December 2016 issue

The

ubicon

the student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55105 Volume 44. Issue 4. December 14, 2016.

Shortened words expand casual vocabulary In Depth 15

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 1 COVER • 2-3 NEWS • 4-5 OPINION • 6-7 FEATURE • 8-10 SPORTS • 11 AROUND TOWN • 12-13 A&E • 14-15 IN DEPTH • 16 PHOTO STORY

ABOUT THE COVER

The

ubicon

the student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55105 Volume 44. Issue 4. December 14, 2016.

PUTTING THE ME IN MEME. Slang words and memes provide both communication and entertainment. Read more in IN DEPTH 15.

Administration calls for inclusion of all political views DIANE HUANG

Director of RubicOnline

DESIGN CREDIT: Sophie Jaro

2

N ews

Shortened words expand casual vocabulary In Depth 15

ALSo in ThiS iSSue: 1 coVeR • 2-3 neWS • 4-5 oPinion • 6-7 FeATuRe • 8-10 SPoRTS • 11 ARounD ToWn • 12-13 A&e • 14-15 in DePTh • 16 PhoTo SToRY

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Diane Huang

Groggy faces and squinty eyes shuffled into the auditorium on the morning of Nov. 22. The topic of the impromptu morning assembly headed by Upper School Principal Chris Hughes, was

about making room for political diversity.

In his speech, Hughes stressed the importance of withholding judgment based on political perspectives.

Read more at

THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

Inaugural Service Fair showcases volunteer options NITYA THAKKAR Staff Writer

The Upper School held its first-ever Service Fair on Nov. 30 to connect more students to a variety of service organizations around the Twin Cities.

“The hope of the Service Fair is to combat against the idea that service is just for sophomores, and to help engage students in all grades in service,’’ Community Action and Service advisor Mollie Ward said.

“We’ve always had an interest to do something like the Service Fair but didn’t know if it was even a possibility for us to do,” co-president of the CAS club Ashley Jallen said.

Students were presented opportunities to participate and learn options for service throughout their four years of high school.

The Service Fair was similar to the Clubs Fair, because many

different organizations gathered to share information about what makes their organization unique and encourage students to join in their work.

Although the event took longer to put together than predicted, it was worth the potential benefits.

“We really believe that service does not only better the community, but it also makes you feel happy,” Jallen said.

Many students were able to connect with organizations that they are interested in volunteering with.

“I think [the Service Fair] provided information to the whole school about the organizations they can get involved in that they wouldn’t necessarily hear about,” sophomore Izzy Dieperink said.

Sophomore Elea Besse added, “I also think that a lot of people at our school want to get involved, but they don’t necessarily know

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Nitya Thakkar

FINDING A GOOD CAUSE. Sophomores Rachael Johnson and Jenny Sogin and junior Sorcha Ashe talk with a volunteer organization at the service fair on Nov. 30. “We’ve always had an interest to do something like the Service Fair,” co-president of CAS Ashley Jallen said. how, and I think that the service fair is a good way for them to find stuff that they’re passionate about or that just looks interesting and fun.”

Both Dieperink and Besse thought that The Sanneh Foundation was interesting and they might want to volunteer there, because of the option to tutor.

“I think [service] is important because we all want to help people but we don’t really know how to reach out, and so it is helpful that [many organizations] reached out to us and showed us how we can help people,” junior Drew Fawcett said.

“I also think that everybody can spare free time in their weeks

to just help out a little bit and make a difference,” he said.

For a complete list of participating service organizations and video and audio recordings from their representatives, go to the story at

History dept. reimagines race elective “[Students] will be grappling with what it means to think about race and racism through history and the 21st century.”

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Max Soll

CONTEMPLATING RACE. Upper School history teacher Ryan Oto brings back the History of Race class as a senior elective in January.

“We are going to be tracing the ways that history has been experienced for those people here [in the U.S.] and the ways that those stories are told and why they are told that way,” Oto said.

MAX SOLL Staff Writer

2017 will begin with a new History of Race course taught as a senior seminar. Upper School history teacher Ryan Oto and his students will explore case studies on Dakota, African American, Latino, Chinese, Japanese, and Muslim experiences in the U.S. “We are going to be tracing the ways that history has been experienced for those people here [in the U.S.] and the ways that those stories are told and why they are told that way,” Oto said.

This class builds off of the survey level U.S. history seminar that juniors take, by using it as context for the cases that the History of Race class will study.

However, students in the History of Race class will be looking at stories involving race throughout U.S. history that are not covered in the junior course.

“They [students] will be grappling with what it means to think about race and racism through history and in the 21st century,” Oto said.

This is Oto’s first time teaching the class, but it isn’t the first

— UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER RYAN OTO

PHOTO: Kathryn Campbell

MAKE WAY FOR THE CHALET. Some classes will move to portable classrooms during Schilling Center construction this spring. “They will look, feel, and operate like any other classroom,” US Principal Chris Hughes said.

Construction preparation for temporary classrooms begins NOAH RICE Staff Writer

time that a class like this has been taught.

US history teacher Sushmita Hodges introduced the first course on race: “The first iteration of this class I taught in 2001 for three years as an intro to multicultural studies which focused on race, class and gender.”

After that, similar courses were taught by other teachers with different forms and focuses.

Oto is bringing this class back after a several years where is hasn’t been taught at all.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun” he said.

As the plans for the new Schilling Math and Science wing move forward, students and teachers watch the ground break for the portable classrooms they will soon call home.

“We don’t know all the details of the timetable yet; we anticipate that we will likely be using them for the better part of two years, but it will depend on the timing of the renovations to the Upper School,” Hughes said.

There will be one building located south of the music wing, near the baseball diamond, with 12 classrooms and a central corridor. Each classroom will be

equipped with heating and cooling, white boards, projectors, and all the necessary material found in classrooms already.

“There is no reason to be concerned - they will look, feel, and operate like any other classroom —somewhat longer than some of our current rooms—and they are close enough that it won’t be much different than walking to a music class,” US Principal Chris Hughes said.

All the classes currently in the east wing and third floor will be moved to the portable classroom building.

The move in will commence after Spring Break, but an official timeline has yet to be finalized.

WRAPPING PARTY. Students wrap gifts at the wrapping party in the lunch room on Dec. 7. The event was hosted by Community Action and Service as part of the annual Support-a-Family participation.

Advisories purchase gifts for annual Support-aFamily service event

NITYA THAKKAR Staff Writer

Participating advisories spent the Dec. 7 x-period wrapping gifts they’d purchased for Support-a-Family, a program run

by Project for Pride in Living, along with Allina Health. PPL is a non-profit organization based

in the Twin Cities that assists low-income families in gaining access to affordable housing and education.

Read the full story at

N ews

3 Debate national qualifiers decided, regular season concluded THE RUBICON PHOTO: Nitya Thakkar

THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

SOPHIE JARO

Chief Visual Editor Four varsity Public Forum debate teams represented St. Paul Academy and Summit School at the National Qualifying Tournament held at SPA on Dec. 10.

The teams consist of seniors Henry Ziemer and Kathryn Schmechel, senior Sarah Wheaton and junior Adnan Askari, seniors Raffi Toghramadjian and Shefali Bijwadia, and juniors Ben Konstan and Numi Katz. Senior Coleman Thompson will serve as the alternate for the tournament.

The tournament qualifies teams for the national tournament held in June in Birmingham, AL. “The national tournament is the most prestigious tournament in the country and the only one with all the best teams in one place,” Wheaton said.

Wheaton placed fourth in the tournament last year. She attended nationals as an alternate.

To make it to the 2017 Birmingham tournament, teams must survive the double elimination style tournament. Two losses

and a team is disqualified.

“Our biggest competition will definitely be the four teams from Eastview [high school],” Wheaton said.

The initial twenty-four teams debate throughout the day until only three remain. These three teams will be sent to the national tournament.

The topic for this year’s competitors? Plan Colombia, a U.S. military and diplomatic aid initiative combating drug cartels in Colombian territory.

“Although we are debating a new topic for this tournament, this year has allowed us to establish partnerships and get to know the teams we will be debating against at the tournament,” Wheaton said.

The national qualifier is only the second tournament at which the teams will debate Plan Colombia.

“So far, our preparation has mostly involved reading as many articles as we can about Plan Colombia, writing speeches, compiling extra evidence, and doing practice rounds with our teammates,” Askari said.

FAST FACTS PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE EACH TEAM COMPETES AGAINST ONE OTHER TEAM (TEAM A, TEAM B) AND THEY HAVE EQUAL TIME TO PRESENT THEIR ARGUMENTS THE RUBICON PHOTO: Sophie Jaro

START PREP TIME. Juniors Ben Konstan, Numi Katz, Adnan Askari and Senior Sarah Wheaton practice cross-fire questioning in preparation for the national qualifiers tournament held at SPA on Dec. 10.

“Our routine doesn’t really change, but it definitely gets more intense. This is one of the tournaments SPA most wants to do well at since it has consequences for the rest of the year,” Wheaton said.

