May 2013

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St. Paul Academy & Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

ULTRA CLUTCH

Seniors share their favorite shows from the past 4 years (A&E - 13)

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You can’t stop the beat!

Hairspray - A&E 12

Dig in to Gardening

Cabin Fever

(IN DEPTH 7)

(COVER STORY 8-9)

Are you ready for Prom?

(FEATURE 11)

2 I N THIS I SSUE

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

40 Years: The Rubicon decades in front covers

May 2013

1974-75

4 News

About the Cover 12 A&E: The US Musical, Hairspray, performed May 17-20 at the Sarah Converse auditorium on the Goodrich Campus.

Marriage Bill Passes in MN Photo reprinted with permission from John Severson

1982-83

10-11 Feature 7 In Depth

Teachers say goodbye to SPA 1992-93

Gardeners in the SPA community

15 Sports

8-9 Cover Story

2002-03

Lakeside relaxation and fun

Synchronized superstar

www.rubiconline.com Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

2012-2013 2012-13

Welcome to the first issue from the 2013-2014 The Rubicon staff! After saying goodbye to our nine seniors, we are all learning to adjust to our new roles. Everyone took on new responsibilities and needed to work together as a team to get the job done efficiently. This learning curve was nerve wracking yet exciting, and the product was worth all of the hard work.

This same transition of leadership is happening across the Upper School community, with new leaders in student groups and elected groups Upper School Council, Student Activities Committee and Discipline Committee. Just as the school year is wrapping up, a new group of “rising” leaders are already working towards making next year great.

Enjoy the issue!

Digital Humanities and the Archive elective will examine school’s history Originally published May 13, 2013

Read More News The Rubicon Online

N EWS 3 May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

Students, staff prepare for graduation r “ Zelle to speak at Commencement

Members of the graduating class of 2013 soon leave their homes to resettle on college campuses. .Some will travel for the last time in a long time down the familiar highways and county roads of Minnesota toward whatever life has them to offer. Building those roads will be Charlie Zelle, the newly appointed commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and this year’s commencement speaker.

Zelle, ‘73, is an alumnus of St. Paul Academy and Summit School. He earned his undergraduate degree at Bates College, and his master’s degree from Yale.

Zelle’s background in transportation comes from his experience in his family’s business, the Jefferson Bus Line. Zelle advocated extending service to rural areas, and modernized the bus fleet. Mark Dayton appointed Zelle commissioner in 2012, after Zelle worked on the governor’s Transportation Finance Advisory Committee.

Weather permitting, Zelle will deliver his address at graduation June 9 on the front lawn of the Randolph campus.

Thomas Toghramadjian

Opinions Editor

In only one week, the class of 2013 will walk across the lawn in front of the old St. Paul Academy entrance wearing white dresses and suits to receive diplomas and celebrate the beginning of a new era in their education.

Commencement Day, which this year falls on June 9, will be a bittersweet moment for the seniors, who have to leave the comfortable confines of SPA to pursue their dreams for the future.

“I’ll miss the familiarity of the school and how it operates. I, along with a select group of seniors, have been going to SPA since kindergarten, and it’s really one of the only things that I can say has remained consistent throughout my whole life,” senior James Hargens said.

Senior Hagop Toghramadjian looks back on his experience in the Upper School as instrumental in shaping his character.

“I was influenced the most by my close friends and a few key faculty members. They encouraged me to pursue the activities and interests I cared about the most, and their examples drove me to succeed,” he said.

A momentous occasion like graduation requires planning and coordination beginning up to half a year before the event.

I think SPA has equipped me with tools that will allow me to be assertive and successful in both college and in my career afterwards.

senior Maddie Hanson “I begin preparations in the fall by contacting all parents about the preferred name to be printed on the diplomas. Diplomas are ordered in early November. I contact numerous vendors to make arrangements for refreshments, flowers, photographers, announcements, linens, tables, tents, and 1500 folding chairs!” US Assistant Annie Harness said.

Diplomas and chairs are only the beginning, however. Harness also distributes a petition among the school’s neighbors and applies for a permit to close off a portion of Randolph Avenue for three hours on the day of graduation.

On Commencement Day itself, Harness and other faculty and volunteers work between seven in the morning and 4:30 in the after-

noon to set up the tents and chairs and dais on the front lawn, all the while supervising a veritable army of florists, caterers, and photographers. In case rain should threaten the event, the Briggs Gymnasium is also set up to accommodate the ceremony.

Parents of juniors set up the reception in the lunchroom, and serve as ushers. Other family members and spectators arrive around 3:00, and the iconic graduation procession begins an hour later.

After the diplomas are distributed, the pictures taken, and the festivities moved elsewhere, the clean-up effort begins. “When the ceremony is over, usually by 6:00 PM, we start to clean up the lawn, take down the chair, throw away the debris and all is back to normal by 7:00 PM,” Harness said.

While saying goodbye might prove difficult, the seniors have a great many opportunities to look forward to, and feel their education has prepared them well.

“I would say that no one is perfectly prepared for everything the real world will throw at them, I certainly am not. But I do think that through my eighteen years I have attained skills that will have me set for what’s ahead,” graduating senior Chinaza Nwaneri, who will speak for the senior class at graduation, said. “I will be shaken, but I

know that I will not fall that easily.”

Senior Maddie Hanson concurs.

“I think SPA has equipped me with tools that will allow me to be assertive and successful in both college and in my career afterwards,” she said.

For now, though, Hanson is “just really excited to see everyone and celebrate our class’ accomplishments” at graduation.

Commencement is steeped in tradition and choreography, but maybe no ritual is more memorable than the senior song.

“Traditionally, the seniors come up with suggestions for a graduation song and we take consensus.

The students are very thoughtful about the music and the text and what would be meaningful and appropriate,” choir director Anne Klus said.

The Summit Singers rehearse the selected piece during April, before they leave on senior project.

They also briefly practice during a Farewell Senior Brunch on the day of the spring recognition assembly.

“We also take a few minutes at the end of Graduation Practice to review. And somehow, it always works!” Klus said.

And somehow, despite the many things that could go wrong and thanks to the tireless efforts of the faculty and volunteers who organize it year after year, graduation always works too.

New elected group leaders work for students Boraan Abdulkarim

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Leaders assume committee roles

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Cover Story Editor

“We do our research, but really the student body knows what needs to change or stay the same in the school,” one of the new co-president of Upper School Council Nick Cohen said. St. Paul Academy and Summit School has a smaller number of students, which is an advantage in giving more attention to students. That’s what makes the school special.

This allows more student opinion to be infiltrated into decisions, in the Upper School Council, Student Activities Committee, and the Discipline Committee. The elected leaders all gave excellent speeches, and, though some were the only ones running for their positions, it was a tough choice for those who did have competition.

The new leaders have unique visions, parallel with each of their new positions and group. “I really want to see USC transform into a connection between the students and the faculty that truly gets things done in order to make student life at SPA better,” Cohen continued.

“Our main goal is that we accurately represent the student body. Students should know what we are discussing in USC and members of USC should know the issues and conversations happening around the school,” added the other co-president Hannah Johnson.

tudents in grades 8-11 heard speeches from candidates on Apr. 25 and voted during lunch periods that day. Shortly after results were posted, applications for represetative, class leadership, and Peer Helpers were announced.

Student Activities Committee Co-presidents: Claire Foussard Mick Sullivan

Treasurer: MaddieFlom-Staab Secretary: Zoe Matticks Photo Credit: Boraan Abdulkarim Student Activities Comittee meets on Wednesday during X period to discuss future plans for dances and other student events. “Our goal for SAC next year is to improve dances, because we’ve been getting a lot of feedback on what themes people like, what kind of music and how we do things,” freshman Maggie Vlietstra said.

“I want to make sure that the school community knows what the Upper School Council is working on,” Upper School Council secretary Cait Gibbons said.

Similarly, Cohen summed up their goal as “making changes that people will feel.”

“One big piece is the Student Mentoring and Tutoring program, which has gotten very positive response and feedback already.

Hopefully that will work to create a much better community-like atmosphere between the grades,” Cohen said. “Students should know what we are discussing in USC and members of USC should

know the issues and conversations happening around the school,” Johnson said.

Each student leader has a plan of action for their goals, which correspond with the goal of the position they have been elected for. Many of these goals center around wider student discussion and community interaction. “My visions as the DC chair are to make discussions open, to make everything a fair as continue bringing student voice to the committee,” junior Charlie Rosenblum, who was elected as Discipline Committe Chair said.

