaponic farms,” Toghramadjian suggested.

Regarding the facilities scattered throughout SPA, Facility and Safety Manager Peter Kilibarda ensures that Operations continues to pursue initiatives to transform SPA into a more environmentally friendly building.

In collaboration with Xcel Energy, SPA ensures that the equipment located throughout the school conserves as much energy as possible while being affordable and efficient as well. LED lights, T5 lights, and T8 lights comprise SPA’s lighting system.

PHOTO CREDIT: Iya Abdulkarim

Go to The Rubicon on Facebook to learn more The school turns the lights about how Ora Hammel and heating in common areas off became an after everyone leaves. In addition, environmentalist.

Drake Arena is powered by batteries so there aren’t any harmful emissions.

Operations hopes to install an automation system in the future to control the usage of energy and obtain the specific energy usage through a network of interconnected sensors and controllers.

Kilibarda also hopes to replace all the old equipment, such as the air handling units and small lighting upgrades, so that less energy can be used to power them.

Students should not only discuss and learn about environmental issues, but they should also take action. Whether it’s not wasting food, recycling, or turning off the lights when no one’s using them, every effort contributes to the cause, no matter how small.

Go to TheRubiconSPA to see a Pinterest gallery about Earth Day and the environment.

“CONTACT WITH NATURE HELPS CHILDREN TO DEVELOP COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL CONNECTIONS TO THEIR NEARBY SOCIAL AND BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS.” — UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, GREEN CITIES: GOOD HEALTH

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Amodhya Samarakoon

NOOR QUREISHY InDepth Editor

Air seems to battle its way to her lungs as she chokes and struggles for breath, her inhaler slowly easing her pain as the pollution around her limits her air supply.

The pollution that has invaded so much of the planet may seem to only affect the environment’s health, but it can also have devastating effects on the well-being of humans.

Negative effects of pollution on lungs

The increase in prevalence and severity of asthma over the past twenty years as well as results from epidemiological studies in the environment all suggest that exposures such as air pollution are a significant part of the development of this disease.

The increase in prevalence and severity of asthma has grown too quickly to be the result of genetic changes in the population, according to the World Health Organization. Reducing air pollution in the environment would substantially help those with lung diseases such as asthma live healthier lives.

Less red meat benefits earth and body Cutting down on one’s consumption of beef can also radically improve the environment over time. The amount of methane each cow produces harms the environment immensely — not to mention how much water, grain, and carbon dioxide they consume. Beef, on average, uses up to 160 times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse gases per calorie when compared to potatoes, wheat, and rice, acTo read about how going vegetarian can help the environment and your health, visit Health and Wellness Editor Amodhya Samarakoon’s health blog Good For You at tisgoodforyou.wordpress.com

cording to Damian Carrington from The Guardian. Finding alternate sources of protein during lunch instead of eating meat can radically reduce these negative effects.

Junior Moira McCarthy is passionate about helping the environment and also keeping herself healthy as a result.

“Be willing to try some of the salads, be open to not having meat for lunch every day, and find other sources for protein...There are plenty of other protein options at lunch, you just have to look for them. [There’s] tofu, hummus, and bean salads,” McCarthy said.

Besides posing a risk to the environment, red meat has proven to wreak havoc on one’s personal health. Red meat (pork, beef, lamb, etc.) has been linked to an increased risk for cancer, especially colorectal cancer, by agencies such as the The American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Health Organization.

The heme form of iron present in red meat can harm the lining of the colon. The production of N-nitroso compounds, which are cancer-causing agents, in the gut also increases with the ingestion of red meat. The high levels of fat present in red meat can also lead to heart disease and obesity.

“BE WILLING TO TRY SOME OF THE SALADS, BE OPEN TO NOT HAVING MEAT FOR LUNCH EVERYDAY.” — JUNIOR MOIRA MCCARTHY This is not to say that students shouldn’t be eating red meat at all; the iron and protein it provides is quite valuable. However, research shows that switching to a plant-based diet, where one’s meal is centered around vegetables rather than meat, is far better for one’s health.

Reducing unhealthy foods decreases waste Senior Willa Grinsfelder has also seen that paying attention to the food she eats and her fossil fuel usage helps to keep both her and the environment healthy.

Health & Wellness 7 APRIL 2016 • THE RUBICON

Going Green benefits the

environment and helps the body

“I camp, and most of my activities in the summer are outside, [so] I’m usually packing a lunch, or packing food on a trail; it makes me more conscious of what I’m eating during the day,” she said.

Grinsfelder believes that walking or biking to school, for students who live closer, would help immensely with their personal carbon footprint.

Although she usually is only able to bike during the summer, Grinsfelder has seen a few faculty members who bike regularly to school. She’s also seen students try to reduce waste by using mugs instead of the paper cups provided at school. However, she also sees that some of the snacks available during x-period are especially harmful. “[There are] less health benefits and more waste - like Doritos,” Grinsfelder said.

Doritos harm the environment by creating more plastic waste that can’t be composted, while also hurting one’s body because of their high fat content and lack of nutrients.

Although Grinsfelder believes that there should be more work and awareness around recycling and reducing waste at school, sophomore Emilia Hoppe has also seen students who try to help out.

“[A lot of people drink] out of a reusable water bottle…[that way], I drink a lot more water; it’s good to be hydrated and I’m also creating less waste,” she said.

It may seem that helping out the environment and keeping one’s body healthy can only be done through drastic measures, but this is not the case - it can often be enjoyable.