Debaters practiced their arguments for the tournament at the SPA Invitational hosted on Dec. 3. Most of the teams who com-

pete in the national qualifier also attended the SPA invitational. The SPA team of Katz and Konstan placed first in that tournament.

“It served as a warm-up tournament to practice our arguments before the real event the next weekend,” Katz said.

National qualifiers will be announced in the online update to this article at

PUBLIC FORUM CONSISTS OF 11 PARTS, 8 OF WHICH ARE SPEECHES PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE ENDS WITH A CROSSFIRE THE STYLE IS DESIGNED TO BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND ENTERTAINING COMPILED FROM: INTERNATIONAL DEBATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

Advanced Science Research students present their first semester findings JAVIER WHITAKER-CASTAÑEDA Editor-in-Chief

Like a choose your own adventure novel, students in the Advanced Science Research class can choose any path they want through a year long science lab.

Mussels, bird migration, contaminated roof runoff, and plasma were just a few of the topics that students chose to investigate in their personal scientific explorations.

On Dec. 6 student presenters shared their projects and results with and audience of parents, science teachers, and other interested parties in Driscoll Commons.

The ASR class was started in 2012 and has offered opportunities to students passionate about science ever since.

“I’ve always been interested in science. [ASR] has been a way to draw from that,” junior Emma Hills said.

Hills researched the effects of urbanization on migratory birds to see if some birds were more affected by increased urbanization than others. After collecting data

students also gain valuable skills for possible future scientific endeavors. “[The class let me] develop my own research ideas, work independently. I had free reign over everything,” Hills said.

“[The class let me] develop my own research ideas [and] work independently.”

— JUNIOR EMMA HILLS Each ASR student improved their lab skills throughout the class but all studied very different things. Juniors Henry Zietlow and Iya Abdulkarim studied sea creatures and their habits. Zietlow tested whether increased ammonia levels in water could cause mussels to burrow deeper into sand. Abdulkarim was interested in the learning patterns of zebra fish and whether they preferred

to observe novel or familiar objects. Junior Ben Mellin created his own polymers in the lab and tested their flexural strength.

This is also the first year that three projects have been interrelated. Seniors Diane Huang, Jack Indritz, and Mari Knudson all investigated separate facets of water runoff contamination. Their projects included a lab study, a field study, and a plant investigation.

Because ASR is a year long class some students had compiled results from their labs while others, in the midst of data collection, will give a more thorough presentation in the spring.

Seniors Sara Bohjanen, Ian Scott, and Sarah Wheaton are all completing investigations at the University of Minnesota. Under the guidance of both upper school science teacher Beth Seibel-Hunt and U of M scientists they each created a unique lab.

Bohjanen is researching chitin and pathogens. Scott is working on the synthesis of nano-particles with Plasma Liquid Interface.

Wheaton is exploring gender ste-

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Javier Whitaker-Castañeda

A LITTLE H20. Seniors Diane Huang and Mari Knudson present interrelated findings on water quality in roof runoff on Dec. 6. “[The class let me] develop my own research ideas, work independently. I had free reign over everything,” sophomore Emma Hills said. reotypes using eye tracking technology. Each of these students will continue to work through the spring.

“I expect I’ll have data just before I go to college,” Bohjanen said. She thinks her project will go longer than some of the other ASR labs.

ASR is an opportunity for scientifically inclined students to take full agency in an experiment of their choosing. It’s a class that shows true versatility and independence. Whether it be mussels or polymers with flexural strength, anything can be investigated scientifically.

CORRECTIONS POLICY

LAST MONTH’S CORRECTIONS

During the post-critique process, staff members will identify inaccuracies and report on feedback from readers. Corrections will be printed in the next edition of the newspaper in the News section.

Feature 12: In DMV story, Anjali Tadavarthy quote was attributed to her sister, J.J. Wertkin’s last name was misspelled. Around Town 19: Cretin-Derham Hall was misspelled in The Nook story. Juicy Lucy was spelled inconsistently; it shouldn’t be “Juicy Luicy” (Matt’s Bar spells it Jucy Lucy)

4

E ditorial

THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

Thank you for making our community great Last month’s Opinions section included a piece that voiced that students should be grateful for the community that they are part of. This month, as the semester comes to an end, The Rubicon staff has decided to say thank you to those who work so hard to keep St. Paul Academy and Summit School up and running, in ways that make our community as welcoming as possible.

STAFF EDITORIAL The Rubicon Staff

The lunch staff serves roughly 1,100 meals a day, and 5,500 meals a week

700 lbs

of meat protein per week

320 lbs of

vegetables per week

45 gallons of ice cream served per week

8 cleaners work together to clean the

They work

8 hours

200,000 sq. ft.

per day, and

Upper School

40 hours per week

Many staff members are former or current military personnel, police officers, and EMTs

300

parking permits issued this year

The Upper School Maintenance Staff receives approx.

45 requests

Work all nonschool events

5 workers cover the

270,000 sq. ft.

per week

Upper School

RubicOnline was read from

7 continents last week

690 readers

accessed RubicOnline last week

2164

750 copies

of The Rubicon are printed each month

engagement on Facebook last week

Dear Lunch Staff, Thank you for always having the patience to serve us lunch. Thank you for continuing to smile and greet us even as you work, and having conversations with us that make our day better. We are very fortunate to always have well cleaned tables and dishes and a staff that’s so committed to serving quality food. Thank you for the countless hours that you all spend every single day making delicious food and preparing our cafeteria.

Dear Cleaning Staff, Although we may not see you much in the hallways or in classrooms, we still appreciate everything you do for our school. Thank you for coming everyday to make sure our school is clean and orderly. Thank you for the hours you spend at night working on preparing the space for the next day. You truly do make SPA a more comfortable place to learn in.

Dear Security Staff, Thank you for your focus to keep our school as safe as possible. Thank you for welcoming us as we walk through the doors in the morning, and thank you for saying goodbye as we leave. Thank you for making sure everything in the building is running smoothly and securely.

Dear Maintenance Staff, Thank you for keeping our rooms up and running. Whenever there is a problem you are always available to help fix it whether it be a broken piece of furniture or a burned out light. Thank you for taking such good care of the spaces while we are away. Thank you for all you do to make the building as structurally safe as it can be.

Dear Readers, The Rubicon would also like to take a moment to thank all of our readers. We appreciate the support and feedback that we receive in print, online, and via social media. Thank you for caring about the content we present to you, and sharing our work with friends and family. We are truly thankful for the community that we get to report on every month.

Sincerely, The Rubicon Staff

Infographic Design: Jasper Green Facts compiled from Simon Barrow, Taher; Mark Dickinson, Director of Operations; Bradshaw Anderson, Security; Pete Kilibarda, Maintenance, and Google and Facebook Analytics for RubicOnline

THE RUBICON

St. Paul Academy and Summit School • 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 • rubicon.spa@gmail.com • www.RubicOnline.com • @TheRubiconSPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR GRAPHICS MANAGER NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS FEATURE EDITORS IN DEPTH EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR AROUND TOWN EDITOR PHOTO STORY EDITOR

Javier Whitaker-Castañeda Sophie Jaro Noor Qureishy Mari Knudson Andrew Johnson, Ellie Nowakowski Jasper Green, Krista Schlinger Jack Benson, Claire Hallaway Iya Abdulkarim Jonah Harrison Jenny Sogin Marlee Baron Stephanie Li

DIRECTOR OF RUBICONLINE CREATIVE DESIGN MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER STORY/ SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITORS PHOTOJOURNALIST ILLUSTRATOR/VIDEOGRAPHER COLUMNISTS

Diane Huang Amodhya Samarakoon Clare Tipler Lauren Boettcher Ellie Findell, Peter Blanchfield Emily Thissen Isabel Saavedra-Weis Mimi Geller Breandan Gibbons, Michael Forsgren Kelby Wittenberg Web Lehmann Spencer Allen, Ewan Lang, Peter Schavee

STAFF WRITERS Annie Bottern, Quinn Christensen, Flannery EnnekingNorton, Abby Hedberg, Tristan Hitchens-Brookins, Austin Leiby, Chloe Morse, Noah Raaum, Noah Rice, Sharee Roman, Emma Sampson, Max Soll, Noah Solomon, Nitya Thakkar ADVISER Kathryn Campbell

O pinions

THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

5

Companies with young users must regulate advertising JAVIER WHITAKER-CASTAÑEDA Editor-in-Chief

There were many good reasons behind the ban of cigarette advertising from American televisions, but has the Federal Trade Commission forgotten the dark history of inappropriate ad campaigns? To be clear, cigarette advertising ran rampant for decades. Ads that seem shocking and unacceptable from today’s perspective were commonplace.

Cigarette companies frequently promoted the health benefits of their products and paid doctors to take a supportive attitude towards tobacco. Even more dangerous were ad campaigns that featured celebrities or cartoon characters.

According to The New York Times the intent of many tobacco companies was to convert younger parts of the United States population to become smokers when they grew up. By today’s standards this practice is condemnable, but only recently was action taken against these companies. It was not until the 1970s that the government banned television and radio advertising of tobacco products and only in 1984 was a smoking education act passed according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

But while modern society scoffs at the negligence shown by the American Government, many do not realize that a similarly dangerous pattern is emerging today.

