September 2021 Issue

the

RUBICON

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021

rubiconline.com

LET’S GET

LOUD

PHOTO: SPA Smugmug

SCHOOL SPIRIT. Spirit Week is Sept. 27-Oct. 2. Each day leading up to the dance includes class events and dress up days. Students are encouraged to show their school spirt throughout the week, as well as attend daily home games to support teams.

HOCO EVENTS Sept. 27 - Oct.2

Homecoming traditions return SALAH ABDULKARIM EDITOR IN CHIEF

The bleachers are packed with students dressed in blue and gold as they wait for the pep-fest to begin.

The Spartan mascots come out and get the crowd loud and energized to do the Spartan beat. Students across all grades come down to participate in some pep-fest co m p e t i t i o n s that usually end with lots of cheering and a few good laughs.

As homecoming week begins, students are excited to see the return of a more traditional homecoming.

“I can’t wait to storm the field this year. I remember storming the field my sophomore year before COVID

Monday Ping pong tournament

Tuesday

Lip sync contest BVS @4:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Advisory treasure hunt Tennis @4:30 p.m.

Volleyball @7 p.m.

Thursday

Dodgeball tournament

Friday

Pepfest Storming the field 4pm GVS @4:30 p.m.

Wolfpack @7 p.m.

Saturday

Homecoming Dance 7:50 p.m.

BVS @4:00 p.m.

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and now I get to lead it for the first almost normal year back to school,” Pah Na, one of this year’s spartan mascots, said.

Joining him as a spartan mascot is Sam Rawdon, who is also eager for this year’s homecoming.“I’m excited to get everyone hyped and raise the school spirit because I think it’s been a little low since the pandemic,” Rawdon said.

But it’s not just the upperclassmen that are eager for homecoming.

Even though many upper school students have not had a normal homecoming experience, or one at all for that matter, they can’t wait. Freshman Liam Sullivan said, “I’ve never been to a homecoming, so the fact that we are able to have one this year, is very exciting”.

Homecoming is planned by the Student Activities Committee

RUBICON PHOTO: Salah Abdulkarim I SAY BLUE. Spartan Pah Nah (left) will share the role of iconic mascot with Sam Rawdon.

MINDLESS MINUTE How effective is the roll out of mindfulness practicces in classrooms?

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FIGHTING INSECURITIES Discover the power of positive affirmation and quieting a critical inner voice.

IN THIS ISSUE:

with the help of administration, to ensure a fun but safe homecoming.

This year, the homecoming dance will be hosted outdoors, at SPA on Oct. 2 between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Masks will be required for everyone in attendance in order to keep all participants safe and healthy.

SAC aims to ensure that all students across the US have the opportunity to participate in a meaningful homecoming experience, bringing back a number of traditions that were lost last year.

X-period events this year will feature the classics and a new addition.

Monday will be the ping pong tournament, Tuesday will be the lip sync contest, Wednesday will be an advisory treasure hunt, Thursday will be the dodgeball tournament, and Friday will be the pepfest.

The dance dress-up has been changed to be more inclusive of other grade

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the student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 49, Issue 1

@therubiconspa levels, “The dance is going to be a costume dance, so we’re going to have people dress up according to the pirate theme. In past years the costume dress up has been seniors only, but we wanted to be more inclusive, so we decided it would be more fun to have everyone dress up,” Baxter said. In order to maintain inclusivity leading up to the dance, the previously featured “twin day” dress-up has been removed.“We chose to get rid of twin day because if you don’t manage to find a twin it’s not super fun and you literally can’t participate in the dress up that day,” SAC co-President Ellie Murphy said.

Instead, the dress up days will feature class color day on Monday, fan day on Tuesday, Adam Sandler day on Wednesday, decade day on Thursday, and blue & gold day on Friday. Although it may not seem familiar, Adam Sandler day is a previous dress-up day, with a new name.

“Adam Sandler day is the same exact thing as cozy day, but for the sake of comedy and satire it was changed,” Murphy said. This particular dress up day has caught Sophomore Wafa Naqvi’s eye, “I’m excited for Adam Sandler day because I just got a new pair of sweatpants and I’ll definitely be wearing them”.

With spectator policies no longer in place, the homecoming game will feature Spartan Girls Soccer vs. Lakes International Language Academy at 4:30, on Lang Field. Girls varsity soccer Co-captain Heidi Deuel said, “It’s going to be a good game, we’re going to play hard.

I look forward to having a strong student section.

I want everyone to get really loud and be encouraging”.