The current effort to get

student voice out there is mixed.

It pays off well, according to Gibbons and Rosenblum. “USC does help to put a student voice out there,” Gibbons said.

“Unlike many other schools, SPA has a Discipline Committee almost entirely made up of students, so it gives not only lots of student voice but students perspectives as well,” Rosenblum added.

Cohen has another take. “Currently, I don’t think USC interacts enough with the student body to see what issues truly affect them,” he said.

Leaders took office in May.

Upper School Council Co-Presidents: Hannah Johnson Nick Cohen

Vice President: Thomas Toghramadjian Treasurer: Katrina Hilton Secretary: Cait Gibbons

Discipline Committee

Discipline Commitee Chair: Charlie Rosenblum

As student leaders continue to be announced on The Rubicon Online

4 N EWS

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Service Learning joins We Day volunteering program

Historic marriage bill passes in Minnesota

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In Depth Editor

As the year is coming to an end and plans begin to form for the next year, the student group Community Action is working to see what they can do to make the biggest difference in the community.

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Service has become a chore, but I think if we do fun things then it will work well. junior Anna Carlson “We want to make service in this school seem like more of a positive and rewarding experience, not just a sophomore requirement,” co-president Alex Miller said. They are hoping to keep doing the good things that they have done in the past such as working with the homeless, but also work on changing a few things. They want to get the Upper School community more involved and help students make a difference.

Service Learning has changed their name to Community Action, but they have the same values.

They are joining a program called We Day, which encourages students to get more involved in their community and around the world.

We Day hosts a concert every year with famous artists, and students can earn a ticket by doing a certain number of service hours.

“Service has become a chore, but I think if we do fun things then it will work well,” junior co-president Anna Carlson said.

Science Research students present project results The posters all around school with pictures and complicated experiment names are promoting Advanced Science Research projects/ Juniors and seniors have been working for the past semester in Advanced Scientific Research researching the topic of their choice and creating a project. They then presented their studies to any member of the St. Paul Academy and Summit School community who was interested in finding out more about their work. Students did their projects on subjects that they are interested in, or topics that they wanted to further research.

LGBT Parent Group Forming

Photo submitted by: Helen Steiner Freshman Cait Gibbons, freshman Liz Shaheen and sophomore Sheila Sulliven set up for an event at Arlington Hills Lutheran Church. “We want to make service in this school seem more like a positive and rewarding experience, not just a sophomore requirement,” Community Action co-president Alex Miller said.

Dhara Singh

NewsBrief

Photo Credit: Netta Kaplan Crowds gather on the steps of the Minnesota Capitol as they wait for the Senate to vote on the marriage bill on May 13, the second step in the process towards legalizing same-sex marriage. “It was amazing to be able to see social justice first hand,” freshman Claire Walsh, who attended the rallies, said. The bill will go into effect in August.

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Netta Kaplan

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On Tuesday, May 15, a crowd of thousands gathered on the steps of the Minnesota Capitol to witness the signing of a bill by Mark Dayton that will allow samesex couples to marry in Minnesota, making it the twelfth state to recognize these marriages.

On the days leading up to the signing of this historic bill, members of both sides of the controversy had gathered on these same steps. Those in favor of the amendment sported orange and blue signs with the phrase I’m _________ and I Support the Freedom to Marry. The opposition held up bright pink signs with the slogans such as Don’t Erase Moms and Dads and Don’t Lie to Children. After the bill passed through the Minnesota House of Representatives on May 9, by a vote of 75-59, many on both sides of the controversy were surprised. Still, they rebounded quickly and returned to the Capitol for the Senate vote on Monday, May 13. More still watched the de-

I think that if people put themselves in their shoes, you would know that you can’t choose who you love. freshman Vanessa Miller bate streaming live.

After about four hours of debate filled with many personal anecdotes from both parties, a final vote revealed the bill to pass 37-30, with most votes split along traditional party lines. Three senators from the Republican Party voted for the bill, and one Democratic senator voted against it. While many opponents of the bill were disappointed by its passing, the general atmosphere was one of joy and excitement. While the last step

until the formal passage of the bill was the governor’s signature, Dayton had pledged to support the bill.

Freshman Vanessa Miller also expressed her support for the bill.

“I think that if people put themselves in their shoes, you would know that you can’t choose who you love; and if you put yourself in their shoes, wouldn’t it be lifechanging to have this passed? No one should be able to suppress that right,” she said.

This bill marks the latest development in the debate about the separation of church and state.

Many saw the opposition of the bill as forcing values of certain religions on the public, while the opposition saw the bill as infringing on their religious rights.

“Some people have said that they are concerned about being on the right side of history. I am more concerned about being on the right side of eternity,” Sen. Dan Hall, RBurnsville, one of the strongest rivals of the bill, said in debate on May 13.

The bill will go into effect on August 1, 2013.

With the recent passing of the marriage bill, there has been a lot of talk about creating LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) ally groups. A St. Paul Academy parent is looking to create an LGBT parent group for parents who are interested in connecting with other other households who have a LGBT student. This will be a support group, and a place for people to discuss their feelings. Any parents who are interested in this are welcome to contact Jamie McConnell at jamiemcconell2002@yahoo. com or Diversity Dean Karen Dye at kdye@spa.edu

Exam Schedule

Fourth quarter is complete, and students have begun studying for exams. “Study hard, take breaks, eat and sleep well and make sure to ask your teachers for as much information as possible,” sophomore Abdulsalam Osman said.

Exam days begin with breakfast at 7:30 in the Dining Hall.

Thursday, May 30 8:30-10:30 - History 12:30-2:30 - Language Friday, May 31 8:30-10:30 - Science Monday, June 3 8:30-10:30 - Math 12:30-2:30 - English

Sachs moving to College Counseling department Lucy Li

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Photo Credit: Lucy Li Upper School History teacher Andrea Sachs leads a discussion in her junior United States History class. Sachs will spend minimal time in the classroom this fall as she takes on a college counseling position.

“I think that with new personnel there is always that opportunity to think about different ways to accomplish the same goal,” Sachs said.

Managing Editor Online Editor in Chief

Instead of a rhythm the begins with John Winthrop’s “city on a hill” in September and ends grading history papers in May, Upper School History teacher Andrea Sachs will be writing recommendation letters and weaving through the college application process with students and families next year.

“It’s not going to be like, ‘Oh, it’s October; it must be time to study the Constitution,’” Sachs

said. Although Sachs will move her office down to the college counseling area and stop teaching the junior history course, she will continue teaching her senior Honors U.S. History seminar.

Head of School Bryn Roberts approached Sachs with the idea of moving to College Counseling.

“My initial reaction was, ‘But I’m a history teacher!” Sachs said, “but then I thought about it and I thought that it was a chance to do a lot of what I really enjoy.”

Sachs looks forward to multiple aspects of her new job. “I’m looking forward to just learning new

stuff, working with juniors and seniors in a different capacity, and seeing that side of their development,” she said.

Sachs will miss her history department colleagues, but anticipates a chance for positive change in college counseling.

This summer, Sachs will be attending a workshop for college counselors at Harvard University.

“I think that with new personnel there’s always that opportunity to think about different ways to accomplish the same goal,” Sach said.

O PINIONS 5 May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

STAFF It is time to mix up Thursday groups the rubicon

Staff Editorial

2013-14

Editor-in-Chief Hannah Johnson

Online Editor-in-Chief Print Managing Editor Lucy Li Chief Visual Editor Ava Gallagher News Editor Nina Zietlow Opinions Editor Thomas Toghramadjian Sports Editor Hannah Johnson Katrina Hilton Cover Story Editor Boraan Abdulkarim Feature Editor Gita Raman A&E Editor Laura Slade In Depth Editor Dhara Singh Eva Perez-Greene Copy Editor Staff Writer Netta Kaplan Columnist Nick Cohen Guest Cartoonist Jane Jackson

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Adviser Kathryn Campbell

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Club members hunch over their large pieces of papers, drawing intricate flowers while listening to relaxing music. Walk down the hall and listen to another club planning their next clothing drive for a local charity. Across the hall, another club watches a political video on YouTube, while discussing the different positions on the current event of the day. This is a typical scene during X Period on Thursday. Many students leave their typical hangout spots to explore their interests and talents in one of the school’s many student groups.