Some platforms, particularly Snapchat, pose a dilemma for government regulation agencies.

Like television in its time, social media platforms are a new advertising platform, the likes of which have not been seen before. Some platforms, particularly Snapchat, pose a dilemma for government regulation agencies. As Contently.com, a content strategist website explains, it is understandably hard to monitor something that lasts for just a few seconds then disappears.

Though it is difficult for the government to regulate social media platforms, it is imperative that proper effort is made towards this, considering the younger audience that is currently exposed to the content on these platforms.

According to statistic 23% of Snapchat users are under 18 years old. That means nearly one in four users have legal restrictions on what they should be exposed to but the regulations are not keeping up.

First off, many Snapchat celebrities are not clear about when their content is sponsored and when it is not. Snapchat persona

DJ Khaled, for example, is known to praise cocoa butter repeatedly but is not paid by the company to do so.

More maliciously however, some content on Snapchat is sexually explicit or promotes alcohol use. According to the Los Angeles Times, Snapchat gives editorial independence to its third party content creators on the “Discover” page. This means that sponsored content creators can post questionable material freely alongside individual users like DJ Khaled who already have no restrictions.

Yet Snapchat has not yet begun to place warning labels before inappropriate content.

Furthermore, DJ Khaled posts content that features Ciroc vodka which runs the risk of glamorizing the product to younger audiences, even if he does make a point to tell his viewers to drink responsibly.

If society becomes complacent and allows celebrities to advertise alcohol to those who are underage, then the effect of government regulations may regress back to a time when cartoon characters sold cigarettes. It is essential to encourage the government to keep up with evolving media platforms. Students should realize that this trend is not normal and that these advertisements are not for minors’ eyes, whether or not that’s what the advertisers are intending.

Snapchat Statistics: A Schock Top beer ad recieved 12.5 millon views 60% of 13-34 year old U.S. smartphone users use Snapchat.

66% of users send snapchats daily.

SPONSORED FILTER FROM: BUDNOTWISER BEER

Snapchat has over 150 million users.

Users that are active daily spend about 30 minutes on the app.

Snapchat Geofilters get 800 million views every day

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Javier Whitaker-Castaneda INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN: Krista Schlinger and Jasper Green Information compiled from Adweek.com

Diversity in children’s entertainment represents progress

READING RAINBOWS PETER SCHAVEE Columnist

Television examines American life through a lens colored by writers, directors, animators, and actors. These media creators plan every scene to convey meaning.

Regardless of the targeted age

level, each moment in a show carries a meaning greater than what appears on the screen.

Consider the cultural impact these shows have when they cast diverse characters that teach contemporary social norms -- not just the majority opinion. Though adult television shows have made some advancements, children’s television programs most of the growth in diversity on children’s shows is only skin deep.

Television shows produced by big name stars have begun to include more diverse casts with major roles occupied by these diverse actors. Shows like “Master of None,” a Netflix Original, starring Aziz Ansari follows the

Imagine a time when the shows that children grow up with embrace a diverse cast. everyday interactions of a nonwhite character, with supporting roles of differing races and sexualities. The success of the show, seen through its nomination for an Emmy, demonstrates that American culture not only accepts but embraces television

shows that break some of the usual cultural settings of today. Still, “Master of None” is an adult program, but can we say that progress in children’s media has been as widespread When examining the development of children’s media, look no further than Zootopia, the film conveys the importance of acceptance within society, addressing race issues in a comprehensible way to youth. But, when can our television shows capture the sentiment of homosexuality or gender inequality by portraying characters with separate appearances from that of what we have grown accustomed to observing in the mainstream media.

Imagining a time when the shows that children grow up with embrace a diverse cast, placing them in leading roles, demonstrating the true development of our society towards a more accepting culture. Even though we have seen developments within children’s media, progress can still be made. It seems strange today to consider American culture to still have backwards norms, yet we still have progress to make in our own society towards creating a more accepting environment and children shows will capture America’s true mentality scene by scene.

POLICIES, MEMBERSHIPS, AND AWARDS

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

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Opinions

BY LINES credit the individual who

ANONYMOUS SOURCES

MEMBERSHIPS Columbia

is published eight times a year. We distribute 750 copies of each issue to the Upper School which are available for free.

are welcomed as Letters to the Editor or Submitted Opinions and may be published in the print or online edition. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 400 words and Submitted Opinions should not exceed 650 words and may be edited for style. All pieces must be submitted with a full name.

conducted interviews, drafted, revised and fact-checked an assigned story. Double 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 “Additional reporting provided by” followed by the name of the reporter.

Although it is always preferable to use names when reporting, there are times when it is necessary to protect those we report on. In the case of a student, the use of grade level as a name designation will be the preferred method of anonymity.

Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, MN High School Press Association, Quill and Scroll Society

EDITORIALS articulate the collective opinion of The Rubicon staff, while mini-editorials, opinions pieces, arts reviews, and columns belong to the author of works published in the Opinions section.

ADVERTISING The Rubicon does not accept advertisements.

POLICIES detailed The Rubicon policies are published at RubicOnline.

PUBLICATION AWARDS NSPA All-American, Pacemaker (Online) and Finalist (Print) CSPA Gold Medalist (Hybrid), Silver Crown Award (Hybrid), SNO Distinguished Site JEM All State Gold

6

F eature

THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

Speaking volumes in other languages Camps, websites, tutoring and apps build fluency

Languages are learned in many forms

CHLOE MORSE Staff Writer

New words. New grammar.

Sometimes even a new alphabet.

These are the three things that come together when learning a new language. Nearly every student in the United States learns a second language, whether through high school, college, or a postgraduate education. A new Gallup poll revealed that over a quarter of American adults are bilingual.

A poll of 35 students, grades 9-12 found that 63% of language learners are studying more than one second language. The rise of learning apps like Duolingo, and language programs like the ones at Concordia Language Villages make learning additional languages easier. 55% of students study a third language through Duolingo, while 6% attend Concordia Language Villages. About 13% of students also learn languages through exposure from family. Approximately 16% of students study through two or more of these methods.

“My parents taught me russian before english, and I kinda kept using it.”

— SOPHOMORE REUBEN VIZELMAN Sophomore Reuben Vizelman is one of these students. He studies French in school and Russian outside of school. He has had lifelong exposure to Russian, and never stopped wanting to learn.

“My parents taught me Russian before English, and I kinda kept using it,” Vizelman said.

Ninth grader Naomi Wilson had prolonged exposure to a language as well, but in her case, the language was Chinese. Wilson went to the Chinese immersion school Yinghua Academy for ten years, and only this year started to study Chinese outside of school via a Minnesota Online High School course. “[There’s] definitely less connection [in an online course]... rather than a classroom where I can see everyone and talk to everyone,” Wilson said regarding her online class.

Sophomore Gemma Yoo, rather than a year long approach, studies Korean every summer at Concordia Language Villages.

She has Korean family, so the language holds special significance to her. However, Yoo notices and tries to remedy the flaws created in going to a yearly summer camp to learn a language.

“I think since consistency is really important [when learning a language], Spanish [in school],

CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES, LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS:

These programs are for both youth and adults in Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, French, Arabic, Finnish, Italian, Korean, English, Russian, Norwegian, Chinese, German, Japanese and Swedish.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS: Gemma Yoo

LANGUAGE GROWTH. Sophomore Gemma Yoo attends Concordia Language Villages Sup sogŭi Hosu over the summer ““I’m thinking about possibly adding another language next year. Learning French would be interesting...or Latin would be really cool to learn,” she said. and having a regular class [versus the yearly camps], is probably more helpful,” Yoo said.

At the moment, Yoo can’t do much to prepare for the Concordia Language Village in the summer, though she does listen to Korean music. However, that will soon change as Duolingo is soon going to release a Korean language feature, which will allow for more practice in Korean.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Yoo said.

Wilson is discovering the more subtle differences and possible problems with learning a language online versus in a class.

In her first year studying online, Wilson didn’t really know what to expect from an online course.

However, the apparent differences don’t affect Wilson’s desire to learn online.

“On one hand, I can’t practice my speaking abilities, and on the other hand I do a lot more writing [online],” Wilson said “I feel like one [way of learning] is not better than the other, they’re just different.”

In the last two years, Vizelman decided he wanted to delve more deeply into the details of Russian grammar, and enrolled in a private tutoring program. He is able to refine his knowledge of details by reading and writing Russian, while apps or programs like Rosetta Stone and Duolingo don’t work for him because he already knows the basics.

“Right now I want to be able to read a sentence and [not just] spell [it out], I want to get more fluent,” Vizelman said. “Before I was throwing out words that were kinda like the general things, but they weren’t exactly correct so they sounded kinda weird.”

Yoo’s familial connection to her language provides another layer of goals when it come to learning Korean.

DUOLINGO WEBSITE AND APP:

This app is helps teach users over 25 languages. It’s free and users can even practice more than one language at a time.