Going green improves mental health Mental health and focus can also be improved by spending more time around nature, trees and wildlife that also help the environment function sustainably. A study was conducted by Gregory Bratman, from the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford University, to look at the neuro-

By reducing air pollution levels, countries can reduce the burden of disease from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases, including asthma.

Source: World Health Organization

logical mechanisms that affect one’s brain when they’re outside in nature.

An increase in negative thoughts, or brooding, which is often thought to be a precursor to depression, is strongly associated with activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex in the brain.

The people involved in the study who walked by a highway maintained high levels of blood flow, or activity to their subgenual prefrontal cortex, and their level of negative thoughts also were unchanged. However, the people who walked along quiet, tree-lined paths had small, but important changes in their mental health; they weren’t thinking as negatively as before. They had less activity in their subgenual prefrontal cortex. These results strongly suggest that being around natural environments helps one’s mental health and moods.

Without preserving the environment in all it’s green glory, one can not enjoy the physical and mental benefits of being around it.

JUNIOR MOIRA MCCARTHY is actively involved in combating environmental issues, such as through changing her diet. “There are plenty of other protein options at lunch, you just have to look for them,” she said.

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Amodhya Samarakoon

Cover

8

THE RUBICON

SPA STUDENTS pose for a photo illustrating the underrepresentation of certain groups at SPA. The black and grey silhouettes represent ethnic groups that are missing from the school,

Who is missing at SPA

Lack of specific groups leaves students with an incomplete pictu Who lives in the Twin Cities?

In Minnesota?

SPA itself is much more diverse at 29% people of color than the Twin Cities overall which reports 22% people of color, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The school’s statistics show that 4-5% are African American, 5% are Latino, only one student in the school is Native American, about 3% are Middle Eastern, 11% are multiracial, and the rest are Asian-American.

However, the state contains a large Native American population (specifically Ojibwe and Dakota Sioux tribes), and the relatively diverse Twin Cities houses large Mexican, Native American, Hmong, Somali, Indian, and Vietnamese populations that are not well represented by the school community.

Much of the cities’ diversity comes from immigrants.

According to MNCompass, a social indicators project, 80% of the entire state’s foreign-born population lives in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Although Minnesota does have a lower foreign-born population than the nation overall, 7% compared to 13%, this percentage is increasing rapidly.

AMODHYA SAMARAKOON Health and Wellness Editor

In a classroom, students look around and take into account all the faces present. Although white students are frequently interspersed with people of color, someone is missing. Students from the large immigrant communities in Minnesota are not among those sitting around the tables of St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

Limited Diversity “My brother, my cousin, my sister and I are the only Hmong people in the SPA community and Minnesota has one of the biggest Hmong populations in the world,” said sophomore Drew Fawcett.

“It’s interesting,” Fawcett continued. “...you don’t really think about it because you’re so used to seeing all the white faces,’” he said.

Diversity Dean Karen Dye states that the school recognizes this gap in diversity between the cities and the classroom. Dye and other faculty are working to interact with different ethnic communities in the area and bring more diversity to the school.

Obstacles with Established Communities “Even when I started here 11 years ago, it was really with communities that have been [in MN] for quite some time that we had a

“MY BROTHER, MY COUSIN, MY SISTER AND I ARE THE ONLY HMONG PEOPLE IN THE SPA [ UPPER SCHOOL] COMMUNITY.” — SOPHOMORE DREW FAWCETT huge gap in. And that’s our Mexican-American community and our Native American community,” she said.

Dye has worked directly with representatives from the Twin Cities Archdiocese to connect with families in the Mexican-American community. This method is one of the best ways to connect with these potential students because many Mexican-Americans are involved with and could be searching for schools through the Catholic church.

“There were several parents of students with Mexican-American backgrounds that I talked to to make inroads in that community,” Dye said.

She states that one key deterrent for possible Mexican-American families is that SPA is not a religiously affiliated school.

“In the conversations I’ve had with people from different organizations, [I’ve seen that] we might get initial interest because when people hear ‘St. Paul Academy’ the first thing they think is that it’s Catholic, and then they realize we’re an independent school,” she said.

People searching for a school who also lean towards Catholic institutions, such as many members of the Mexican-American

population, have many other options from non-independent schools available that can provide that religious aspect along with a smaller price tag.

“We reach out to them, but I think there’s a sort of resistance to look seriously at SPA,” she said.

Disconnect with Immigrant Populations SPA is working to promote SPA in the Somali community by working with organizations that frequently interact with that immigrant population and attending school fairs. Along with the school’s daunting tuition, Dye has encountered similar religious barriers with the name ‘St. Paul Academy,’ as much of the Somali population practice Islam.

The school has also been working with the Hmong and Native American populations in Minnesota to recruit more students and increase parents’ interest in SPA. However, barriers emerged during these interactions.

“The issues [here] are very similar in that there just aren’t very large populations of people in either of those communities or in our schools … The cultural piece is more pronounced with those two populations,” Dye said.

“There’s that I hones have enough equipped to h become inter able about w she said.

In terms o munity, Dye issues with a about Hmong bined with a to understand complicates to increase di “The cult pronounced ties because roots that are independent e education in education is i but specifical education,” D SPA does color. Howev Fawcett want - not only to to accurately ethnic groups “A funny go down to t look at the s spot one kid o ture. And I t bit, like the s we’re diverse random photo pen,” Fawcet As the cu students mov and upper sc versity is pred

Story

9

• APRIL 2016

PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Boettcher / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Mari Knudson

, including Somali, Hmong, Mexican, and Native American.