Though at first you may notice what the groups are doing, soon you will see who is in each group.

Or more, who is not in each group.

While everyone is welcome and encouraged to join Thursday groups, it does not feel this way for many students.

Typically, many of SPA’s student groups are divided by gender. Predominantly boys dominate academic and intellectual groups including Student Political Union and Academic World Quest while girls often become parts of groups including Community Action and People for Environmental Protection. Many girls feel uncomfortable and unwelcome engaging in heated debates at SPU and only a handful of boys attended Intercultural Club’s flash mob raising awareness about violence against women.

Though these might be the roles society pushes each gender to play, not every student at SPA fits this mold. Plenty of girls love to debate politics and global issues and lots of boys love to volunteer in their community and create art.

It is also not to say that ev-

Mini-Editorials

ubicon

the student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 MEMBERSHIPS

National Scholastic Press Association Minnesota High School Press Association

Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2011-12 AWARDS JEM All-State Gold (Print) JEM All-State Silver (Online) MHSPA Best in Show NSPA All American CSPA Silver Medal

The Rubicon Editorial Policy: The Rubicon editorials are representative of the opinions of the Staff Editorial Board, which is made up of all students in journalism/Editorial Leadership.

All other opinion pieces are the opinions of the authors themselves.

The Rubicon Letters Policy: The Rubicon welcomes letters to the editor. They can be mailed to us or sent to rubicon.spa@gmail. com. Letters should be limited to 150-200 words and published by discretion of The Rubicon staff.

Editorial Cartoon: Jane Jackson While student life can be hectic, it can be beneficial to take a break from classwork or leisure time once a week to contibute to the discussion going in the Thursday groups. More participation might also translate into less of a gender divide in SPA’s many clubs.

ery student group at SPA is split by gender. Gay Straight Alliance, Spartan Boosters and Film Club all have a great mix of male and female students. Elected student groups like Upper School Council and Student Activities Committee are also equally mixed between male and female students, who join the groups for the common interest of leadership and school involvement.

SPA gives students so many opportunities to follow our passions and explore new interests, yet so many shy away from joining the clubs that would help us do so.

When a diverse group of students with different perspectives and experiences-including gender perspectives-join together in discussion, it makes for a rich conversation with many new ideas

explored. How can this become a reality for student groups?

The Rubicon suggests that student groups consider partneringnot every week, but quarterly, perhaps, with other student groups in the school to meet a common goal.

For example, Spartan Boosters and Community Action could join together for Coaches Against Cancer and have food drives at athletic events. Students for Social Justice and Film Club could watch a film or documentary surrounding a social justice issue.

People regularly involved in a particular group should invite their friends and classmates to join them for a session. Many students like to take advantage of their free X Period and do not know what goes on in any of the groups. Attracting new students to groups will help

expand membership and the sense of openness in each group.

If groups with overlapping conversations collaborate, more students of different genders will be involved in the same project, same conversation, the same activity. Having occasional larger group meetings could make students feel more comfortable joining in and blur gender lines.

With many student groups electing new leaders, now is the time to change this gender split in student groups. Preconceived notions and judgements about the membership of different groups needs to be erased. It’s time to set an example for next year’s new students. It’s time to create open and comfortable groups for everyone, regardless of gender.

AP exams reflect well on teachers, students

Scandals raise grave questions about Obama Administration

Recent naturerelated deaths bring nothing but tragedy

Advanced Placement exams are the most standardized way in which a student may display great proficiency in a certain subject.

While St. Paul Academy and Summit School offers no official AP courses, many find that the SPA curriculum prepares them very well for exams.

Students who take one or more exams deserve some recognition for their committment. Studying independently for a rigorous and comprehensive test is no small matter, especially while juggling sports, other classes, religious and cultural involvement, and extracurriculars. It says a lot about the caliber of students enrolled here.

But even the most hardworking of us would face considerable difficulty without the luxury of excellent courses in many subject areas. The many fives and fours SPA produces on AP exams are less a testament to Barron’s and the Princeton Review than to the extraordinary education provided here, and to students who take the initiative to reap its full benefits.

Among the many scandals plaguing President Obama’s administration, from revelations that the IRS targeted conservative groups to an alleged Benghazi cover-up, the unauthorized seizure by the Justice Department of phone records from 20 Associated Press phone lines stands out. There is no justification for such a breach of journalistic rights. The Justice Department should have done what any government entity does when it seeks private records- go to court to request them.

The president will have some pressing questions to answer in the next few weeks. If he had prior knowledge or involvement, he will neccessarily lose a great deal of trust from the American people.

But ignorance is still no excuse for Obama. The many scandals traced back to the executive branch indicate either an extraordinary lack of oversight from the top, or a pervasive culture of misuse of power.

The Obama administration will have to work hard to prove they are trustworthy and many American’s may never believe it.

The loss of a child is never easy, but when it is abrupt, the tragedy is incomprehensible. As news reports stream in, people across the nation are in shock over the deaths of multiple young children from nature-related incidents.

On May 22, a mudslide covered 4 students from Peter Hobart Elementary on the banks of the Mississippi River leaving 1 dead, 1 missing, and 2 injured. Nobody could imagine that a fossils field trip would end like this.

For families in Oklahoma, where cleanup from a tornado that reportedly killed 24 people and destroyed thousands of homes, the losses have been great. The youngest victims are reported to be 4 and 7 months old. The first of the funerals, for a 9-year-old girl killed at a Moore elementary school, took place May 23, according to The Washington Post.

As we read the news, we can be filled with nothing but sadness and grief. We extend our condolences to the families, friends and community members affected by these tragedies.

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St. Paul Academy and Summit School

May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Vending machines could use more variety

Students hope for healthier snack options during the day Boraan Abdulkarim

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Cover Story Editor

When X Period strikes, so does student hunger. St. Paul Academy and Summit School provides snack for middle schoolers, but the Upper School isn’t so lucky. Students usually turn, then, to the cafeteria for fruit, or the celebrated ice rink vending machines - otherwise known as the Drake machines. It’s permissible by the school rules, but could student snack options be better?

There are two vending machines hidden away near the athletic hallway. They aren’t noticed by some students. “I had no idea there were vending machines in the athletic hallway,” said freshman Riley Wheaton. Also, the food in these machines, since not many people use it, is really old. Not. Appetizing. I’d overlook that aspect if the machines actually worked. Freshman Maggie Vlietstra agrees. “I’d be like oh, okay goldfish, but that doesn’t work. And so I try ten different things before it finally spits something out,” Vlietstra said.

Many students have discovered that the machines tend to take money with no return of a snack or the coins. Also, the machines tend not to be refilled after snacks run out. “they never refill that machine” sophomore Deniz Kihtir said. There is virtually nothing

positive coming out of those machines.

For both machine locations, there is one problem they have in common -- the content. I need to take a practical view on this. The healthiest thing in the Drake Machines is a nature valley granola bar. Come on, SPA, we can do better than that. When we visit other schools, they have taken extra steps to give nutritious options for the students. There are many options, including refrigerated machines with yogurt and fruit. “The school would be better off without those machines,” Upper School spanish teacher Rafaela Salido said.

Many students, especially athletes, would prefer a handful of almonds to a fatty, sugary, Butterfinger. And I had been making a wrong assumption that the school wouldn’t offer carbonated beverages until I came across these machines for the first time in middle school.

I’m disappointed in the available drinks in the machines. It’s great that we have Vitaminwater as an option, but do we really need to put that next to the ever-appealing Coca-Cola™? The choice is there, but it’s not made any easier by the options. These options, healthy or not, though, are “way overpriced,” according to junior Steven GoRosenberg.

The vending machines are a

blessing to most students, especially those who participate in after school activities. The disadvantages are overlooked, no matter how problematic they are, because they help. The vending machines are a great thing for a school to have, but could be more convenient in their locations and options.

It would be awesome if the school could change the location of the athletic hallway machines to a more functional spot that’s permissible by the school rules. “A student can go to Drake to X period, as long as they don’t bring the food back into the building,” said Dean of Students Judy Cummins.

“We understand that students need snack during the day,” she added. Cummins agrees that the cafeteria is a better location for the machines. “If the cafeteria were open all day to students, I think it would be a great spot [for a vending machine],” she said.