Homecoming week kicks off on Sept 27., with activities and dress-ups throughout the week, pep-fest, and the homecoming game Oct. 1, finishing off with the homecoming dance Oct. 2.

CULINARY MASTER Tom Schiller brings creative cuisine to the Randolph and Goodrich lunch rooms.

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

2 Pronoun practice reflects intent of gender inclusion NEWS

THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

CLAIRE KIM

THE RUBICON

As students return to the upper school, new pronoun practices are being implemented into

their environment. Introductions throughout the past few weeks have encouraged students to share their pronouns along with their names.

Many teachers in the Up-

RUBICON PHOTO: Claire Kim PRONOUN BUTTONS. Many faculty and staff have been wearing pronoun buttons to allow for easy identification, in addition to encouraging students to practice sharing their own pronouns in class. Many students have started wearing identification buttons as well.

per School are also wearing pronoun badges in order for others to easily identify a way to refer to them.

Actions for Gender Equality, Rainbow Connection, and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance worked with the Upper School administration to make sure teachers were asking for, checking in about, and using proper pronouns with students. Upper School math teacher Raney Bice says, “It’s really painful to not have your identity validated at a place that’s like your second home at your school. I think it’s essential to be able to start your year with that and make sure everybody feels safe in your classroom, and I think it’s a big step towards that community being built.”

The new policy and practices work towards creat-

ing a space for students, especially those who do not identify as cisgender, to be comfortable in their identities without feeling alienated or alone.

“

VERY RARELY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL DO I GET ASKED MY PRONOUNS. Sophomore Oliver Zhu

10th grader Oliver Zhu also believes using someone’s pronouns correctly is important to show that their identity is recognized and

respected. He says SPA’s recent practices have helped him feel more comfortable presenting himself as who he truly is, and “I think the fact that they value it was very surprising to me, and it made me feel a lot more reassured that the school cares about the students, cares that they’re respected, and cares that they’re comfortable.”

By assuming or using the incorrect pronouns for an individual, they can feel that their identity is being invalidated.

“Very rarely outside of school do I get asked my pronouns,” Zhu said. “Occasionally it will be people my age asking them, but most often, my pronouns and gender identity are assumed, and often assumed incorrectly.” By consistently asking and sharing pronouns, inaccurate gender norms and

PRONOUNS

BY THE NUMBERS

32% Ages 18-29 who personally know someone who prefers gender neutral pronouns

8% Ages 65+ who personally know someone who prefers gender neutral pronouns Pew Research

mis gendering of students can be avoided.

Including pronoun practices in a school environment is just one step further to normalizing them outside as well.

Collins settles in, starts to make upper school new home HOBBS LILLYGREEN THE RUBICON

Theresa Collins just moved to Minnesota from Chicago, beginning a new job in a new state.

Met with so much new, and so much hope. “I feel happy every day when I come to work, being a principal is something that I’ve been thinking about and wanting to do for quite some time and so, you know, to set a goal and then achieve it is always very exciting, and, and so I feel gratified that that that has had that this is, this is like this is my life now.”

Said Collins.

Walking into a new job, not knowing what to expect is scary. But Collins is grateful for this new environment, and opportunity to learn.

“I’m grateful for, for all of the people that I’m working with and the things that I learn every single day, like, I’m finding out that that there are things that I knew I could do and that I’m good at, and I’m, you know, I’m, I’m seeing myself, you know, utilize those skills, organization planning, communication feedback strategy

you know all those things.

Then there are things that I need to learn more about right and those tend to be more specific to this particular community.” Collins said.

“

lins with the change from an English teacher to a principal.

“I think I try to have a balance between work and home life, which is not easy because I’m

I’M GRATEFUL FOR THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT AND OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN.

Theresa Collins

At her previous school in Chicago, Collins was an English teacher. The transition from an English teacher to the principal of a school is not an easy task as it comes with a lot more to manage, but she finds it fun.

“Being a principal, it’s like you’re spinning a whole lot of plates simultaneously, and I find that really exciting and so my days are busy. I mean I come in and I have meetings, I’m hoping to have more meetings with students like yourself,” said Collins.

Balancing a work life and a home life is also a new experience for Col-

brand new, so I think anytime you’re brand new and a job or in a school, there’s just so much more that you have to try to absorb and get used to. where I feel stressed is when I’m sensing that I’m not getting enough sort of head down planful, you know, sustained work time. And I think that will start to even out. But that’s when I feel stressed because whenever I feel like, Ooh, There’s something that I should have been working on, and I’m feeling a little pressed about it and I’m realizing I don’t have exactly enough time, so I need to figure out how to

CORRECTIONS POLICY Corrections are printed at the bottom of New p. 2. Corrections will be published in the month following the error and, if the story is also published online, will update following the online corrections policy.

get more time back,” said Collins.