A?

80% of the entire state’s foreign-born population lives in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

ure of the Twin Cities

a cultural piece stly don’t think we h information to be help that community rested or knowledgewhat SPA can offer,”

of the Hmong come references similar a lack of information g culture. This, coma lack of resources d these differences, the school’s efforts iversity. tural piece is more in those communithere are some deep en’t as focused on the education world, not general - obviously important to [them] lly with independent Dye said. contain students of ver, students such as t this number to rise o diversify MN, but y reflect the different s in the Twin Cities. thing is that, if you the Huss center and slideshows, you can of color in every picthink that is, a little school saying ‘Look, e!’ But if you took a o, that wouldn’t haptt said. urrent lower school ve up to the middle chool campuses, didicted to increase.

Minnesota’s Cultural groups by size (Minnesota State Demographic Center, 2016)

Twin Cities, Minnesota

29% of St. Paul Academy and Summit School students identify as students of color.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

Key: African-American (4.0%)

Mexican (3.4%) Hmong (1.2%) Somali (0.9%) Asian Indian (0.8%)

Native American (0.6%) Multiracial (11%) Latino (5%) Asian-American (6%) Middle Eastern (3%)

INFOGRAPHIC: Iya Abdulkarim 29% OF SPA STUDENTS identify as students of color. In contrast, the majority of Minnesota’s diversity is in the Twin Cities while the state of Minnesota as a whole is not incredibly diverse. Check out the interactive version of this infographic at Rubiconline.

Feature 10

THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

Submitted by: Aaron Shuler PHOTO CREDIT: Sophie Jaro UPPER SCHOOL TEACHERS Philip de Sa e Silva, Jon Peterson, Aaron Shuler, and Pam Starkey all use humor as part of their teaching method. “Humor and songs lighten the mood and allow kids to take more risks than they would otherwise,” Starkey said.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Sophie Jaro

Teachers use humor in classroom to improve experience SOPHIE JARO

Opinions Editor Laughter can signal a student’s understanding of a concept just as much as traditional tests and papers. By creating an environment that is analytical, memorable, and relatable, the many humorous teachers at St. Paul Academy and Summit School provide their students with a more thorough understanding of content, love of learning, and feeling of belonging. These teachers apply the same intellect that prepared them to be instructors to side-splitting scholastic quips and connections.

Humor demonstrates an understanding of the abstract and an ability to see irony. Upper School English teacher and occasional stand-up comedian Philip de Sa e Silva provides an example of an incongruity he mentions to with his American Literature class when they read The Scarlet Letter. In the following passage, the “weirdo Puritan children” as de Sa e Silva calls them, talk about Hester, who is walking with Pearl: “Behold, verily, there is the woman of the scarlet letter; and, of a truth, moreover, there is the likeness of the scarlet letter running along by her side! Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at them!”

“I think that is so funny because you have these children talking about throwing mud at someone, which is super undignified, but they are doing it in the most formal, absurd language,” de Sa e Silva explained.

Upper School history teacher Aaron Shuler finds and shares

particular amusement in the correlation between strong leadership and the healthy hair of American leaders.

“When I am talking about the history of presidential flow, when James K. Polk is James K. Flow, I think hopefully students will remember that and remember something about him,” Shuler explains. “ I talk about how terrible John Tyler was as a president, and how it might have been because he had terrible flow. It was stringy and he didn’t use conditioner.

Lack of flow is lack of leadership.”

Another popular subject of hair care analysis in history class is Martin van Buren, dubbed “Martin van Muttonchop” by the U.S. history teachers. In class, Shuler emphasizes the link between the bold sideburns and fearlessly original political campaigning of “van Muttonchop.”

[HUMOR] MAKES RECIEVING A MESSAGE EASIER THAN IF THE TEACHER IS TOTALLY DISTANT FROM YOU —NED HECKMAN “Van Buren also attempted to bridge the emerging sectional divide between the North and the South through the Democratic Party’s outreach to the common man, much like his muttonchops tried to unite with each other through his horseshoe haircut,” Shuler said.

To laugh at the flow of American leaders requires understanding of the context of the correlation, in this case their presidential accomplishments.

“There are some things you teach that you find funny and you hope your students will find funny. It is your job as a teacher to give the context and the background for why it is funny,” Shuler said.

Humor also builds bridges between teachers and students. According to research from Southern Illinois University, a teacher’s use of humor is positively associated with student perceptions that the instructor had a positive attitude toward them, wants them to succeed, and displays genuine concern for them.

“My humor is really self-deprecating. Being a teenager is a time when you are really self-conscious. So if you can see someone else being self-conscious, especially a teacher, then you can more openly talk about really intense unfamiliar ideas. It makes receiving the message easier than if the teacher is totally distant from you,” Upper School science teacher Ned Heckman said.

Creating a joyful environment for learning and connection can be either spontaneous or planned.

Often, teachers find that a planned lesson can lead to impromptu jokes in class.

“I never really plan funny things. But if one class laughs, I’ll probably try the same story on another class. It works half of the time,” Upper School English teacher Haseena Hamzawala said.

From science to English to math, comedy presents itself in the curriculum. A math problem with a linear equation is more “straightforward” than a higher polynomial, and organic chemistry is difficult as those who study it have “alkynes” of trouble.