A current suggestion to improve the quality of the machines includes bringing in a third machine; a Healthy Vend. This machine is refrigerated and provides the opportunity to have foods that would otherwise perish in a normal machine, like Izze all natural soda, or apples and caramel packets. The idea has been presented to the Upper School Council, and has a possibility of being put into action in the next school year.

What’s inside our vending machines?

An inventory of the vending machines in the school and Drake shows more unhealthy options than healthy ones. Of the 9 beverage options, only two are healthy (water, Vitamin water) and of the 23 snack options, only one (granola bar) is healthy. The nutrition information below highlights some of the worst offenders available during the day: Coca-Cola 1 Bottle 250 calories 60 mg sodium 70 g sugar Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups 2 cups 196 calories 3.64 g of saturated fat 106 mg sodium 16 g sugar Sun Chips 1 snack-size bag (1.5 oz) 210 calories 9 g total fat 300 mg sodium 4 g sugar Pop-tarts 2 pastries 406 calories 10.2 grams total fat 396 mg sodium 37 grams sugar

Images and Nutrition Information from: Coca Cola Bottling Company (Coke), Hershey’s (Reese’s), Frito Lay (Sun Chips), and Pop Tarts (Pop Tarts)

Infographic Credit: Boraan Abdulkarim Students in grades 9-11 were polled, with 90% of students responding. They were asked questions about summer plans. Larger words in the design below indicate more frequent response. For full statistics and more results visit The Rubicon Online: www.rubiconline.com.

From The Rubicon Online

Carbon tax might provide fiscal and environmental win-win What is summer for? Nick Cohen Infographic of the Month

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Are you registered for camps or classes?

No- 16%

Yes - 65%

Unsure - 19%

Columnist

Americans are becoming more and more worried about both the state of the economy and the massive amount of debt this country is in, as well as the sustainability of our natural ecology. Too often, these issues are seen as different entities with different responsibilities applied to them. However, they do actually go hand in hand.

If executed properly, a device that both helps the environment and helps the economy could prove to be very beneficial. It also could be very simple, taking only two steps.

Imagine this: Step 1: The United States imposes a Carbon Tax on every citizen, costing only $25 per ton of CO2 emitted. That alone would create an additional $125 billion in revenue while promoting environmental awareness and safety.

By implementing this, the U.S. government would free up other money to aid in relief and recovery programs, manage the debt, or accomplish a myriad of other things.

The $125 billion created by that tax revenue could fund the entire education program for the 2014 fiscal year with a surplus of $7 billion.

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[A carbon tax] makes easy money, but also promotes ecological wellbeing.

And keep in mind, not only does the government make easy money, but it also promotes ecological well-being. Since citizens would be taxed on the amount of greenhouse gasses they emit, the logical assumption would be that people as a whole would focus on reducing their carbon emissions. Energy use would become more efficient and environmental issues would be placated.

Step 2: Institute an even greater Carbon Tax on corporations and business. Make a graduated Carbon Tax, starting at $25 per ton of CO­2 for small business and graduating to up to $75 per ton of CO2 for the largest corporations.

In addition to this, create an incentive-based tax break to encourage business and corporations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. This tax break could also be graduated, with a greater percentage of carbon emission reduction warranting a greater tax break.

This secondary taxation would accomplish goals greater than the first step. Just like in Step 1, it gives the federal government a large amount of tax money to devote to spending issues and budget balancing. However, it’ll also put clean energy research into the hands of the private sector, stimulating a faster outcome while not taking money out of government coffers.

Since corporations would now be taxed based on their carbon emissions, they would most assuredly research ways to reduce their emissions in an attempt to pay less tax money. This research would also be marketable, causing free-market competition to ensue, promoting faster development of new technologies and resources.

Overall, a new Carbon Tax would only have beneficial outcomes if implemented. Unfortunately, there are no legitimate proposals in Capitol Hill at this time.

Regardless, it was nice to imagine for a while, wasn’t it?

I N D EPTH 7 May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

How does your garden grow?

Photo submitted by: Mary Lincoln Math teacher Mary Lincoln uses her talent for growing plants to connect with the local community. Of one neighbor, Lincoln said, “We created this great relationship where we just got to know each other through growing stuff.”

Lincoln cultivates award winning garden

Lucy Li

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Managing Editor Online Editor in Chief

If you ever visit Upper School Math teacher Mary Lincoln by her desk in the math department, ask her about the picture of the lush green garden on her cabinet.

That’s her garden, grown in her own little backyard plot and a participant in the Macalester Groveland Alley Garden Awards program. “[The award]’s meant to be a welcoming of neighbors,” Lincoln said. “It’s to beautify alleys and it’s fun to show people.”

Lincoln grows flowers, basil, and tomatoes in her garden. She has also tried growing garlic, car-

rots, raspberries, and blackberries, but with less success. However, she hopes to try growing garlic again in the future.

Last summer, Lincoln wished to outreach to the Mac-Groveland community and helped an elderly woman with gardening. “She had this garden that was really beautiful but her husband had died a few years before that and I think she had just stopped gardening,” Lincoln said.

The woman’s garden was overgrown with violets and other plants. “So I just went and cleaned up the yard,” Lincoln said. “We created this great relationship where we just got to know each other through growing stuff.” Lin-

coln was glad to work on someone else’s garden and take a break from her own. She will continue to help the woman this summer, but due to her friend’s health, it will not be as intensive as last year.

For Lincoln, much of gardening is trial and error. “Some years I get some insect I haven’t gotten before, some years the bunnies eat everything,” she said. “I got lucky with a really sunny spot.” Lincoln’s confidence comes from her parents, who are both avid gardeners, and she has been gardening for almost two dozen summers.

To keep her garden environmentally friendly, Lincoln doesn’t use pesticides. She composts, “which is a really easy way to get

rid of food and give nutrients to your garden,” she said.

This year, Lincoln started basil and marigolds indoors and cleaned off a flatbed to prepare planting daylilies outside. She uses basil to make fresh pesto and salads. “Pesto is one of my dishes I bring to a lot of things. It’s vegetarian, it’s healthy, it’s right out of my garden,” Lincoln said.

“My kids have been eating tomatoes off the vine since they were little. I think it’s a completely separate fruit from the tomatoes you get in the store.” Lincoln also occasionally brings in tomatoes for St. Paul Academy and Summit School faculty to eat.

Students harvest memories and snacks from home soil Lucy Li

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Managing Editor Online Editor in Chief

April showers bring May flowers, and despite the chillier weather this year, students have begun preparing their gardens.

For junior Frank Nahurski, an interest for gardening started online early this year: “I was looking through all of these neat-o burrito seeds and that’s where I saw these black krim tomatoes, which are supposed to be so juicy and good, and these chocolate habaneros...I was like, Wow, and how cool would it be to eat that?” Nahurski said.

Nahurski was also interested in growing county fair cucumbers and royal purple beans. He bought seeds online for a couple dollars, and “once they’re fully grown, I’ll have more than what I know what to do with.”

Currently, he grows plants in two-to-three gallon pots in his basement under full spectrum fluorescent lights and is gradually transitioning them outside.

Nahurski used these plants for his chemistry project a few months ago, entitled “Nitrogen in an Aquaponics System.” He and lab partner, junior Jonte Claiborne,

used the plants to filter fish tanks.

Nahurski has also given some plants away to friends. Habaneros are famous for their level of spiciness, and senior John Fauver, who loves spicy food, received a small bush as an end-of-the-year going away present.

For sophomore Mattie Daub, gardening is a small but memorable deal. “We do it right by our garage in this tiny little strip by the road, so it’s not a garden garden...,’” Daub said. She grows cucumbers, whole beans, tomatoes, and herbs with her mother.

In contrast to Daub and Nahurski, freshman Emily Bookless prefers to grow mostly flowers.

She used to live on a farm, where she grew them in the shade under trees. “We didn’t want them to die with too much sunshine,” Bookless said.

Now, Bookless and her family manage an apartment building, so they organize the landscaping and garden there. “Often what we do is we’ll take little three ounce cups and we’ll put dirt in them and poke holes in the bottom, and we’ll start off the plants in those,” she said.

This method gives flowers a better chance of surviving through unfavorable weather.

“

Find something that you’re passionate about growing.

Definitely go online, find some neat-o burrito seeds that you want to grow and something that you want to eat, and just enjoy the experience.

junior Frank Nahurski

The late spring has been a recurring challenge for gardeners.