ROSETTA STONE

SUBMITTED PHOTOS: Gemma Yoo

DAILY PRACTICE. Sophomore Gemma Yoo works on Spanish homework. She said, “I think since consistency is really important. Having a regular class of Spanish [in school versus the yearly camps in Korean] is probably more helpful.”

“My dad’s family is from Korea...My grandparents speak Korean, so I wanted to be able to talk to them and understand them better,” Yoo said.

Wilson thinks big with her goals involving language, for the sake of travel.

“I really [want to] be a world class citizen, and so I can communicate with people, and make more friends,” Wilson said.

Long term, Vizelman doesn’t plan to learn any other languages.

However, his desire to learn Russian now is in part inspired by his preparedness in college.

“Part of the reason I’m [learning Russian] is to [prepare] for college, and do it in college.

That’s one of my main goals,” Vizelman said.

Wilson is aiming to learn a minimum of five languages, one of which she wants to be Hindi. Wilson also gave advice for learning a language you’re passionate about.

“If you want to learn a language, it doesn’t matter when you start....I mean, you could start today. Just go on YouTube, and watch some videos of the language you want to learn, and you just start learning,” Wilson said.

Yoo has similar interests to Wilson when it comes to language learning.

“I’m thinking about possibly adding another language next year. Learning French would be interesting...or Latin would be really cool to learn,” Yoo said.

While learning a third language outside of school creates additional work, Wilson, Yoo, and Vizelman are all inspired to learn a third language.

“I think it’s a really cool thing to do,” Yoo said.

WEBSITE AND APP:

Rosetta Stone is a program available to mobile users that features up to 30 language settings. The program can be downloaded or used through a subscription or CD-ROM set.

ONLINE MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL

COURSES OR TUTORING:

There are also many classes and courses available that can even provide users with high school credit. Tutors can also be a great resource for practice with listening and speaking.

F eature

THE RUBICON •DECEMBER 2016

7

Diversity Dean fosters inclusivity and equity JENNY SOGIN

The Rubicon Editor “We live in a world that’s very diverse, and we live in a school that values diversity, inclusivity, and equity, and so the goal of [my work] is to prepare our students for a very diverse and multicultural world,” Dean of Diversity Karen Dye said passionately as she talked in-depth about her job.

Many students at St. Paul Academy know very little about the work she does at school. A few may have seen her advising some of the Upper School clubs, but there is little knowledge amongst the US students about the work Dye does for the school.

Dye works with a wide variety of groups, ranging from students in grades K-12 to parents. In the upper school, Dye not only advises and co-advises student clubs, like the Intercultural Club and a few affinity groups, but she also works closely with teachers.

“A huge percentage of my job is working with the adults in the community, not just personnel. A [big] part is getting in the classroom and helping teachers in the classroom, not just with planned activities and curriculum, but also when [they] have particular issues with students in their class,” Dye said.

However, Dye doesn’t just work with teachers and students, she recruits them.

“I work with hiring in personal management here, which takes up a bunch of time because for faculty [positions], top administration positions, and the positions that

work with students, I’m on the hiring committee… [I also] do a lot with recruitment in the admission office. Not just helping select students that come to this school, but also… keeping an eye on the materials we put out, making sure they’re inclusive,” Dye said.

Dye’s work is not limited to the school, it also stretches nationwide.

“The goal of [my work] is to prepare our students for a very diverse and multicultural world.”

— DIVERSITY DEAN KAREN DYE “I do a lot of presentations around the country on different diversity issues, ranging from the professional development programing that I’ve done, some of my direct student work… [and] how to start affinity groups… I [also] go to a lot of conferences, and when I go, I go to really listen and bring back practices from other schools.”

Dye’s work centers around three core values: diversity, inclusivity, and equity.

“I think diversity, inclusion, and equity is beneficial for everybody in the world we live in... It’s part of the fabric of the school… there’s a bigger institutional com-

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Jenny Sogin

WORLD OF CULTURES. Diversity Dean Karen Dye at her desk working to spread important values to the whole school. “I think diversity, inclusion, and equity is beneficial for everybody in the world we live in...

It’s part of the fabric of the school.” Dye said. mitment to it… [and we] want to see how [it] affects not just other people who aren’t like us, but all of us in terms of living and working together.”

Personal life experiences have not only influenced her work, but they have also allowed her to connect with students.

“Being a person of color myself and being a woman is inherent to the work I do, so my personal experiences growing up and my lens on the world directly in-

forms the work that I do with students. I had a really similar experience growing up; I didn’t go to a private school, but I did attend a school with very few people of color, and it’s a lot better here, but some of the situations are a lot similar to my own experiences.”

Dye also participates in organizations outside of school where she finds more ideas to incorporate diversity, inclusivity, and equity to SPA.

“I’m on the board of the Minnesota Black Music Association and it’s an organization that promotes black media overall and in the Twin Cities. I’ve actually met a lot people through that who I’ve actually partnered with and did some things back here at school, so that’s been a great networking opportunity for my work here,” Dye said.

Distanced siblings share genes and jeans Students relate feelings of older siblings coming home from college IYA ABDULKARIM The Rubicon Editor

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Emily Carter

BEAN THERE TOGETHER. Junior Emily Carter poses in front of the Chicago Bean with her older sister, a former SPA graduate. “I like being an ‘only child’ sometimes, but sometimes my parents are too involved in my life because she’s not here,” Carter said.

Being mistaken for a sibling by friends or family is a frequent experience for a handful of St. Paul Academy and Summit School students. Having a sibling take off to college gives hope that such experiences will become uncommon. New benefits include having a room all to yourself, or taking those last few pieces left behind in the closet. That change is embraced.

But what happens when they come back?

Following thanksgiving break, Senior Raffi Toghramadjian said “it’s always good to have them back,” in reference to his two older brothers, both of whom attend Boston University.

“It was definitely weird at first, not having them being around.

I’m using to having someone to talk to all the time, someone to do stuff with,” Toghramadjian said.

“It was definitely weird at first, not having them being around. ” — SENIOR RAFFI TOGHRAMADJIAN “I have gotten used to it [and] it doesn’t feel as weird,” he said.

“I have stolen some of their clothes that they left behind,” he added.

For junior Emily Carter, having her sister Delaney Carter, who graduated in 2015 and currently attends Butler University, back home means some limitations.

“It’s fun to see her,” Carter said, “but it sometimes gets kind of annoying because I’m so used to not having her home --and then she’s just there.”

Among the two sisters, the older is usually the closet which the younger invades. However, during a recent holiday, the tables turned. “[Delaney] forgot to bring clothes home for the holidays, so she just stole all of my clothes, not the other way around,” Carter said. “I miss her clothes.”

8

S po

THE RUBICON •

S P O R T S

W I NT E R GIRLS BASKETBALL NOAH SOLOMAN Staff Writer

“It’s now or never” The lyrics of the famous High School Musical song ring loud through the athletic hallway. The players of the Girls Varsity Basketball team sing this song with pride in order to hype themselves up for the game ahead of them. This is a pregame tradition that has held strong for years.

Among other traditions are “a dance called gigolo before every game to get us pumped up,” as well as “celebrating big wins with fruit roll ups and gushers,” junior captain Erin McNamer said.

McNamer describes the Girls Varsity Basketball team as “goofy, funny, hard-working, supportive, and optimistic.”

Being a new or younger player on a varsity team can be a challenging or even scary experience. McNamer and her teammates recognize this and have made inclusion a team focus.

“There’s a lot of new players this year, and one of our big team values is inclusion and making sure everyone feels like they have a place and role on the team, so growing together is essential,” McNamer said. Girls Varsity Basketball works hard to “improve the social aspect of our team,” McNamer said.

The Girls Varsity Basketball team ended their last season run with a record of 9-18. This year they aim to turn last year’s record around and improve it.

“Last year we doubled our wins from the previous year, and we want to continue that this year, to improve our record,” McNamer said.

Visit RubicOnline for a GoPro video series on the Winter Sports teams.

FOCUS AND SHOOT. Junior Izzy Denny pauses before shooting the ball for a free throw. The Girls Varsity team is “goofy, funny, hard-working, supportive, and optimistic,” junior captain Erin McNamer said.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Noah Solomon

BOYS BASKETBALL

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Javier Whitaker-Castañeda

MOVE YOUR FEET. Junior Nik Elsaesser defends senior Tommy Dicke during a December practice.

“I’m older now, and I have some real experience,” Dicke said.

ANNIE BOTTERN

Spartan Boys Basketball is focused on making everyone feel included on and off the court. This year, most of the players in the program are 9th graders and sophomores who haven’t gotten to know the older players. The captains want to make a change in the way new players are introduced to the team.

“We have team socials throughout the year which mix all three teams, and we have mandatory team meals [before games] so that the boys will have time to socialize and mix,” senior captain Emerson Egly said.

While they want to win, the boys basketball program believes that socializing as team will help the energy flow better on the court.

The program has lost many key players since last year and is faced with a challenge on how to fill in those lost positions. Egly believes they’re capable of reaching their goal by using team dinners to get to know each other better and excel on the court.

“We have a lot of young talent that we hope to bring together this year, and this year we will be learning how to play together as a team,” Egly said.