IF ONE CLASS LAUGHS, I’LL PROBABLY TRY THE SAME STORY ON ANOTHER CLASS. IT WORKS ABOUT HALF THE TIME. — HASEENA HAMZAWALA “It seems that there are often unintentional puns that happen in the classroom. It’s the unintended humor and a good laugh that keep you in the moment,” Upper School science teacher Karissa Baker said.

Other teachers have experience in improv and stand-up comedy, two practices that can lend skills to delivery of both lectures and jokes.

Both de Sa e Silva and Heckman participate in improv in their free time, and Fones has family in the stand-up comedy business.

“My son is a comedian. He got it from me, rather than the other way around,” Fones said.

Humor facilitates the creation of an environment where students are not afraid to fail. Trial and error is valuable for the learning process.

“Humor and songs lighten the mood and allow kids to take more risks than they would otherwise,” Upper School Spanish teacher Pam Starkey said.

Working in the Spanish classroom for seventeen years, Starkey has developed a foolproof system of lively humor, song, facial expressions, and voice tones to cultivate a convivial classroom environment where students feel unafraid to make mistakes experimenting with a foreign language.

“Science has proven that when you laugh, you open up pathways of the brain, so more of the brain is engaged,” Starkey said.

Humor is one of many is creative tools available to teachers.

All the teachers who use humor work together to create a happy environment at SPA. “I just enjoy my students, and I enjoy a good laugh, and I definitely appreciate anyone with a good sense of humor,” Baker said.

When used genuinely, humor builds bridges between teachers and students, students and concepts, and concepts and memory.

Successful humor can be dry or zany, but is always a realistic reflection of what the teacher finds amusing.

“For me, it is not necessarily about trying to be funny, but it is more about just as a teacher trying to be myself. So, if humor is part of who you are, it makes sense to show it in class. I don’t think it is necessary; I just think teachers should behave generally as they are and respond honestly to the things they are talking about in class,” de Sa e Silva said.

Feature 11

APRIL 2016 • THE RUBICON

Mark Dickinson finds place as director of operations GITANJALI RAMAN

ty for me in my career. I applied, and here I am today.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s business office has a new face this spring. Mark Dickinson joined the SPA staff in early April as the director of operations and security.

Q: What drew you to the community?

Firstly, SPA gives its students an excellent education. It’s one of the top schools in the country. It is great to be part of an organization that helps develop the minds of young people. Secondly, the responsibilities drew me in. The planning of the future and construction work contributed to my decision to join.

Online Managing Editor

Q: What do you do as director of operations and security?

I am learning what that means.

I am responsible for operations, which is loosely the buildings, staffs, and ground of the campuses.

Q: Why did you choose to become the Director of Operations at SPA? I had worked at Macalester College for many years as a Director of Facility Services there. I left Macalester and spent two and a half years as a manager at a senior living cooperative called Becketwood Cooperative, but it was a different set of operations. When I learned about the position, I thought it was a great opportuni-

Q: How would you describe your role in the school?

We need to support both the teachers and the students. I’ve always thought of the operations and security as the stage hands of a theatre. Everybody has their role. The students and the teachers are in the spotlight of the stage, but if we [security and operations] don’t pull the curtains up at the right time, then the production doesn’t go well.

PHOTO CREDIT: Gitanjali Raman DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS MARK DICKINSON joined the St. Paul Academy and Summit School Business office this spring. “We need to support both the teachers and the students. I’ve always thought of the operations and security as the stage hands of a theatre,” Dickinson said.

Shavit-Lonstein (‘13) serves as student outreach director for Omar campaign

Submitted by: Matthew Ogbeifun STUDENT OUTREACH DIRECTOR NOAH SHAVIT-LONSTEIN (‘13) and district 60B canidate Ilhan Omar meet constituents at Espresso Royale in Dinkytown. “I’ve had a lot of success getting students to support Ilhan. People our age are tired of politicians who have been making decisions without much input [from constituents],” Shavit-Lonstein said.

MIMI GELLER Staff Writer St. Paul Academy and Summit School alumnus Noah Shavit-Lonstein (‘13) is the Student Outreach Director for State Representative hopeful Ilhan Omar. Shavit-Lonstein juggles his role in the Omar campaign and being a full-time student at the University of Minnesota.

“There really is no typical day. On the days I’m working for Ilhan, it’s a mix of board meetings, door knocking, meetings with students, campaign events,

Read more FEATURE on ubicOnline.com @TheRubiconSPA

and other odd jobs. I just got to host a community meeting at a coffee shop where voters can come talk to Ilhan, and I’m cohosting a fund raiser in a couple weeks, so there’s lots of variety,” Shavit-Lonstein said.

He began his journey by volunteering with Ilhan Omar’s political team.

“My colleague Bill Emory, who I’ve worked with on some political issue campaigns in the past, was Omar’s first campaign director. He knows me well and invited me to take an involved role in the campaign. I initially

worked on the political team, but now I have the ‘official position’ of Student Outreach Director,” Shavit-Lonstein said.

Shavit-Lonstein and his team are aiming to win the Democratic party endorsement at the caucus this April. However the task is a tedious one. It would involve Omar’s supporters spending a night at their precinct caucuses and to dedicate hours in the day to attend a complicated and unneeded convention process.

He describes the system of conventions and caucuses as being, “deliberately difficult for most people in the district to participate.”

PEOPLE OUR AGE ARE TIRED OF POLITICIANS WHO HAVE BEEN MAKING DECISIONS WITHOUT INPUT [FROM CONSTITUENTS].