Sophomore Daniela Tiedemann’s raspberry bushes “look kind of dead right now,” she said. Her dad brought over the bushes from his childhood home, but Tiedemann cares for them.

“Ever since I refused to let my dad kill the bees’ nest in the back of the raspberry bushes, I’ve been awarded for my nature-savvy by having to pick all of the raspberries and take care of them,” Tiedemann said. Part of the reward includes being able to eat as many raspberries as she likes.

Once fruit and vegetables rip-

en, students have big plans for how to use the harvest. “I was actually thinking about combining the peppers and pickles to get me some spicy pickles,” Nahurski said.

If Tiedemann doesn’t eat all of the raspberries, “my dad makes raspberry jam with them,” she said.

Nonetheless, that stage in the process is still a long way off. In the meantime, Nahurski makes wooden name placards for some of the quicker growing plants. “I have one black krim tomato that is way ahead of all my other plants,” he said as he colored a border on the name placard for the plant, “Joffrey,” during his interview.

Photo Credit: Lucy Li Junior Frank Nahurski holds one of the chocolate habenero he grew from seeds this spring. “I was actually thinking about combining the peppers and pickles to get me some spicy pickles,” he said.

Bookless enjoys how gardening helps her relax and enjoy the outdoors. “It’s really nice to see them bloom and stuff after all the work you’ve put towards the plants,” she said.

Hopefully, this summer will reward student gardeners with plenty of green leaves, fresh fruit, and colorful blossoms.

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Photo Illustration: Boraan Abdulkarim

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May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

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81% of students enjoy campfires

Students escape to cozy cabins for fun and relaxation after school lets out As the dread of finals slowly but surely encroaches on high school students, escape becomes an understandable necessity. In addition to the stress Ava Gallagher of finals, extra-curricular activities, homework, college planning and manChief Visual Editor aging social lives makes relaxing insufficient at times. A common method of escape for many students is a retreat out to the woods or the lake, a retreat to a fun and comfortable cabin For junior Claire Foussard, her family cabin in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin is the perfect getaway. “I like that it’s farther away from the city and I just get to relax,” Foussard said. Like Foussard, sophomore Nancy Moyers enjoys vacationing at her cabin in Wisconsin with family and friends. Moyers’ favorite cabin activity is hanging out on the raft in the lake.

“We go swimming and we go on bike rides, and we just soak up the woods and build bonfires!” Moyers said.

Freshman Hunter Hannula finds himself enjoying the outdoors more so when at his cabin in Duluth. “Our cabin is probably the only place where I spend more time outside than inside,” Hannula said.

In addition to relaxation and escape, cabins are a source of summer and winter fun. Activities enjoyed by Foussard and her family while at their cabin include sledding and skiing during the winter, and trips on their pontoon and power boat during the summer. “We love going tubing and water skiing,” Foussard said.

Moyers and her family typically only visit their cabin in the summer, “The best time to go is June, we close it down for the winter,” Moyers said. Freshman Karsten Runquist also enjoys his cabin near Duluth, Minnesota most during the summer. “I go wakeboarding and I fish and I ride bikes. It’s really great,” Runquist said. He typically visits his cabin about once every month in the winter, and about once every two weeks during the summer.

In comparison to schoolwork, social drama and extracurricular duties, cabins are a heavenly retreat into a safe and calming place for many students at SPA. Runquist frequently craves the relaxation and escape he finds at his cabin. “My favorite thing about my cabin is getting away. It’s sort of in the middle of nowhere, and I like being in the middle of nowhere,” Runquist said.

Moyers escapes from reality and connection with others when up at her cabin, and actually enjoys it. “There’s no cell phone connection. I love it!” Moyers said.

Spending time with family and friends in a special location like a cabin creates timeless memories and provides opportunity for experiences one may not receive at home. The type of relaxation at these getaways brings rest and calm to another level for SPA students, something they could surely benefit from.

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71% of students enjoy swimming

60% of students enjoy tubing

76% of students enjoy eating when indoors

57% of students enjoy watching movies or TV when indoors

55%

cabins in Northern Minnesota

20%

experience cabins in the Twin Cities Area

35%

frequent cabins in Wisconsin

61% of students

enjoy visiting with family and friends when indoors

Data from poll compiled by Boraan Abdulkarim.

Note: some students have multiple cabin locations per person.

Photo Illustration Credit: Boraan Abdulkarim Photo Illustration Credit: Netta Kaplan, Boraan Abdulkarim

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May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Classrooms and colleagues bid farewell to Lucy Li

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Online Editor in Chief Managing Editor

As the seniors’ experience at St. Paul Academy and Summit School wraps up at the end of this month, several staff and faculty members will also say their goodbyes. Here are the voices and faces of Upper School faculty and staff that SPA will miss:

Vanegas values mentorship as she moves on

Photo Credit: Lucy Li Upper School science teacher Carmen Vanegas, will pursue teaching with her bicultural background at another school.

“I think I’m going to be able to take what I’ve learned here and it’s going to inform me in my practice as a teacher as I move forward,“ Vanegas said.

When Upper School science teacher Carmen Vanegas came to St. Paul Academy and Summit School, she was impressed by the resources in biology and chemistry classes.

“The school I was at before was a charter school, and we didn’t have a lab, so I’ve been really lucky to be mentored by Ms. Barsky and Ms. Seibel-Hunt,” Vanegas said.

At SPA, Vanegas learned “to guide student inquiry, how much to help students, how much to push them to do on their own, and how to scaffold that for different people,” she said.

“I think the most memorable thing for me is watching students grow through doing the chemistry projects,” Vanegas said. She also guided multiple student groups, including Intercultural Club, Gay Straight Alliance, and World Savvy.

“I’ve built some really good relationships here that of course I’m going to miss as I move on,” she said. Next year, Vanegas will be teaching in the Minneapolis Public schools, working with students who are immigrants and refugees.

She hopes that her training as a bilingual and bicultural teacher will help her in this new path in her life.

For Vanegas, an issue she hopes to work on with her new job is increasing diversity in science.

“I feel like when you have more diversity, people bring different perspectives and different background knowledge from their life before they went through

school,” Vanegas said.

Although Vanegas is excited about the future, she enjoyed her time at SPA. “This has been a really wonderful experience,” she said.

“I think I’m going to be able to take what I’ve learned here and it’s going to inform me in my practice as a teacher as I move forward.”

Keimig appreciates experience as he returns home St. Paul Academy and Summit School taught Upper School English teacher Chris Keimig how to approach teaching in a different fashion than before.

“Before teaching here I had taught high school students, but only in the context of a college classroom,” Keimig said.

At the University of Minnesota, PSEO (Post-Secondary Enrollment Options) students from different high schools attended his undergraduate classes.

“I think that people who are not high school teachers don’t always have a clear sense of what high school teachers do every

day, and so that sort of scope and breadth of the job was something that was new to me and that I enjoyed,” Keimig said. For example, high school teachers regularly encourage more communication and accountability between themselves and students than college instructors do with their students.

At the beginning of the summer, Keimig will move to New York City to teach at a private school there. “I’m from the East Coast, so it’s kind of returning home in a sense,” he said.

Overall, Keimig has enjoyed his time here at SPA. “I love that being a superstar on the debate team

or the school newspaper is just as a big a deal as anything that takes place on the athletic field [at SPA].

My high school experience was very different from that, and it’s really special to be surrounded by students and colleagues who put such a high value on intellectual achievement,” he said.

For Keimig, teaching and learning between students and teachers is reciprocal.

In his classroom, he said to students, “I look forward to seeing your names on book jackets, bylines, and campaign signs years from now.”

Photo Credit: Ava Gallagher Upper School English teacher, Chris Keimig will be moving back to the East Coast to teach. “My high school experience was very different from that, and it’s really special to be surrounded by students and colleagues who put such a high value on intellectual achievement, “ Keimig said.

Shopping for a taste of home

Ethnic markets provide cultural connection Netta Kaplan

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Staff Writer/Copy Editor

Walking through the aisles of United Noodles Oriental Groceries is an experience in itself; a mix of the unidentifiable and delicious.

Established in 1972, the store has grown to include foods from over 15 countries, including China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, and India, as well as having a number of Hawaiian products. With labels in a variety of languages and plenty of out-of-the-ordinary products, the store can initially be confusing and overwhelming.

However, it’s easy to fall into the general rhythm of the market.