Senior captain Tommy Dicke knows what it is like to see the team change every year and bring up younger players. Dicke’s first year on varsity was his sophomore year, and he understands the level of competitiveness that goes on to play at this level.

“I’m older now, and I have some real experience. Last year was my first year playing big minutes [in games] so I know what to expect. I understand the intimidation that comes with playing juniors and seniors from other schools,” he said.

Staff Writer

9

orts DECEMBER 2016

DANCE TEAM

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Claire Hallaway

AND KICK. 9th graders Annika Findlay, Ellie Hoppe, Lara Cayci (Minnehaha), and Lucia Granja (Minnehaha) practice for their upcoming competitions in January. “The performing part is really fun because it’s a nice payoff after a lot of practice. It’s nice to show off what you’ve learned and worked really hard on,” Findlay said.

At the beginning of the Alpine Skiing season, eager skiers struggle with fluctuating temperatures and inconsistent snow. In the meantime, they do dryland training.

“Right now for practice we are mainly just doing dryland. We were hoping to get out on the snow earlier but right now we’re just working on strength and other things with The Powerhouse, and when the snow comes we’ll be able to actually practice, so I’m hoping that it snows soon,” senior captain John Soranno said.

However, dryland training is not as dry as one may think. The Alpine Team makes sure to have a fun time training together.

“The team is pretty young but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have a good time. My co-captain John Soranno is really crazy and he loves to play a speaker at practice. The team gets really into each song that he plays,” senior captain Katie Brunell said.

Even though it does not seem likely that the Boys team will go to state, the team hasn’t given up hope: “For the boys team, our goal is to get the team to state. State is always something good to hope for even though it might not be realistic,” Soranno said.

Similarly for the girls team, going to state may not be realistic.

“The girls team is not a full team this year which means that we have less than nine skiers. A goal for the team will be to have a really good time and to try to improve ourselves as skiers,” Brunell said.

The Dance Team faces many changes this year; both big and small. The team combined with Minnehaha Academy and got rid of captains for the first time in over five years. However, they are able to stay positive about these changes and bond as a combined team. They hope to achieve a few of the goals they’ve set for themselves so far and have a dynamic season.

9th graders Ellie Hoppe and Annika Findlay have been on the team for over two years now and have adjusted well to the changes involved in becoming a co-op team. “[We hope] to try and do our best. We’re also a beginner team so we’re mostly just trying to place at our competitions,” Findlay said.

“As a team goal, we’re also trying to get more girls on the team, considering we had 25 at the start of the season, then we had 18 and now we have about seven,” Findlay said.

Both Findlay and Hoppe’s favorite parts of the team are being able to perform and going to practice with their other teammates.

“The performing part is really fun because it’s a nice payoff after a lot of practice. It’s nice to show off what you’ve learned and worked really hard on,” Findlay said.

The team practices five days a week from 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. and competes nearly every weekend of their season. They perform at different high schools and have even danced at some basketball games. “[The hardest part] is probably when you mess up during a competition or performance but not showing it because then everyone will know that you messed up,” Hoppe said.

CLARE HALLAWAY The Rubicon Editor

ALPINE SKIING

JASPER GREEN The Rubicon Editor

BOYS SWIM & DIVE

PHOTO Reprinted with Permission: David Matenaer

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Jenny Sogin

ROLL IT OUT. 9th grader Kate Thomas rolls out her muscles before working out for dryland. “Right now for practice we are mainly just doing dryland,” captain John Soranno said.

Win or lose, the Boys Swim & Dive team has style... and this year, that style involves gummy bear Speedos.

“As always, the boys and I are trying to win conference championships, section championships and state championships. However, this year we are really looking to break records,” junior Breandan Gibbons said.

The team especially want to break the 4x100 relay record held by Cretin-Derham Hall as well as various personal records.

“We are a strong team; everyone buys in this year to the message of winning. In the past this team has all been about just having a fun time with friends... [but] this year everyone wants to win and we are capable of that,” Gibbons said.

The team is excited to revisit past traditions again this year.

“One [tradition] would be how we usually kick off an average praccy [practice] by doing a very sensual stretching routine,” junior Ned Laird-Raylor said.

Team traditions also include rapping on the bus and goofing off to relieve stress. Although the boys are excited to get back in the water, they are most excited to reunite and bring back their favorite qualities of the team.

KRISTA SCHLINGER The Rubicon Editor

SWIM FAST. Senior captain Matt Suzuki cheers on a teammate at a swim meet last season.

“In the past, this team has all been about just having fun with friends,” junior Breandan Gibbons said.

The Fencing Team values hard work, encouragement, TRISTAN HITCHENS-BROOKINS and having fun, which creates a supportive and wel-

coming environment for everyone on the team.

Even though fencing is an individual sport, the team is very close.

“We all know each other and work together really well,” senior captain Elliot Tong said.

Senior captain Drew O’Hern ran the pre-season captains practices this year. O’Hern believes having fun at practices and with other teams is a core value of the Fencing Team.

“Captains practices are all about having fun. We play all sorts of games with the ski teams and enjoy every minute of it. We believe that if the fencing team beats the alpine team in a game of soccer, which we did this year, then we will have a successful season.

I guess this is our year. Thanks Alpine,” O’Hern said.

A responsibility as a captain includes giving good advice to other teammates. Tong believes keeping cool helps with a good match “Because fencing is such a mental game, you just have to keep your cool. If you get angry during a match you’re going to lose 100%,” Tong said.

O’Hern believes warming up with teammates will pave the way for a successful match.

“We usually warm up with our squad [the weapon that you fence]. There is always music… from earbuds, speakers, or created by the fencers. We stick to a classic prematch routine, nothing out of the ordinary,” O’Hern said.

FENCING

Staff Writer

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Tristan Hitchens-Brookins

SMILE. Senior captain Drew O’Hern is looking forward to an eppe (epic) season. “Captains practices are all about having fun. We play all sorts of games with the ski teams and enjoy every minute of it,” O’Hern said.

10

sports THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

W I N T E R S P OR T S NORDIC SKIING

What does Nordic Ski captain Nora Kempainen like most about her sport?

“The people,” she said. “Not just my teammates and coaches, but the coaches and people on other Nordic teams. Everyone that I know that does Nordic is very kind and welcoming and just generally a good person.”

The Nordic Ski team has always been a close knit and welcoming community. Students have built a constructive group setting that embraces an optimistic mindset.

“People are always cheering each other on at meets and encouraging each other at practices. It’s a really fun team that has a lot of energy and it’s a very positive environment,” Kempainen said.

Senior captain Neeti Kulkarni enjoys the closeness of the team, but also makes it her goal to include new members. Kulkarni said, “A lot of us have come from cross country season, so we know each other really well, and the rest are welcomed into the team right away.”

The spirit, energy and time spent together goes beyond practices and races. Each year, the Nordic Ski team embarks on a four day ski trip over Winter Break.

“It involves hard workouts twice a day, cramming everyone into a total of less than 10 beds, and a ton of food. The workouts are really, really intense but they do a good job of getting us into shape, plus it’s so worth it because it’s such a fun few days. It’s something the team looks forward to every year,” Kempainen said.

In addition to their spirit, the Nordic Ski team has quirks that shape their experiences and help them stand out from the crowd. “[I’d describe my teammates as] insane [and] crazy. On our runs or skis we always have someone throwing snowballs and splashing us in puddles and things can get pretty heated and funny really quickly,” Kulkarni said.

“In middle school, Neeti Kulkarni ran over a squirrel while she was skiing down a hill,” Kempainen said. “So now we joke about it all the time. And then as far as quirks go, there isn’t really anything that stands out except that if you spend multiple hours outside on skis in winter in Minnesota by choice, you have to be kind of crazy.”

ABBY HEDBERG Staff Writer

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Abby Hedberg

HOLD ON. Juniors Dina Moradian and Val Hart hold hands for support while squatting during a dryland practice. “People are always cheering each other on at meets and encouraging each other at practices. It’s a really fun team that has a lot of energy and it’s a very positive environment,” senior captain Nora Kempainen said

2016-17 BOYS HOCKEY

After a great season last year where the team made it to state, the Boys Varsity Hockey team is hungry for more. Seniors Riley BowStaff Writer man, Matt Dahlseide, Jack Johnston, and Noel Parker, accompanied by junior Dev McCabe, lead the battle each game and practice.

Each team prepares for a game a little bit differently; for the leaders of BVH, it is superstitions and music that help them get ready.

“We all sit on the same spot on the bus because... it’s good luck,” Parker said.

For senior captain Jack Johnston, rap and hip hop help get him into the mood: “Music is a big thing for me. It gets me in the zone. I like to listen to the mix tape lil uzi vert vs. the world to get excited before a game,” Johnston said.

Celebrating a victory for the team leaders is led by a cheer.

“We have a chant that we yell as we’re on the way back to the school on the bus,” Bowman said. The most important line of their chant is “got another rooster,” Bowman added.

Following a successful playoff run leading to the state tournament last year, the team leaders have high hopes for the season to come.

“We want to play great team hockey and go as far as we can. More or less, just have the best season that SPA has [ever] had,” Johnston said.