— NOAH SHAVITLONSTEIN (‘13) “It’s very hard for busy students, new Americans, and working families to participate. Not only is this tough to work with personally, it’s disheartening to see how this system is still in place though it’s very outdated and exclusive,” Shavit-Lonstein said.

Read about Mimi Geller’s trip to Haiti with the Sanneh Foundation and see exclusive photos online

Despite the incredible and often difficult job campaigning is, Shavit-Lonstein’s job can be very rewarding at times.

“I’ve had a lot of success getting students to support Ilhan.

People our age are tired of politicians who have been making decisions for a long time without much input [from constituents].

It’s exciting to see students get excited about a candidate who’s listening closely to our concerns about tuition, housing, and more,” Shavit-Lonstein said.

With his role on the political team and being an avid supporter of Omar, Shavit-Lonstein has accumulated knowledge regarding the world of politics from a unique perspective. He offers great advice to the students of SPA, who may have an interest in politics, much like Shavit-Lonstein did.

“The thing all young people should know about political campaigning is this: decisions are made by the people who show up. Your opinions on an issue, well thought out though they may be, don’t do anything until you put them into action. I think it’s important for those of us who have the time to make our voices heard: campaigning, rallying, organizing, writing your legislators, whatever it is. Democracy is about much more than voting once a year,” Shavit-Lonstein said.

Omar’s Issues Economic

-$15 minimum wage -Paid leave -Fair Scheduling -State investment in minority and women-run business

Education

- Universal Pre-K - Reducing suspensions - The hiring of more teachers of color - Better access for parents to services to help their kids succeed

Equality

- Voting rights for ex-felons - Reforming sentencing laws to combat mass incineration - Focus on rehabilitation in criminal justice systems - Decrease level of force used by police and educate them about bias

Higher Education

- Funding for public colleges and universities - Expand loan forgiveness and cap student debt

Environment

- Reduce agricultural pollution - Work towards achieving zero waste -Shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources Info taken from ilhanomar.com

+ MORE

Arts & Entertainment 12 THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

PHOTO CREDIT: Boraan Abdulkarim UPPER SCHOOL THEATER DIRECTOR ERIC SEVERSON AND CHOREOGRAPHER KARIS SLOSS oversee Les Misérables rehearsals. “Those big rehearsals are a challenge. But it’s rewarding and it always pulls together in the end,” senior Maggie Vlietstra said. Performances are free: May 20-21 @ 7:00 p.m. and May 22 @ 4:00 p.m. in the Huss Center.

Do you hear the people sing?

BORAAN ABDULKARIM Editor-in-Chief

Jackets, thrown haphazardly, are strewn across the backs of seats in the auditorium. In white Converse shoes, the villainous Madame Thénardier approaches center stage. Hesitant voices form the outline of what will be a shimmery duet. Hoodie-clad high school students form a revolution, triumphant fists raised high.

Such is the nature of musical rehearsal for St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s spring production of Les Misérables.

Rehearsals started in February first learning the music, then pairing it with choreography.

“The entirety of February and March was spent in the choir room working just on music. We touched 85% of the music before we went on Spring Break,” US Theater Director Eric Severson said.

“We’ve gone through a lot of numbers. The vocal ones are really good. We’re hoping it’s going to be pretty awesome,” ensemble member Tommy Monserud said.

So far the the rehearsal strategy has been to focus on individual elements of music and choreography, later combined with scene blocking.

“Unlike years past, [Choir Director Anne] Klus and I are there together every rehearsal. With

the intensity and the difficulty of the music, it’s best for our cast to be getting used to actually singing it rather than use a Broadway recording to do choreography,” Severson said.

“Where we would usually do those three things separately and bring them together for the performance, this show we’re starting with having the cast work on movement, acting, and singing at the same time. By the time we get to tech week and performances, they’ll know it so well that they’re not scared,” he added.

“IT’S REWARDING AND IT ALWAYS PULLS TOGETHER IN THE END,” — SENIOR MAGGIE VLIESTRA For this production, Severson has implemented a unique setup of rehearsals, featuring two consecutive tech weeks leading up to opening night on May 20. This will allow for greater breadth of transition time for a variety of elements unique to the show, including keeping track of 16 solo microphones, lighting, a full orchestra, and special effects, including a fog machine.

The cast members uphold a positive and invested energy with respect to the musical and to each other.

“People seem happy to be there [at rehearsal] and interact with each other. It’s a fun show, we’re excited about it,” ensemble member Liza Bukingolts said.

Senior Maggie Vlietstra, who plays Cosette, agrees.

“Those big rehearsals are a challenge. But it’s rewarding and it always pulls together in the end.” Vliestra said.

“The cast dynamic has been wonderful. The thing that I’ve really noticed is a great level of support for each other,” Severson said.

In attending any after-school rehearsal, this chemistry is evident and refreshing, but most importantly, it is imperative to the success of putting on a show like Les Misérables.

“This is one of the shows that you need the right crew for. As we were thinking about shows, Klus and I had a different show in mind [for this spring]. But when we sat back and really thought about it —as we looked, 9-12 grade—we have some of the strongest musicians and singers that we’ve had in a while,” Severson said.

“One of my directing professors in college and grad school told me that there are certain shows. You don’t do Hamlet unless you have a Hamlet. We did Evita in 2007 because we knew we had an Eva and a Che. It was one of those things that felt right.”

Severson said.

This year, the theater program has a ensemble with both bredth and depth of talent, and Les Miserables became the show.

To Severson, this play holds immense personal significance.