Even on a Sunday afternoon, the store is buzzing with mothers picking up last minute groceries, kids shopping for candy, and plenty of people chatting at the deli/restaurant in the middle of the store.

Freshman Willa Grinsfelder is a frequent visitor to United Noodles. “Everything is in Japanese, so

it’s really fun to try to read things.

There’s a lot more variety of people too, so it’s cool to see them go by,” she said.

Like the people, there’s a huge variety of products, from whole Taro root to jugs of rice vinegar and quarter pound packs of seaweed to Hello Kitty flavored soda (a mix of cherry and bubble gum).

In the frozen food section, more discoveries await: aisles of jars of kimchi (a Korean dish of fermented radish or cabbage), bags of steamed buns and dumplings, piles of boxes filled with tofu, and, for only $2.29, 30-pound durians, fruits so odiferous they’re banned from hotels and public transportation in parts of Southeast Asia.

While United Noodles is far from the only ethnic food stop in the Twin Cities, it is one of the largest. Throughout St. Paul and Minneapolis, and especially on University Avenue, there is a plethora of authentic cultural restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers’ markets from a wide range of cultures,

including Somali, Hmong, Moroccan, Mexican, and Filipino. Food isn’t the only way cultural diversity in the area is shown--there are specialty services catering to emerging needs, including temporary employment centers and boutiques.

Shuang Hur Supermarket on University Avenue is another multicultural store that caters to people looking to cook traditional or culturally significant food, offering an assortment of products from around the world. The store sells Hispanic spices and flavorings, many varieties of rice from all over the world, and plenty of other Asian food and merchandise.

While the majority of customers have an ethnic attachment to the cuisine, plenty of shoppers visit the store just to find snacks and food rarely stocked in generic grocery markets.

For many, food is a way to link back to a home culture. Upper School Chinese Teacher Tian Wang frequently visits the Shuang Hur Supermarket for ingredients

Photos Credit: Netta Kaplan Ethnic markets offer a variety of foods from around the world. Shuang Hur Supermarket offers an assortment of cultural and traditional food. “It’s a way for me to connect to the real Chinese Life in a different country,“ said Upper School Chinese teacher Tian Wang.

to prepare traditional food. “It’s a way for me to connect to the real Chinese life in a different country. If I feel really homesick, I can just go there and enjoy some good food,” she said.

“For my students,” Tian added, “it’s a great way for them to learn a part of the culture because food is an important part of culture, especially Asian culture. I want them to be exposed to different food; a different way of cooking and communicating.”

Shuang Hur Supermarket sells a variety of spices and products from around the world to patrons interested in cooking culturally significant food.

F E AT U R E 11 May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

faculty and staff as they move on

Retirees in Middle and Lower school leave impressions, memories

Apple looks back, looks ahead After eighteen years at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Associate Director of College Counseling Jill Apple has made the decision to search for a new career adventure.

"Making an announcement a couple months before the end of the school year gives me the time to actually do a search, and it allows me to be more open about searching for a new position," she said.

Apple came to love college counseling while she worked in college admissions at Butler University before coming to SPA. "The longer I worked at the college, the more involved I got with working directly with the students," she said.

Of coming to SPA, Apple said "It was a very purposeful shift from working on the admission

side to working with high school students."

Her children both attended SPA. Her son started in Kindergarten, so Apple has also connected with students in the Lower and Middle Schools. "Watching kids grow up through the school for me has been really, really special," Apple said.

Apple’s departure comes from her own personal wishes to seek other opportunities. "My hope is to stay within some aspect of the college and higher education counseling profession," she said.

"I love SPA [and] I appreciate my colleagues, the faculty, and staff," Apple said, “and have enjoyed working with SPA kids and families over the years."

Although she does not yet know exactly where she is heading, she is excited for what a new

Gita Raman

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With tea parties in the Lower School living room and going away receptions in Davern Commons, and special recognition at the Faculty Dinner on May 28, St. Paul Academy and Summit School bids farewell to teachers some students have known since their days in red and blue uniforms on the Goodrich campus.

Photo Credit: Lucy Li Associate Director of College Counseling Jill Apple, is looking for a new adventure in another career. “My hope is to really stay within some aspect of the college and higher ed counseling profession,” she said.

Maurine Hatting Administrative Assistant “I’ll miss the people here.”

setting could bring. "I really hope to stay in touch with what is happening here because all of it is very exciting to me," she said.

George Hower MS Math and Science Read an exclusive interview with Administrative Assistant, Maureen Hatting, at The Rubicon Online

Voltmer returns to college, continues coaching

Photo Credit: Lucy Li Upper School Fitness for Life teacher, Anna Voltmer, will coach college basketball at St. Cloud State University. “I’ve had classes that worked hard in the weight room, but they danced around and did fun things like that,” Voltmer said.

Prom preparations under way It’s the time for dynamic dresses, surprising asks, and dancing all night Junior Sarah Coleman (left, holding bat) accepts her prom ask from junior Frank Nahurski in front of a crowd of onlookers on May 9. ”No, I didn’t expect him to ask me in public; I figured we would just go pleasantly to prom.” The Prom takes place on June 5 at the Calhoun Beach Club.

Photo Credit: Lucy Li

Some Upper School students may know Anna Voltmer as the past Girls Varsity Basketball coach and the Girls Swimming and Diving coach.

Others know her as the Fitness for Life teacher, a position she has held since Jan. 2011. “I learned how a great a class this is. I think that every high school should have a class just like Fitness for Life,” Voltmer said.

She appreciates students’ efforts in the class and was surprised at how willingly they strived to improve.

Feature Editor

“I do a pretest and a posttest and a lot of times at the end of the semester, kids are really surprised at how much better they got. So it was motivating for them and fun for me too see,” she said.

“I’ve had classes that worked hard in the weight room, but they danced around and did fun things like that.”

Other good memories that Voltmer has include trips with her basketball and swimming teams to games and meets.

Voltmer will leave at the end

of this school year to continue her education and take a position at St. Cloud State University, where she will be the Graduate Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach. She plans on getting her masters in Educational Leadership there.

“I think SPA is a wonderful place to work and go to school,” Voltmer said. “I really love how close knit everyone is... I just really think people leave SPA with the confidence to go out into the world.”

Dhara Singh Laura Slade

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In Depth Editor A&E Editor

The junior class hosts prom June 5 at the Calhoun Beach Club, and all juniors and seniors are invited to attend. Underclassmen may attend if an older student invites them. Invitations were sent to each junior and senior with an RSVP card the week of May 6.

The final deadline for RSVP was May 24.

Senior Chloe Hite will be attending prom this year with her boyfriend. “My dress is determining the color scheme,” Hite said.

Traditionally, picking the colors a couple will wear -- from bow tie to flowers -- has been done this way, but despite that, Hite said, “I feel like efforts can be made by both [members of a couple] on the planning side.”

Junior Philip Swanson agrees with Hite, “I’m excited,” he said.

“And I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to wear.”

Junior Sarah Coleman walked into school on May 9 to discover a very public ask to prom from her boyfriend, junior Frank Nahurski.

“I liked working with the SPA children, colleagues, and enjoyed the block schedule.”

Four teachers will be retiring from the Lower School this year:

Tom Lundholm LS 5A Teacher Jane Zeddies Kindergarten Jayne Nelson Kindergarten Deb Waddell LS 1/2 Teacher

One staff member is job searching after her department restructured:

Judy Mason Registrar

“I’ve been here 33 years and have seen so many changes.”

“No, I didn’t expect him to ask me in public; I figured we would just go pleasantly to prom,” she said.

Of course she said yes by breaking open the pinata, with a little help from Nahurski.

Another memorable, public prom ask came from junior Michael Sullivan who decorated the tennis court with balloons that spelled out “PROM” for junior Anna Carlson.

Some students choose not to attend prom, including senior William Brower. “School dances in general are performances of gender and heterosexuality,” Brower said. “Every facet of school dances reinforces these roles that I don’t fit into, making it very clear that I don’t have any valid place in them.”

Several juniors and seniors do have plans to attend in groups.

Prom is planned by the Junior Class Leadership Council. JCLC takes care of all the technical aspects, like picking the location and caterer. Junior Christian Koch helped plan the event and look at venues. He said that JCLC chose the Calhoun Beach Club because “it just felt right.”

Prom is one of the celebrations that take place in the week leading up to Graduation.