AUSTIN LEIBY

IBID PHOTO: Austin Leiby

GOT ANOTHER ROOSTER. Seniors Noel Parker, Weston Lombard, Dominic Picciano, and Riley Bowman, slide into a promising season.

“We want to play great team hockey and go as far as we can,” senior captain Jack Johnston said.

GIRLS HOCKEY Last season, the United Girls’ Varsity Hockey team experienced great success as they made it all the way to the class A state championship.

United placed second but had plenty to be thankful for as they ended their season at the Xcel Energy Center.

As the new season begins, two time captain senior Clare Tipler brings her accumulated knowledge and expectations for the team: “My ultimate goal for the team is to go back to state. After that, everything is a cherry on top,” Tipler said.

As an elected captain, Tipler intends to keep everything in perspective and keep the team on track.

“I hope to inspire the team to meet our goals, keep us all on track, and lead by example,” Tipler said.

Throughout the season, United is constantly working towards the state tournament in February.

“Before every game, we say RTS, which means road to state. This is our ultimate motivation,” Tipler said.

While United has had great success in the past few seasons, making it to state is not their only goal.

“A huge goal this year on a smaller scale has been having fun while working hard. We play best as a team when we are having fun. To do this, we keep the energy up, keep our energy high, and focus on working hard above anything else,”Tipler said.

Ultimately, being apart of a team is what is most important. The United team has had amazing seasons year after year and no matter how they end, they never fail to make every second count.

“We pride ourselves on how close we are as a team. Even though we are a co-op with Vis [Visitation], we are all family. Even in a hard game, we all know that we care about each other. We cheer each other on, tell each other good job, and keep things positive,” Tipler said.

The road to state may come with some extra bumps and turns this year.

“We are playing a significantly more difficult schedule than ever before. We are playing Class AA state contenders as well as other Class A state contenders. Despite a tougher schedule, we are doing a good job of staying focused on our goals,” Tipler said.

EMMA SAMPSON Staff Writer

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Emma Sampson

TAKING IT DOWN THE ICE. Junior Olivia Williams Ridge handles the puck during St. Paul United’s game against South Saint Paul on Dec. 7.

“We are playing a significantly more difficult schedule than ever before. We are playing Class AA state contenders as well as other Class A state contenders. Despite a tougher schedule, we are doing a good job of staying focused on our goals,” senior captain Clare Tipler said.

A round T own THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

SMALL

11

museums provide BIG excitement

Want to take a little time over Winter Break to do something unexpected? Considering getting out to one or more little museums to learn more about the history and culture the Twin Cities have to offer.

1 Minnesota Transportation Museum KRISTA SCHLINGER The Rubicon Editor

Placed in one of the last functioning roundhouses in the country, the Minnesota Transportation Museum offers tours through the working maintenance and restoration facility. Visitors can see many different types of train cars.

The Jackson Street Roundhouse, built in 1907, has been converted into an interactive storage yard for vintage train cars. It’s a station for short railroad rides that are open to museum goers.

The family friendly atmosphere makes for a perfect weekend activity for people of all ages.

It provides a fun learning experience about the history of steam engine transportation.

Seeing live restoration projects on enormous vehicles first hand is sure to leave all visitors in awe of what was once America’s primary method of transportation. Even further back in the museum, one can observe Blacksmiths working in the shop and learn about their role in maintaining the trains.

Admission to The Saint Paul Museum is $10 for adults and $8 for children. It’s open from 10-4 on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Make sure to visit their seasonal St. Croix Valley rides as well as vintage bus tours in Minneapolis.

FAST FACT THE MUSEUM HAS 50 HISTORIC TRAIN CARS ON SITE, AND REAL TRAIN RIDES EVERY SATURDAY.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Krista Schlinger

LEARNING IS FUN. The Minnesota Transportation museum, located inside a functioning roundhouse, is fun and educational for all ages. The Saint Paul Museum offers seasonal attractions, including St. Croix Valley rides and vintage bus tours in Minneapolis.

3

2

The Museum of Russian Art

All My Relations Gallery

MARI KNUDSON Graphics Manager

For arguably one of the best collections of Russian art outside of the country itself, a trip to The Museum of Russian Art is warranted. Located in Minneapolis near 35 W, the museum holds multiple floors of Russian art spanning across several centuries.

Current galleries at the museum include Art of Valerian Formozov: Visions of the Russian Heartland, Winter Holidays in Russia, and Unknown Fabergé: New Finds and Rediscoveries.

The Formozov gallery is a part of a larger Russian 20th Century Masters series at the art museum.

Featuring 80 works, Formozov’s works include landscapes and portraits of villagers that aim to capture the essence of the Russian countryside.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Mari Knudson

RUSHIN’ TO SEE RUSSIAN ART. Located in Minneapolis, The Museum of Russian Art is an interesting museum that deserves a visit.

FAST FACT THE MUSEUM IS LOCATED INSIDE A RESTORED CHURCH IN MINNEAPOLIS The winter holidays exhibit contains pieces dating from the late Imperial period to the present. Composed of ornaments, paintings, and other artifacts, the exhibit provides attendants with insight into Russia’s history with Christmas.

The main exhibit, Unknown Fabergé, contains over 80 pieces by the renowned Peter Carl Fabergé and company. The House of Fabergé supplied works to the Russian Imperial Court from 1842-1917, and the exhibit is glittering with pieces embellished with gold and silver, precious stones, and colorful enamels.

Admissions for students with an ID is $5, and admission for adults is $10. The museum is open Monday-Sunday, with more detailed hours and directions available on its website.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Mari Knudson

CULTURE AND ART. All My Relations gallery provides a space for Native American art and culture to be shared and strengthened.

MARI KNUDSON Graphics Manager

Right in the heart of the American Indian Cultural Corridor in South Minneapolis lies the All My Relations Gallery, which contains exhibits of contemporary fine Native American art. Founded in 2010, the gallery aims to provide a community space where Native American culture and art is shared and strengthened.

The showcased exhibit at the moment, On Fertile Grounds, is the third and final segment of a larger regional exhibition and

includes work from 45 Native American artists from Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Works include paintings, cultural objects, and video pieces. An Artists Talking Circle will be held at the gallery on Jan. 20 from 6- 8 p.m.

The gallery is small, with one floor of art, however, there is considerable depth to it.

The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday and Saturday-Sunday and is free and open to the public.

Find directions and more detailed hours on the website of All My Relations Arts.

READ ABOUT MORE MUSEUMS IN THE TWIN CITIES AT RUBICONLINE.COM

ISA SAAVEDRA WEISS

Fair use image from Duolingo.com

Duolingo gives users the option to set time slots so they can commit to any given amount of time they wish to dedicate to the app.

12

Duolingo personalizes language proficiency

RubicOnline Editor

Duolingo is one of the most well-known and well-liked language apps. There are twenty different languages to learn, such as Spanish, Welsh, Polish, Vietnamese, or Esperanto. The lessons are personalized around the user’s time commitment and ability.

Users can choose the time commitment, ranging from five to twenty minutes per day. There is an order of lessons, starting with

basics and progressing to things like foods, places, family, present tense, and adverbs. If some lessons are too easy, there is the option to test out of lessons, or even whole levels.

After a few levels are completed, users can have conversations with “bots” or fake accounts to practice their language. The lessons themselves are repetitive, but the form is diverse. There are matching words with photos, multiple choice, writing the

translation and matching words or phrases with translations. The only issue is that if the exact translation isn’t typed in by the user 100% correctly, down to the punctuation, it isn’t counted as correct.

Read more at

A rts & E ntertainment THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

OPS 2016

SING YOUR HEART OUT. Both choirs sing a song as part of the winter POPS Concert.

“My favorite part was throwing snowballs at the audience for the song sleigh ride because it was a fun thing to look forward to in the usual concert routine,” sophomore clarinetist Jennie Verhey said.

STRINGS. The Upper School Orchestra plays a beautiful piece as part of the POPS Concert “I love the teamwork that we had, with everyone working together to make a beautiful noise,” junior violinist Jack Herrmann said.

BRASS SOUND. The Upper School Band performs in POPS Concert.

“My favorite part of the night was just listening to all the work that everyone has put in and how well it sounded,” senior violinist Mark Ademite said.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Kathryn Campbell

LET’S GO CRAZY. All three music groups came together to perform Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” as the finale for the POPS Concert. “The final [was my favorite part], because I was able to play with everyone out there, and it was a great experience,” 9th grade trombonist Duncan Fleming said.

THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Andrew Johnson

Boettcher and Bohjanen emcee 2016 POPS concert MARLEE BARON The Rubicon Editor

Every year two seniors emcee the pops concert; this year Lauren Boettcher and Sara Bohjanen are those two seniors. Being an emcee is a big responsibility but Boettcher and Bohjanen wanted to find a way to get involved in the pops concert during their senior year.

“I’d never really thought about emceeing because I was in the pops concert last year, but I had to drop choir because I didn’t have room in my schedule. Sara came up to me in the senior hallway and said ‘do you want to emcee the pops concert with me?’ and I was like ‘heck yes I want to emcee the pops concert,’” Boettcher said.

Every year the emcees are selected a different way.