“I remember it was the first CD I ever bought in 1987. It’s just such a part of my being when it comes to musical theater,” he said. “It’s tragic. I joke in rehearsal [that] ‘it’s called The Miserables for a reason. Nothing is happy in your [characters’] lives.’” Severson said.

With such a high bar to accommodate Les Misérables comes special challenges. Severson cites artistic flourish.

“How do you create an interesting stage picture? How do you create meaning through movement when you’ve got beautiful meaning through the words?”

Severson said.

Yet that hasn’t stopped Severson and Klus, or the ensemble cast of nearly 60 students.

“I was always really worried about how high schools would ever do shows like this. Now here I am 20 or 30 years later actually staging this. I feel excited, I feel honored, and I’m blown away by the commitment of this cast and crew,” he said. “If all things go according to plan, it’ll set a new standard for our musical performances.”

5 Facts about Les Miserables 1. IT’S BASED ON A HISTORIC 19TH-CENTURY NOVEL The musical is based on the French historical novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, published in 1862. It is considered one of the greatest pieces of literature from the 19th century.

2. THE MUSICAL OPENED IN LONDON 30 YEARS AGO The first Les Misérables performance took place at the Barbican Theatre on Oct 8, 1985.

3. THE MUSICAL DRAWS RECORD ATTENDANCE Over 70 million people in 44 countries have seen Les Miserables. It has been performed in 319 cities and in 22 languages.

4. IT’S THE WORLD’S LONGESTRUNNING MUSICAL In that 30 years, there have been more than 48,000 performances of Les Misérables, which translates to 6,000 days, or 16.4 years of consecutive performance.

5. IT’S HERE May 20-21 @ 7:00 p.m. and May 22 @ 4:00 p.m.— Huss Center.

SOURCE: Les Miserables official website, lesmis.com

Arts & Entertainment 13 APRIL 2016 • THE RUBICON

Student Movie Night invites creativity

PHOTO CREDIT: Isabel Saavedra-Weis

PHOTO CREDIT: Kelby Wittenberg

ADDENDUM BOOKS, located at 478 S Cleveland Ave, offers a short walk from SPA and impeccable reading recommendations from well-read owners.

COLD FRONT’S most recent addition includes a vibrant blue sign prominently displaying the franchise’s name.

RUBI REVIEWS

RUBI REVIEWS

ISABEL SAAVEDRA-WEIS Staff Writer

4/5

STUDENTS SIT in the Huss Center auditorium to watch short films. “Even if [Superzeroes] is kind of a mediocre movie, I like being on the radar,” senior Calla Saunders said.

BORAAN ABDULKARIM Editor-in-Chief

The programs have been passed out. The stars have debuted ensembles that epitomize style on the red [...and black] carpet of the Huss Center entrance.

The directors and their respective casts sit grouped together, trying to purvey simultaneous vibes of confidence and a laid-back attitude.

Parents, teachers, and students get comfortable and wait for the opening remarks from the presidents of Film Club.

Tonight, these individuals are gathered for St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s annual Student Movie Competition, hosted by the Film Club. The prize to be won is the coveted SPASMA student film award, which was first awarded in 2008.

The schedule for the night was eclectic and multifaceted; first was a showcase of short and whimsical films from the Semester in Visual Narrative class. Next was a series of film interpretations of Shakespearean sonnets from the Classics in Society class.

Then came the main event.

The first movie to be shown was SuperZeroes, directed by senior Calla Saunders.

“The movie revolved around the idea of everyday people with semi-useless superpowers: as Saunders put it, they were “mediocre superheroes. We wanted to make a movie about mediocre superheroes to use our mediocre special effects abilities. We thought that if the special effects are really bad, then that would add comedic effect because they’re supposed to be really bad superheroes. It kind of works out,” she said.

See more short films on A&E on ubicOnline.com

In the movie, a girl [senior Meghan Joyce] uses levitation to lift objects in the air and learns to evolve her abilities in time to save her sister from a superhero serial killer [senior Riley Wheaton].

“We actually started last weekend, so it was a pretty hectic process,” Saunders said.

“That ended up taking way more time than we thought. If you can believe it, we had no plot

“[PRODUCING THE FILM] WAS A VERY HECTIC PROCESS.” — SENIOR CALLA SAUNDERS

er Reel.

The film starts with multiple frames made to appear like bloopers. In it, a character [sophomore Breandan Gibbons] attacks and accidentally kills one of his friends while roughhousing.

“I was getting ready in the morning and I already had an original film, but my dad made a joke about one of us accidentally severely injuring one of our friends. I took that and turned it into a more serious thing,” Runquist said.

With a track record of films that tended towards the humorous and nonsensical, Runquist hoped to depart from his usual style with Blooper Reel. “I thought it would be interesting to just switch it up like that on people and have a mixture of both funny and serious.”

Runquist describes entering the competition as an experience of branching out; “It gives you a chance to step out of the ordinary and get entertained by your fellow classmates rather than go to the theater. It’s also fun watching your friends on the big screen.”

[planned yet while filming]. We actually filmed the group scene first, so we set up the characters’ personalities and then Meghan and I filmed the rest of it that Saturday.” Afterwards, extra scenes were shot to fill in the plot gaps that were left.

For Saunders, the contribution of the movie to the competition and to her Film Club career is more valuable than the nitty gritty of the film itself.

“Even if this i s kind of a mediocre movie, I like being on the radar,” Saunders said.