To balance and handle all the stress that comes with her new job, she makes time to participate in a variety of activities outside.

“One of the things that I do without fail in the morning is I walk my poodle Addo. And then in the evening without fail I walk my poodle Otto so no matter what is going on, the bookends of my day are with him and that’s just because he’s just like a dog and he is amazing and all he wants to do is have a good time.”

Collins said.

On top of balancing the adjustment to her new job, a large part of Collins’ new life is adapting to maintain her relationship with her husband, as she’s balancing a long distance marriage.

Part of de-stressing includes calling her husband every night, and spending time with her sister who lives nearby to relax.

“Then every evening I’m commuting. My husband and I are in a commuter marriage right now so every evening at seven o’clock we’re on the

PHOTO: spa.edu

phone and we’re having a chat just about the day and just kind of talking to each other about how things are going so that’s been a really nice ritual each day. I’m lucky that my sister lives close by, I’m a six minute walk away from her and so I love to go and sit on her front porch with our dogs. So having some family time at the ready kind of whenever I want or needed is another way to keep that work life bal-

ance,” said Collins.

Aside from walking her dog, talking to her husband, or juggling work tasks, Collins has focused heavily on student outreach. Her work life balance allows her to manage her personal life, work, and foster a strong and familial upper school community across all grades and departments.

10 - Feature • Sila Liljedahl should be listed as a sophomore in the pull quote.

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NEWS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

SPA THINKS: HEAD OF SCHOOL SEARCH What do you wish to see from the future head of school?

“ PHOTO: weather.gov Locally in Minnesota, which had record-breaking droughts this summer, there have also been many largescale wildfires around and in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) that left the area closed for the first time in 45 years.

BWCA wildfires intensify though dry summer, closed for the first time in 45 years ELLE CHEN

RUBICONLINE

Wildfire season in the U.S. has been extremely intense this year. In California, multiple wildfires have occurred with Caldor and Dixie being the worst and still ongoing.

In total the two wildfires have burned almost 1,090,000 acres. Locally in Minnesota, which had record-breaking droughts this summer, there have also been many largescale wildfires around and in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) that left the area closed for the first time in 45 years.

Among the BWCA wildfires, many of them were initiated by strikes of lightning. On Aug. 15, the Greenwood Fire in the BWCA area was started by lightning. In a report by the Superior National Forest, it was estimated that the Greenwood Fire has burned approximately 25,000 acres of land within and surrounding BWCA. It was also reported that the fire was more intense than normal because of the extremely dry, hot and windy weather conditions this summer. As of Aug. 7, the Greenwood Fire is 49% contained and slowly more progress is being made. Nevertheless, much damage has been left in the surrounding environments. In the Superior National Forest, the Greenwood Fire has scorched and burned large sections of ancient trees surrounding Isabella, Minnesota, and Highway 2. Many neighboring homes and cabins were also evacuated this week

as the fire continued to spread past Highway 2.

In the surrounding area, other fires like the John Ek Fire Whelp Fire are still spreading and 0% contained. Campers and locals around BWCA around the time of the fires were also evacuated. Freshman David Schumacher said, “My group and I were setting up camp in a campsite on Lac la Croix, near the Canadian border when forest rangers informed us that we were now in a closed area and needed to change our course to evacuate.”

“

IT’S VERY SAD TO HEAR THAT AREAS SO CLOSE TO [MY] MEMORIES ARE BURNING. Sophomore Nadia Degnan

Like the current Greenwood, John Ek and Whelp Fires, many of the BWCA fires this summer were intensified by the hot and dry Minnesota summer season. According to the USDA Forest Service, the BWCA region is considered to be in moderate drought and these conditions elevate and intensity wildfire risks. The dry vegetation caused by extreme weather not only makes lightning more likely to set ablaze trees and plants but also continues to serve as fuel for the wildfires. And as humans continue to release carbon into the atmosphere, the

hot weather patterns will only get worse. According to USDA research, data points to an average of one degree Celsius increase per year equaling around a 600 percent increase in burns for some forests.

While just short of twenty wildfires have been reported from July to August near and in the BWCA, parts of the BWCA have just last week been reopened to the public because of the cooling weather and incoming rain. However after the events of wildfire activity, air quality indexes are still poor as evident in the murky red color of the sky. According to the CDC, the residue of the wildfire smoke that lingers in the air - methane, nitrous oxides and even heavy metals- can trigger respiratory and cardiovascular discomfort.