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May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Hairspray ends theater season in style Production proves there is nothing corny about Baltimore

Photo Credit: Netta Kaplan Senior Sophia Myers-Kelley, center, sings the opening number, “Good Morning Baltimore“ at this year’s spring musical, Hairspray. “The show really speaks for itself and I let it do just that,“ US Theater Director Eric Severson said.

Nina Zietlow

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News Editor

Hairspray is more than just another peppy musical. Behind the colorful costumes and energetic dance numbers is a powerful message about racial boundaries that continues to be relevant to this day. Set in Baltimore in 1962, highschoolers Tracy Turnblad (Sophia Myers-Kelley) and best friend Penny Pingleton (Claire O’Brien) are obsessed with the Corny Collins Show, a television program where local celebrities show off their best dance moves. When a spot on the show opens up, Tracy’s friend Seaweed (Ibad Jafri) helps her secure a place on the show. This is Tracy’s dream come true, but she soon finds that being on the Corny Collins show isn’t all that it seemed.

The show only allows white dancers on the council except for on Negro day, the last Tuesday of each month when black kids are allowed to dance. When the show’s producer Velma Von Tussle (Clara Stahlmann Roeder) and her daughter, who dances on the show, Amber (Claire Flom-Staab) realize that Tracy is the new rising star of Corny Collins, and she has the attention of Amber’s boyfriend Link

Larkins (Cam Murray), they do everything they can to push Tracy away while simultaneously trying to fight her, along with those of Seaweed’s mother, Motormouth Maybelle (Lexi Taylor-Sawyer), attempts to integrate the show. As the story progresses, Tracy overcomes challenges of her own by accepting her unconventional beauty and sense of fashion as does her mother Edna (August King) by learning to love herself. These morals tie together and, along with music and dance, create a captivating story of love, determination and hairspray.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School took a classic approach to this ‘60s themed musical complete with big hair done up with plenty of hairspray and beautiful costumes decorated in vibrant patterns. “[Hairspray] has great music, exciting dancing, deliciously funny dialogue, and interesting characters and it has a message – a message about acceptance. What more could you ask for?” said director Eric Severson. The lighting was colorful bursts of greens, pinks and blues that complemented the flashy attire and energetic atmosphere of the cast wonderfully. The orchestra, made up of SPA student and teacher musicians along with professional musicians from out-

“

Theater lets you be who you are without judgement, which makes it such a fun, open, welcoming space. senior Ellie Fuelling side of school, played catchy rock and roll numbers including the famous “Good Morning Baltimore” and the finale “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” The production of this dynamic musical took a huge amount of work from the cast.

“The first act of Hairspray is non-stop singing and dancing. We were having 3-hour rehearsals for three weeks and we still could have used more time,” Severson said.

The backstage crew also overcame a great number challenges, including a dislocated shoulder, multiple costume changes and the pressure to make hair as big as possible.

The casting of Hairspray high-

Photo Credit: Netta Kaplan Link Larkin (Cam Murray) sings “It Takes Two“ to Tracy Turnblad (Sophia Myers-Kelley).

lighted the talents of the SPA class of 2013. Eight of the seniors involved in the musical have played a role in SPA theater for all four years of high school. “Theater lets you be who you are without judgement, which makes it such a fun, open, welcoming space,” senior Ellie Fuelling said.

Hairspray was cast as the musical traditionally has been; split by race and with Edna Turnblad played by a man. One of the challenges that came along with the Hairspray casting was the sheer number of people who auditioned for the

musical, many of whom had to be cut due to the fact that the Sarah Converse Auditorium stage where the musicals take place just isn’t big enough. “It was overwhelming how many amazingly talented people auditioned. I hate having to cut people but we just can’t fit that many people on our stage,” Severson said.

Underneath the important message about racism Hairspray is about being different and finding a place for yourself no matter what makes you unique, let it be race, size, or income.

Van’s Warped Tour returns to its roots with hardcore rock lineup The aerial view of Canterbury Park, the grounds where Warped Tour takes place.

Map Credit: Google Maps

Laura Slade

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A&E Editor

With over 200 bands playing on the nine stages, Van’s Warped Tour is one of the largest North American summer music festivals.

Warped Tour will have its 19th run this summer, and will be featuring a different lineup from its regulars of the past few years. Band names

that are typically seen on the lineup, such as All Time Low and A Day to Remember will be replaced with bands from Warped Tour’s early years, like Motion City Soundtrack and The Early November, neither of which have been part of the lineup for several years. The rap scene which had been growing steadily over the last few years will barely be present this summer.

Instead, hardcore and rock bands

will be returning to their reign.

The tour is open for all ages, but the majority of attendees are in their upper teens through younger 20s. The music festival takes place at Canterbury Park in Shakopee on July 21.

Missing your Rubicon updates this summer? Go onto rubiconline. com in July to read a review of the Van’s Warped Tour.

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E N T E RTA I N M E N T 13 May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Seniors look back on their favorite shows All photos reprinted with permission from John Severson

Claire Flom-Staab Clara Stahlmann-Roeder Clara’s Favorite Shows

Claire’s Favorite Shows Laura Slade

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A&E Editor

In the program for Hairspray, US Theater Director Eric Severson wrote, “I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the commitment that this particular senior class has demonstrated over the past four years and the leadership they have shown during the rehearsal process... The work we have created together over the past four years has challenged me, inspired me, made me laugh and made me cry and none of it could have happened without you.”

Seniors acts shared their favorite productions by completing a survey about their involvement the past four years and their favorite shows. The mini-profiles here highlight their responses.

1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2. The Drowsy Chaperone 3. One Acts

1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2. Hairspray 3. The Trojan Women

Clara Stahlmann-Roeder has performed in every show opportunity since freshman year, except One Acts during senior year, when she directed. “I’ll miss all the fun backstage shenanigans,” she said.

Claire Flom-Staab said that one thing she will take away from her theater experience is, “Really good friends with a lot of inside jokes that come from the craziness of rehearsals.”

Claire Flom-Staab (left) as Titania and senior Clara Stahlmann-Roeder (right) as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Liat Kaplan

Ibad Jafri

1. Urinetown 2. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 3. City of Angels

1. Hamlet 2. The Drowsy Chaperone 3. One Acts (directing) Phillip Glass Buys a Load of Bread

Liat’s Favorite Shows

Liat Kaplan (center) in Urinetown (2010)

Claire O’Brien

August King August’s Favorite Shows 1. City of Angels 2. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 3. One-Acts

Ibad’s Favorite Shows Jafri in Hamlet (2009)

Andy Monserud

Andy’s Favorite Shows 1. Hamlet 2. Urinetown 3. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

King in City of Angels (2011)

August King has performed in 8 shows over the past four years. King said that, “Nine times out of 10, doing something on stage big and dramatically will serve your audience and your director better as opposed to half-assed and subtle, even if it’s a mistake.”

Ibad Jafri (left), Sophia Myers-Kelley (stage) and Claire O’Brien (right) in a scene from Act II of Hairspray.

Claire’s Favorite Shows 1. Hairspray 2. The Drowsy Chaperone 3. Urinetown

Read the Q&A with US Theater Director Eric Severson about Hairspray, and discover his favorite shows at The Rubicon Online. www.rubiconline.com

Thomas Evans Tommy’s Favorite Shows

King (left) and Evans in Hairspray (2013)

1. Hairspray 2. The Drowsy Chaperone 3. Urinetown Thomas Evans has spent as much time back stage as on stage during his four years. He said, Tech work is fun, and so is singing.”

Ellie Fuelling Ellie’s Favorite Shows 1. Hairspray 2. Enigma Variations 3. Black Comedy Ellie Fuelling (left) and Chloe Hite (center) with freshman Jack Romans in Hairspray (2013)

Andy Monserud (right) alumnae Hannah Mack in Hamlet (2009)

Andy Monserud has been involved with theater since his first production, Hamlet, freshman year. “The biggest things I've gained from theater have been a bunch of great friends and a ton of fun. It's also taught me to be a little less unnecessarily competitive and bitter when others do better than I do. Theater, while giving me the high of the stage, also taught me to be humble.”

Chloe Hite Chloe’s Favorite Shows 1. Hairspray 2. One Acts 3. Hamlet

Ellie Fuelling has been on stage for every production, in major and minor roles. Although Ellie is a selfproclaimed introvert, her time on stage has included bold performances as Helen of Troy in The Trojan Women and, in Hairspray, she took on three roles: the pregnant “nice girl in town,” the gym teacher, and the prison guard.