Immediately following SuperZeroes was the competition’s only other entry, senior Karsten Runquist’s BloopPHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Stephanie Li

ROES E Z ER

BLOOPE

EL R RE

Young Adult-The section that is always hidden or lackluster in some stores, but Addendum Books avoids this problem all together. Teens can avoid trying to find the young adults section, being faced with the single shelf or table that most bookstores provide, and digging through all of the sections at big bookstores to try and find something at their reading level.

Addendum Books is a bookstore that specializes in young adult literature. The ceiling high shelves covering the walls are filled with every genre, written for 10-18 year olds. Although the bookstore is small, they have a book for everyone.

The owners, Markus Mayer and Katherine Warde, are more than happy to help anybody who is not sure what they’re looking for. Both owners have experience with literature prior to opening the store and know what they’re talking about when it comes to reading. Mayer was a librarian and on many young adult literature award committees and boards. Warde was a teacher and tutor. Both are avid readers. All of the books found at the bookstore have been picked by Mayer and Warde, and it seems like they have a fun fact about every book on the shelves.

Not only does Addendum Books showcase young adult literature, but they have a smaller selection of children’s books as well. Not to mention, many popular books that are signed by the author. Addendum Books is the perfect place to buy gifts for somebody of any age.

Addendum books is informative, whole, and downright adorable, but doesn’t target teens around them to get themselves known. St. Paul Academy is only three minutes away, walking distance, and could easily be a target for a bookstore made for student readers.

PHOTO CREDIT: Riley Wheaton

SUP

Addendum Books

Cold Front Ice Cream KELBY WITTENBERG Staff Writer

Cold Front Ice Cream is a little shop for cold sweet treats nestled next to the familiar Nook. Walking in, the first noticeable feature is the expansive stainless steel counter, a staple of the traditional malt shop. Kids and adults alike will adore watching their delectable desserts come together in front of their eyes on the counter that runs the length of the shop.

Cold Front offers 16 different flavors. These flavors are incredibly creative too, as they range from Kitty Kitty Bang Bang (raspberry cheesecake with oreo and chocolate chunks) to Fat Elvis (banana ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate chips). Some flavors rotate seasonally too, and usually correspond to the season they’re put in, like pumpkin for fall or peppermint for winter. All of their ice cream is purchased from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, an independent manufacturer located in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Fat Elvis flavor dazzles in Cold Front’s lineup, modeling the King’s favorite peanut butter banana sandwiches in an ice cream flavor. The mild sweetness of the banana mixed well with the peanut butter and the chocolate chips pleasantly interrupted the smooth texture.

They also serve malts and sundaes. The malts are made out of the ice cream of your choice, but the sundae toppings are what really stand out. Along with the standard chocolate chips and caramel, Cold Front also features interesting toppings like candied bacon and saltines.

Better still is the selection of classic colas and house-made premium sodas. A handful of the notable sodas would be “Lemongrass Sass,” “Chai Vanilla,” “Carrot Orange,” and what seems to be the most popular, “Pomegranate Ginger.” If you want something to perk up your day, they have a multitude of coffees, combined with a bottomless coffee club.

5/5

14

Sports

THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

SPRING SPORTS BASEBALL

OVERVIEW

JUNIOR WESTON LOMBARD laces a ball to centerfield as a part of a six run third inning to defeat New Life in their home opener. “We just need a spark and from there we are a hard team to slow down,” Lombard said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Breandan Gibbons

GARRETT SMALL Staff Writer

If the team’s first game is any indicator, the St. Paul Academy and Summit School Varsity Baseball team “shows possibility,” junior captain Emerson Egly said.

So far they are living up to Egly’s expectations with a 10-9 win against New Life Academy in their home opener. New Life is the defending State A champions.

ELLIE FINDELL Staff Writer

A distinguishing factor of the boys golf team is that they are the only team that doesn’t wear a jersey or uniform in competitions.

“We used to have uniforms, but they were really ugly and hard to move around in so we decided the best idea was to get rid of them,” junior co-captain Drew O’Hern said.

Many sports teams play on the same field or court every game, but with golf the scenery changes each time.

“I just love being outside and I never get bored because the course always brings new challenges,” second year co-captain Colin O’Hern said.

“It was a good overall team win against a top team in our section. It shows us the possibilities that we have this year,” Egly said.

Junior Weston Lombard agrees. “When we get a couple guys that are buzzing, it rubs off on everyone else,” Lombard said. “We just need a spark and from there we are a hard team to slow down,” he added.

Coach Mike Brown hopes the team will “stay focused” this season. One of Brown’s goals for the team is to make it to double elimination in sections.

Check out RubicOnline for a photo-gallery from the Apr. 11 home win and baseball updates.

BOYS GOLF

A.M. ROBERTS Staff Writer

Q&A with Head Coach Amanda Dlugopolski This is Amanda Dlugopolski’s second year coaching St. Paul Academy and Summit School girls golf. She has offered lessons and played in the golf industry for almost ten years.

Q: How do you motivate the team?

GIRLS GOLF JUNIOR DREW O’HERN tees off on the sixth hole at practice.

PHOTO CREDIT: Breandan Gibbons

JUNIOR MARIA PERKKIO putts during practice.

PHOTO CREDIT: A.M. Roberts

A: Whether we’re at practice or in a match, if they get a par or a birdie, I will dance. I didn’t mean it to happen that way, but I did it once last year and everybody caught onto it.

So at practice the other day, someone got a par and they were like, ‘Coach why aren’t you dancing?’

SPORTS 15

APRIL 2016 • THE RUBICON

BOYS LACROSSE

EMILY THISSEN News Editor

Q&A with Head Coach Mike Cunningham Q: How do you hope your season goes?