“Each year selecting emcees happens differently; some years we put out an ad for emcees in the blue sheet, sometimes people just volunteer and that was the case this year with Sara and Lauren,” choir director Anne Klus said.

Boettcher and Bohjanen applied as a pair to be the emcees.

“We’d always planned on doing it together, I think we have a good combination of awkward humor and we’d work well together” Boettcher said.

“An emcee serves several purposes. They entertain [the audience] and pull the concert together.”

— CHOIR DIRECTOR ANNE KLUS

Both Boettcher and Bohjanen have been performers in the pops concert in the past.

“Both of us were in Pops last year but not this year and wanted to find a way to get involved in it our last year at SPA,” Boettcher said.

Klus selects the emcees and writes the script for them.

“After the emcees are selected I write a script for then and then

we get together to read through it and decide what we need to change or fix and they really helped me rewrite a little bit of it,” Klus said.

Although Klus writes the script, the emcees have a role in revising it. “[The revisions to the script] were mostly flow things. The entire script is just cheesy, corny jokes and at first I thought it was very cringeworthy, I was hesitant about how well I’d be able to execute it and was wondering what I could change. After reading through it with Sara and Ms. Klus it came through and I understood the humor,” Boettcher said.

Emcees are very important to the flow of the concert.

“An emcee serves several purposes, they entertain [the audience] and pull the concert together.They introduce the pieces and announce who the soloists are.

They help provide more of background than a program could do,” Klus said.

“What an emcee does is not only just announce the songs but we also allow for time for people to run back and forth and get set up for the next song. Now we’re

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Andrew Johnson

ON THE MIC. Seniors Lauren Boettcher and Sara Bohjanen were the emcees of the pops concert. “I think we have a good combination of awkward humor and we’d work well together,” Boettcher said. just trying to find ways to make it our own, work on our delivery and make it a memorable concert.” Boettcher said.

Both Bohjanen and Boettcher were very nervous about the concert but they both felt it went well.

“[The concert] went really well, I was expecting to bomb but I think people liked our jokes and it went well,” senior Sara Bohjanen said.

STUDENT PLAYLIST

CLARE HALLAWAY The Rubicon Editor

Many students use music as an outlet or as a way to put themselves into a different mindset when they’re doing something in particular. 9th grader Duncan Fleming uses music to motivate him and put him in a positive mood.

“I listen to music when I workout since it helps me become more motivated and focus on the music when it’s a hard workout.

Dun can’s Playlist

-M oney Lon ger: Lil Uzi Ver t -Wa ke Up: Fett y Wap -Ki ng Kon g: DeStorm Power -Kn ee Soc ks: Arctic Mo nkeys -Al l In: Lil Yac hty -Ble ssin gs: Big Sea n -Be lieve Me: Lil Way ne -M inn esota: Lil Yac hty -Ci nde rell a Ma n: Emi nem -Do n’t Min d: Kent Jon es

It pushes me to stay positive and takes my mind off things more,” Fleming said.

“My favorite to listen to is probably rap and hip hop, Drake songs, Fetty Wap and a lot of other rappers,” Fleming said.

“I usually listen to music with a good beat or something with a catchy tune,” Fleming said.

Fleming uses his YouTube playlist to take his mind off things tand focus on the lyrics of the songs instead of what is stressing him out. He listens to different

songs for different reasons. There are certain songs he likes to listen to when doing homework and certain ones he likes to listen to when working out.

“I listen to music at night around the time when I’m doing homework because it helps me focus or before I go to bed,” Fleming said.

“Music in general also puts me in a better mood, I feel more pumped up and less stressed when I’m listening to my favorite songs,” Fleming said.

A rts & E ntertainment

THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

13

Finding strength and hope behind a camera lens Edstrom puts the post election emotions to work in female photo project

9TH GRADER CLARK WALTZ. “Locker room talk does not equal bragging about sexual assault.”

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Flann Enneking-Norton

POSING FOR A PURPOSE. Senior Sammie Bluhm poses for senior Maya Edstrom’s photo project. Edstrom aims to capture the voices of female-identifying students. “I think adding writing to the portraits makes them more personal,” Edstrom. The project is titled “Together.”

FLANN ENNEKING-NORTON Staff Writer

SENIOR PHOEBE PANNIER. “Feminism is not a dirty word!”

SENIOR CARA POMERANTZ. “Rights are for everyone. Justice is for everyone. A peaceful and worry free life is something that should not have to depend on your race or your class or your gender or your sexuality.”

Even if they can’t yet vote, high schoolers find ways to be politically active. Through protests, debates, petitions, boycotts (and even voting, if they are of age), students find outlets to voice their opinions and make their beliefs heard. Senior Maya Edstrom lets her photography speak for her.

“I felt very inspired to do something about [the election]. I knew I would be doing some sort of photo project… And once I get an idea for a photo project, I want to see it actualized in a physical way,” Edstrom said.

The Friday after the Nov. 8 election, Edstrom sent an email to all female-identifying students in the Upper School, encouraging them to participate in her latest photo project, which is titled “Together.” Her gallery captures the thoughts of female students regarding the election, and feminism as a whole. Participants wrote down a sentiment that they wanted to communicate, and Edstrom photographed them.

“They could talk about the election in their writing or they could talk about whatever they want to about feminism. [It was] a place for women to say what they want to say,” Edstrom said.

She intended her project to capture the emotions of the wom-

en, and she wanted “to include as many perspectives as possible.”

“My goal is to have a physical representation... of the community I felt that day after [the election],” Edstrom said.

“I want it to represent how as women, we unify and gain strength from each other.”

— SENIOR MAYA EDSTROM 31 students participated in the project. Edstrom finished all the photography and writing over Thanksgiving break, and she displayed the project in the art wing as part of her senior Art Seminar final.

“It’s gonna be huge,” Edstrom said. She planned to incorporate approximately 60 pieces of art, both images and writing, into the gallery. Regarding the format of her project, Edstrom hoped to communicate the emotions of the participants and a sense of larger community.

“I think adding writing to the portraits makes [the pictures] more personal because you get a little sense about who that per-

son is and how they think, and I think having a portrait by someone’s writing, especially when you can see their eyes and their expression, instantly make their writing more powerful because it becomes more human,” Edstrom said.

Although Edstrom has used photography for primarily creative purposes in the past, her current gallery incorporates political undertones as well. However, Edstrom said she isn’t trying to “prove a point” or make a political statement.

“I want it to represent individuals and individual experiences, while at the same time showing how all of these individuals are a part of a larger community. I want it to represent how as women, we unify and gain strength from each other,” Edstrom said.

Just like the continuing political debates regarding the election, Edstrom’s photo project is ongoing. But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

SENIOR OONA PROZINSKI. “I hope that our future president’s disgusting treatment of women doesn’t lead young boys to believe that they can assault women and everything will be okay.”

JUNIOR MIRA ZELLE. “There has never been a time I can remember where I have not been a feminist. My family has always been active, almost painfully, in making justice work.”

Want to know more about the thought process behind this project? The artist statement from Maya Edstrom is available to read on

SOPHOMORE ZOE HERMER-CISEK.

“I am a woman and I’m strong.

Diamonds are only made through pressure.”

I n D epth

14 Putting the me in memes THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

@3.141592653 58979323846 26433832

2.5 million followers

&A

The Rubicon Exclusive:

Q

with Tim who runs the instagram“pi” meme page IYA ABDULKARIM The Rubicon Editor

Location: Bay Area, California Grade: 12th, currently applying to colleges Favorite food: Unagi Favorite movie: Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior Favorite books: Percy Jackson Series

When did memes first enter your life?

I actually started out with a one direction fan page since my cousin told me that it was a popular theme at the time (this was back in 2013). I created and reposted one direction memes on that account. It was an [embarassing] time.

I don’t want to include the username. I’ve transitioned through many different Instagram accounts throughout these past four years.

Was this your first meme page?

Poster created by Peer Helpers

PEER HELPERS CONQUER EVIL KERMIT. Peer helpers posted this sign in one of the school hallways, advertising the Relaxation Room for students during exams week, using the popular meme concept of Evil Kermit. “I think it’s helpful to add a visual to a joke because it elevates it and makes it funnier,” junior Belle Smith said.

JASPER GREEN The Rubicon Editor

M

emes are a form of interaction where people spread cultural ideas with each other. When one thinks of memes, they think of the recognizable and memorable pictures on the internet. However, the umbrella term ‘meme’ actually includes any form of social spreading or the exchange of ideas, behaviors, and symbols. For example, a meme can take the form of the feeling of a famous song like In the Arms of the Angel, by Sarah McLachlan, or it could be a political affiliation that is transferred from parent to child.

The more mainstream form of memes, pictures and text, are often humorous. The best ones stick with the viewer like a virus.

“I think it’s helpful to add a visual to a joke because it elevates it and makes it funnier,” junior Belle Smith said.

Memes infect the minds of internet users and are spread rapidly throughout different forms of media. Whether in a group chat with friends or on websites such as Reddit or ifunny, memes spark a feeling of connection because everyone can laugh together about the memes they appreciate.