Chloe Hite admits that she has learned many life-skills from being on stage. “I learned to work in groups as a single unit, to take direction and adjust the results,” she said. “I’ve also collected years of great memories, really great friends, and experienced a special kind of unconditional love and support.”

14 S PA RTA N S P O RT S May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Spring Sports in Bloom The latest updates and statistics on this season’s Spartans

Illustrations Credit: Netta Kaplan

Netta Kaplan

r

Golf

Staff Writer/Copy Editor

After a cold and wet season beginning, spring sports came to an end almost as soon as they started. With teams going into hyper-drive to fit in all their games in a season half the length it should have been, St. Paul Academy and Summit Schol athletics still pulled through for a full and successful season.

“The late season storms and cold weather took a major toll on practices and truncated the competition season from about 8 weeks to about 4 weeks. It meant games almost every day for some teams and creative planning for others, but in general we were able to get almost everything in. Let’s just hope we do not see another spring like it any time soon,” Athletics Director Peter Sawkins said.

1-6-0

Tri-Metro Conference

Girls: 0-2-1

8th Seed in Section Play

Lacrosse

Baseball 11-5-0 4th in

Boys: 2-1-2

Track and Field

Softball 1-12-0

State meet June 9-10 in Alexandria, MN

11th in Tri Metro Conference

4th in 7A Conference

Trap Shooting

Girls 2nd in Tri-Metro Conference

6-4-2 3rd in Tri Metro Conference

Boy’s Tennis All statistics and scores courtesy of Minnesota State High School League as of May 21, 2013.

S PA RTA N S P O RT S 15 May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Dancing on water

Submitted photo: Kristine Matenaer

Anna Matenaer makes a splash in synchronized swimming Hannah Johnson

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Editor in Chief

With a deep breath, St. Paul Academy and Summit School junior Anna Matenaer dived into the blue water. Slowly, her legs rose above the pool’s surface, pointing towards the high ceiling. Matenaer and her two other teammates swam across the whole pool, kicking, turning and spinning to the beat of Macklemore’s “Can’t Hold Us.” With every lift and twirl, the audience roared in excitement.

With a dramatic finish, she glided out of the pool and hugged the rest of her team, her chest heaving from exhaustion.

This is why Matenaer loves synchronized swimming. Though the junior looks like a professional in the pool now, it was a long journey to this much skill. Matenaer began synchronized swimming in sixth grade, after her mom discovered the sport that combined all of Matenaer’s talents.

“I have always been a swimmer,” Matenaer said. “I used to do gymnastics and I really liked that.

[Synchronized swimming] is kind of like gymnastics in the water.”

Matenaer has been competing with the St. Paul Stars Synchronized Swimming Club ever since.

The team practices six days a week with rigorous workouts, including three hours on school nights and five to six hours on Saturdays.

The strenuous practices take a definite toll on her body. “It is a lot of work; I am frequently sore,” Matenaer said. “You get a lot of cramps.” Synchro, as many synchronized swimmers call the sport,

“

[Synchronized swimming] is kind of like gymnastics in the water. junior Anna Matenaer uses almost all of the muscles in the body, specifically arm and leg strength to support leg kicks and other movements. Matenaer, who is also the captain of the SPA/ Highland Park swim team, said that “regular swimming mostly gets me in shape for synchro.” Synchronized swimmers also need to have amazing stamina and breathing control, as a majority of their performances are performed with their heads underwater.

The competition season begins in February with regional events.

At these meets, Matenaer and her teammates perform choreographed routines in solos, duets, trios and team performances to music ranging from Beyoncé to a sports-themed smash-up. Matenaer contributes to her team by performing in a trio and the whole team performance with her seven other teammates.

During their performances, judges score the team on technical merit and artistry. “The final score is 50% routine and 50% figures of each team member,” Matenaer said. “Figures show body control and breath control.”

After regional events, the team

travels to national meets and international meets around the country.

With the Stars, Matenaer has traveled everywhere from South Dakota to Hawaii.

Matenaer hopes to continue her passion for synchro in college. A few schools have shown interest in her for their varsity synchronized swimming teams, but she has not looked much into the process yet, because recruitment is lengthy and difficult. Prospective swimmers need to send in a video of their performances and techniques.

Though Matenaer is interested in college synchro, she feels that the number of schools that offer the sport “really limits my options,” she said.

The team’s next meet is in Riverside, California on June 25-29 for the National Championships.

Anyone interested in synchronized swimming can check out the St. Paul Star’s website, http://www. spssynchro.us/ for more information on the program and schedule.

Submitted Photo: Tami Diehm Matenaer and her St. Paul Stars Synchronized Swimming teammates point their toes during a recent team performance. Synchronized swimmers need to be able to hold their breaths for up to 25 seconds. “It is a lot of work, I am frequently sore. You get a lot of cramps,” Matenaer said.

Submitted Photo: Kristine Matenaer Matenaer (center) and her teamates begin their routine outside of the pool, a place the team starts many of their performances. “The final score is 50% routine and 50% figures of each team member,” Matenaer said. “Figures show body control and breath control.”

16 C O L L E G E B O U N D

St. Paul Academy and Summit School

May 2013. Vol XXXX. Issue VIII.

Seniors head off into a mosaic of choices Instead of blue and gold, the St. Paul Academy and Summit School Class of 2013 will don different colors next year. Here are the schools seniors have chosen for college:

U.S. Naval Academy Grace Albertson

Marquette University Chinaza Nwaneri

U.S. Air Force Dominc Dingess

Carleton College Claire O’Brien Ibad Jafri

Emory University Samantha Karon Whitman College Andrew Monserud

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Laura Dahl Matthew Fiedler Noah Shavit-Lonstein Ruth Sheldon Farez Siddiqui

University of Denver Claire Anderson Peter Wood

Boston College Hagop Toghramadjian

Loyola University Chicago Emily Nordquist

Claremont McKenna College Liat Kaplan Mara Walli

Arizona State University Steven Olson

Iowa State University Reid Kett David Ristau

Northeastern University Laura Goetz Jeron Mariani

Indiana University at Bloomington Matthew Henneman

University of San Francisco Julian D’Rozario

George Washington University John Fauver

DePaul University Maria Aguilar Serena Hodges Cameron Murray - Fall ‘14, Interim gap year King’s College London Catherine Larsen

Princeton University Francesco Di Caprio Marie Siliciano University of St. Andrews Asher Szachowicz

Wellesley College Madeline Graham Lexus Taylor-Sawyer Middlebury College Amanda Hotvedt Nicholas Zelle - Spring ‘15, Interim gap year

University of St. Thomas Lauren Ademite Saif Ahmed Camille Horne Benedikt Kachian

Davidson College Cameron Causey Wesleyan University Katya Deve

Cornell College Thomas Evans

Lake Forest College Nina Perkkio

The New School for Liberal Arts Leslie Rossman

Hamilton College Daniel O’Shea

University of California, Los Angeles Claire Samuelson

Washington University in St. Louis Spencer Egly Ryann Swansen

Bates College Lily Rogers-Grant

University of Wisconsin, Madison Michelle Cass Madeline Hanson Lorenzo Pavoloni

College of Saint Benedict Rachel Ketz

Boston University Chloe Hite Gina Nguyen

University of Chicago Clara Stahlmann Roeder

Colgate University Karl Hommeyer

Stanford University Samuel Wood

Marist College Nicholas Scott

Macalester College Ariana Amini James Hargens Northland College Peter Driscoll

American University Maxwell Lowenthal - Fall ‘14, Interim gap year Ben Oppenheimer

California Institute of Technology Henry Swanson

Brown University Jeremy Tong Sarah Hays

Sarah Lawrence College Claire From-Staab August King

St. Olaf College Benjamin Braman Eleanor Fuelling Krista Viksnins Jonah Wang

Johns Hopkins University Melanie Luikart

Colorado College Brigid Connelly

Gustavus Adolphus College Joshua Gray Tyler White

DePauw University Emily Nasseff

University of Miami Joelle Destache

Hamline University Amanda Loushin Sidney Dicke Swarthmore College Aditi Kulkarni

Case Western Reserve University Ellen Swenson

Viterbo University Sophia Myers-Kelley Worcester Polytechnic Institute Ian Rolf

New York University William Brower