A: We head into the season hoping to develop a program filled with quality players that love the game of lacrosse. We’ll compete against very established programs this year and work to challenge both the teams we play and ourselves while participating in each competition. Our mindset will be open to self-improvement and unity and we’ll work to win a couple games too!

Q: Who is on the team?

A: The Blackhaws are a co-op team that allows students at six different high schools to play at a varsity MSHSL level. We’re open to students from St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Minnehaha Academy, DeLaSalle, St Croix Lutheran, Concordia Academy, and St. Agnes.

JUNIOR ROSS KIRBY battles for the ball during the Blackhawks’ first game.

PHOTO CREDIT: Emily Thissen

GIRLS LACROSSE

CLAIRE HALLAWAY Staff Writer

The Girls United Lacrosse team is a co-op between St. Paul Academy and Summit School and Convent of the Visitation. The team focuses on cohesion and unity.

“If one person does something, the whole team has to take the punishment. For instance, the whole team would have to run if one person had to run. I think that really helps build the team,” freshman Betsy Romans said.

Before games, the team blasts music on the bus and chants together, as well as holding their own dance-offs. After each game, the team gives the chosen Player of the Game a special magic wand as a prize for performing so well.

The coach also counts how many ground-balls each player gets in the game and the player who gets the most can get some kind of a prize.

SOPHOMORE HAYLEY HOFFMANN swaggers through the Breck defense during United Lacrosse’s season opener.

PHOTO CREDIT: Breandan Gibbons

Read more about each team on

ubicOnline.com

SOFTBALL

@TheRubiconSPA ISA SAAVEDRA-WEIS Staff Writer

Q&A with Head Coach Bill Ros Bill Ross is the head coach of the girls varsity softball team. He’s been coaching softball at St. Paul Academy and Summit School for twenty-one out of the twenty-five years he’s been teaching at SPA. Before he was the softball coach at SPA, he was the head coach of the softball team at the College of St. Scholastica.

Q: Since you have coached both boys and girls, do you have a specific approach when coaching girls softball?

EIGHTH-GRADER KATHLEEN BISHOP practices her pitching. “We do have practices some days when we feel like we’re getting down and we say ‘okay, nobody say anything negative for the rest of the day’,” junior Olivia Williams Ridge said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Isa Saavedra-Weis

A: There are some differences, but I don’t really focus on that so much. I try to treat everybody with love and respect, but at the same time, you need to work and you need to be a tough kid.

That has nothing to do with gender. I just know that as an athlete, you have to be on time, you have to work, you have to enjoy that work, and you have to be tough, and courageous, and supportive of one another, whether you’re a girl or a boy.

Sports 16

THE RUBICON • APRIL 2016

TENNIS

JACK BENSON Staff Writer

Q&A with Head Coach Viet Pham Viet Pham, Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Tennis team has high hopes for the 2016 season. Pham plans to focus on attitude and participation to shape the individual players into a successful team.

Q: What’s your most important coaching philosophy?

A: They should play with no regrets, be prepared and play with a high energy and intensity. Tennis is a finicky sport where the players can have really good and bad days, but if players control their attitude and mental game, they will perform well.

SENIOR DANISH MAHMOOD backhands a ball during tennis practice.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Benson

ANDREW JOHNSON Staff Writer

With Coach Cari Jo Anderson new to St. Paul Academy this year, she adds a fresh perspective to Track & Field.

“It’s been a really strong start,” she said. “There has been a lot of energy.

Coach Donnelly has been very happy with the attitude and effort the team has put forth.”

Attitude and effort are things that not only Anderson but the entire track coaching staff has preached, and it will go a long way in reaching the goal of mentally and physically surpassing the bar set by last year’s squad. She hopes to “see the athletes grow” and will accomplish the team’s goals by helping runners “get faster and stronger.”

TRACK TRAP SHOOTING

SENIORS PETER BAKER, SHAYMUS O’BRIEN, AND DALANTE PEYTON line up to begin their race.

PHOTO CREDIT: Breandan Gibbons

FRESHMAN RILEY TIETEL takes aim at a clay pigeon during clay target practice. “A lot of people would be surprised if they came out and tried it,” Tietel said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Javier Whitaker-Castañeda

JAVIER WHITAKER-CASTAÑEDA Managing Editor

Often athletes try to avoid the word “pull” because it stands for injury and missed games, but for the SPA Trap Club it is a word the athletes say every time they shoot. Standing in a line of five, shooters announce their readiness by yelling “pull” then a fluorescent orange clay disc shoots into the sky, awaiting either a hit or a miss.

The club is part of the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League. They practice at the Minneapolis Gun Club on Saturday mornings and competes against other schools in their conference.

“I think the main goal [of the season] is just to have fun and get more experience,” sophomore Turab Naqvi said.

Though trap shooters consider their sport as one that takes practice, it is also an incredibly fun and satisfying activity.

“When you shoot a good round and you hit that last bird for a [score of] 24 or 25 and you know that you did well, it’s just a great feeling,” freshman Riley Tietel said. “[Hitting many birds in a row] means that you’re staying consistent—you’re doing pretty well with it,” Naqvi said.

One misconception that some hold about trap shooting is that it is an unsafe sport but, on the contrary, it is one of the least dangerous high school sports offered. “[People often don’t know] how safe we are, because SPA is not very friendly to guns as a whole. But it’s just really safe and I think a lot of people would be surprised if they came out and tried it,” Tietel said.