“Memes in group chats are great, they always brighten the mood,” senior Tommy Dicke said, “especially Joe Biden memes.”

There are also accounts dedicated to memes that some students follow on social media apps like Instagram and Twitter.

Between the two platforms, there exist various popular meme accounts with up to ten million followers, many of which are followed by students.

“Memes are great to share with friends and to have a fun time,” 9th grader Eddie Krasny said.

“Besides that I mostly look at memes on Instagram from the different meme accounts I follow,” he added.

“Memes in group chats are great, they always brighten the mood.”

—SENIOR TOMMY DICKE “Memes can be used just like any other form of expression to convey a wide array of opinions,” sophomore Olivia McCauley said.

“Just like any other form of communication, they can be used productively and counterproductively in our society.”

Although memes are funny, some students do not find them very interesting or worthwhile.

“I don’t think memes are very important in the wider scheme of things,” McCauley said.

“I think they are more of a reflection or an indicator of views versus something that is reliable, or something could benefit society and cause social change,” she added.

Despite their ability to bring laughter to students, or any viewer for that matter, some memes are considered offensive and are based on harmful stereotypes.

Social media algorithms are programed to flush out offensive content in an effort to reduce harm, but some still exist.

This illustrates to the rapidity of the spread of memes. Once a post is up on a major meme account, chances are it’s being screenshotted, messaged, and posted merely moments later by other meme accounts.

The popularity and demand of memes have been on the rise since the summer of 2014, begging the question if they are another passing fad.

Considering the sheer amount of material circulating, the number of meme accounts, big and small, and the number of followers, we can say that memes are here to stay, at least for some time.

Individual memes die off: consider Arthur fists and However, the concept will continue with every passing day as new meme-worthy photos are taken and more sassy captions created.

My first real meme page was @d0ges. It was just a lot of edits of the doge meme. It is now @doge.post, if you’d like to check it out. I sold it, though.

Do you frequently make memes?

I make about one meme a day. Its actually really hard to actually create funny content. Finding memes is a little less challenging.

How do you select your content?

Whatever makes me laugh. I go on reddit, tumblr, and twitter for content. I often repost from others’ Instagram pages.

How have memes and your account influenced you and your life?

People message me all the time telling me that “you brighten my day” or “you make me laugh, thank you”! Its really a way to make other people’s lives just a tad bit better. Also, I make money from it!

Why do you share memes?

I share memes for two reasons. Firstly, its a fun hobby.

Secondly, my Instagram account is worth a lot of money, so I maintain it. If I didn’t make money from Instagram, though, I’d still continue it. I also use it to promote my leftist and feminist ideologies.

Do your friends know that you run this page?

My friends do. Some of my school does. I try to hide it at my school, since people get all up in my face about it and ask me for shoutouts.

Do you think memes bring people together?

Memes can be both helpful and harmful, I think. Some memes perpetuate harmful stereotypes, others are wholesome and promote positivity. Most just serve to make people laugh. In some instances, memes are created within communities, from ethnic ones to your own school community. I think the beauty of the meme is just that it allows people to relate with each other, and this type of feeling can be shared.

Can memes be considered a significant element to society?

Memes are already a significant element to society. Before a meme was defined as a meme, they were just jokes that were repeated, but with certain twists. The meme right now is becoming sort of a standard to comedy with text accompanying a video or a photo. Every single comedic thing is now restructured into a meme.

I n D epth THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

SLANG

15

Shortened language expands casual vocabulary

INFOGRAPHIC: Mari Knudson and Iya Abdulkarim

LIT AF FAM. Common slang terms used by students ranked in order from most frequently used to least frequently used according to a poll of 11% of the student body. With every passing month, new terms or acronyms make their way around via messages, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, and day-to-day conversations.

QUINN CHRISTENSEN Staff Writer

“Yas, queen. Slay.”

“It’s gonna be lit.”

“What an aesthetic!”

“Whoa, that was savage.”

Just like chokers, words go in and out of style. But why do we grow so attached to certain words or phrases? What makes slang such an important part of our daily communication?

“Slang, it’s an identifier language in many ways,” said English teacher Randall Findlay.

“It’s a way a lot of people establish… a group culture. If you were to move into another group of people, they would use different slang words. It’s a barrier of sorts,” said junior Sabrina Ruck-

er. “If you know what the current slang is, then you can use it effectively. There’s a status part of it.”

The popularity of some words can be exponential, according to junior J.J. Wertkin. “[Students are] influenced by their classmates. When one person starts a new and catchy slang word, everyone starts to use it,” said Wertkin.

While slang has become increasingly more common in the past few years through social media and other methods of online communication, it also has managed to slip into our everyday conversations.

“I think that slang always slips into classroom vocabulary,” said English teacher Adrienne Baker.

The use of slang in more for-

mal settings is often a slipup due to convenience. While a handy tool for casual conversation, it is often viewed as an issue in classroom settings.

“I think that slang always slips into classroom vocabulary,” — US ENGLISH TEACHER ADRIENNE BAKER “There’s a thought of how to get an idea across as quickly as possible, and writing is a craft that takes a lot of time and prac-

tice… I think more than anything, it’s just another layer of cognitive thinking that needs to happen [during the writing process],” Baker said. “It might be useful to write out a first draft with a lot of conversational language and colloquialisms but to then go back and edit it out, or to formalize it as one goes” Baker said.

While most common amongst students, the use of slang can affect how we communicate with our teachers as well. However, using trendy words in conversations with teachers is often frowned upon.

“When you’re emailing a teacher, you’re not going to treat them like your comrade. That’s just not how you treat teachers - it’s a sign of respect. If you’re

going to send them an email with slang, it would be an email as a friend and not as a student,” said Rucker.

But will trendy words and slang affect students’ abilities to communicate professionally? “[Slang is] used for more casual talk. So, people are now becoming more and more casual with each other,” said junior JJ Wertkin.

“Using slang often might affect students’ ability to communicate professionally or academically,” said sophomore Jane Brunell, “if students fall into the habit of using it, they wouldn’t know how to effectively talk to adults or other peers.”

16

photo st ry THE RUBICON • DECEMBER 2016

Photographers expose their favorite camera features JONAH HARRISON The Rubicon Editor

A beginner’s guide to taking stellar photos

Photography focuses on the subject of the photograph, but the person behind the lens has their own perspective

Daniel Ellis CANON EOS MARK 5D 2.

Junior Daniel Ellis is proficient in using programs like Photoshop.

He enjoys landscape photography: “Shooting RAW photos gives you a lot of leniency with editing, which makes it turn out really cool,” he said.

For Daniel Ellis, photography runs in his family: “My dad is a photographer, so it was kind of a natural hobby for me to take on,” he said.

ZEISS CONTAX 2. Ellis has developed a natural passion for photography: “I didn’t buy [the Canon EOS]; my dad got it for me as a gift for my Bar Mitzvah.

The Zeiss I inherited from my grandfather.”

Mira Zelle

For Zelle, photography helps capture memories that she would like to look back on in the future: “I used to travel a lot and go to camp, so my parents would get me those disposable cameras and tell me to take lots of pictures...more for the memory in the moment rather than having them look good,” Zelle said.

INSTAX MINI 8. Junior Mira Zelle takes photos for the moment rather than the aesthetic. ”I like that the polaroid comes out right away because I am really impatient, and also I don’t even know where to go now to get film developed. I also like that everything has a cool filter,” Zelle said.

Akpa’s interest in social media inspired her photography: “[During sophomore year] I started stalking and finding as many cool photography accounts on Instagram as I could and they really helped inspire me to try photography out myself,” Akpa said.

85MM LENS. Senior Meley Akpa takes photos for fun and for Senior Art Seminar. “It is amazing for portraits and capturing details on people’s faces which I love doing. My least favorite part about my camera is how old it is. But although it is an old model and lacks many features, it still does what I want it to do and pictures turn out.”

- Aperture: A smaller aperture will bring all foreground and background objects into focus, while a smaller aperture will only bring the foreground into focus - Shutter speed: A faster shutter speed freezes action, while a slower shutter speed creates motion blur - ISO: A smaller ISO is less sensitive to light; a bigger ISO is more sensitive to light and adds grain or “noise” to photos - White Balance: Removes unrealistic colors in a photo (customize background color temperature: tungsten, fluorescent, daylight, shade)

2. Tips

SAVING MEMORIES. Junior Mira Zelle owns a Polaroid. She enjoys taking photos of people and capturing her experiences. “My tradition on opening [night] is to take pictures of people in the cast, because I think opening nights are fun.”

Meley Akpa

1. Terms to know:

NIKON D40. Senior Meley Akpa enjoys fashion design and photography. “I got [my Nikon] from National Camera Exchange about two years ago,” she said.

- Follow the Rule of Thirds: the subject should always be in one of the four grid intersections - Use flash if the sun is creating shadows on the subject - Reduce camera shake by putting one hand around the body and the other around the lens - Capture motion by doing the panning technique: choose a shutter speed two steps lower than necessary and follow the subject as they move

3. Invest in a good beginners camera - Canon EOS Rebel T6i - Pentax K-50 - Nikon D3300