Senior Jamuna Corsaro experienced the aftermath of wildfires firsthand this summer. She said, “When I was on a Widji trip in the summer in Montana, it was very smokey in the mountains and I had friends in certain groups particularly in the boundary waters who had to get evacuated because of it.”

Besides worsening breathing quality, dozens of houses and cabins were destroyed during wildfires. Sophomore Nadia Degnan said, “I have a cabin up north and it’s very concerning to hear about the wildfires up there. Ever since I was young, my family and I have gone up there for a few weeks during each summer so it’s very sad to

hear that areas so close to [my] memories are burning. ” This summer, firefighters and aid crews in BWCA have been working tirelessly to contain fires, build fire lines and evacuate people. Most recently 400 firefighter personnel have been working to contain Greenwood Fire which has burned 14 houses and cabins along with 57 other additional buildings.

On Aug. 6, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Governor Tim Walz also went up to Isabella to express their token of thanks for the fire crews. Expecting the dry weather patterns to continue and increase risks and frequency of wildfires, Klobuchar, Smith and Walz assured the locals of Isabella, Minnesota, with a proposal of a $40 billion bill for fire and forest management.

This week, as northern Minnesota and the BWCA expect to see some more rain and cooling temperatures, the conditions are starting to look a little brighter. Assessing the situation, local fire experts feel more confident about managing the wildfires in areas of the BWCA. Camping permits that are required for entrance into the BWCA have also been reopened for reservations.

Val Chafee

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I WOULD LIKE THE NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL TO PRIORITIZE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION AS WELL AS FOSTERING COMMUNITY. Senior Val Chafee

I THINK THEY SHOULD PRIORITIZE THE ATHLETICS. Sophomore Lucas Schanno

Lucas Schanno

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Sophomore Davan Rosen

Davan Rosen

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I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PRIORITIZE MENTAL HEALTH.

MAKING SURE TO KEEP UP WITH AFFINITY GROUPS AND CLUBS SO EVERYONE HAS A PLACE TO BE INVOLVED. Senior Mason Brooks

Mason Brooks watch the video at:

RUBICON

online

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EDITORIAL THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

OUR MISSION We strive to capture the spirit of the community through its stories while inspiring deeper conversations.

Above all, we stand for integrity in our pursuit to inform and engage our readers.

THE RUBICON St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave • St. Paul, MN 55105 rubicon.spa@gmail.com www.rubiconline.com • @TheRubiconSPA

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EDITORIAL CARTOON: Kevin Chen the staff 100% ofagree

Classroom meditation activities not as helpful as intended EDITORIAL THE RUBICON STAFF

Over the course of the past few years, SPA has started to implement measures in classrooms, meetings, and other environments to promote mindfulness in the community. The idea is to reduce stress, increase focus, and promote a general sense of “presence” within a space. However, students and staff alike don’t benefit from these measures. Sitting in silence for a few minutes at the beginning of a class does nothing to reduce the hours-long workload, the majority of it online, that many people in the SPA community have.

This is not to say that mindfulness does not have its benefits. Almost anyone can recite for you a laundry list of the positive effects mindfulness can have- better focus, better sleep, better stress management, better mental health, etc. Educators have reported it to be welcomed by their students, saying they have less behavioral flare-ups and tend to be calmer and more focused in class. A few teachers have even reported their students saying that mindfulness has made them more aware of themselves and how their thoughts tend to work. However, schools don’t always have what it takes to teach their students a version of mindfulness that works.

The mindfulness we see on a day-to-day basis is incredibly watered down. It’s a medley of Hindu and Buddhist teachings and the protocol from a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, which includes hour-long sessions and day-long retreats. Mindfulness, at its core, has a spiritual intensity to it. Like most things in life, it takes pracSCHOOLS ARE OFTEN tice and work. Schools are often not equipped to provide mindfulness at the level at which it is effective. When hours of work, lots of NOT EQUIPPED it online, are unloaded onto staff and students, a minute of quiet at TO PROVIDE the beginning of a class or meeting does practically nothing. A minute and a half staring at a peaceful stock image on the Smartboard MINDFULNESS AT THE at the beginning of an English class or twenty minutes of a staff meeting devoted to complete silence cannot bring people to the LEVEL AT WHICH IT IS release true mindfulness suggests. Moreover, forced mindfulness esEFFECTIVE. sentially defeats the purpose of connecting to yourself and being in the here and now. In a high-stress environment like SPA, community members don’t often take kindly to their precious work time being taken from them.

Similarly, the hyper-awareness of oneself that mindfulness can promote can be detrimental, especially to the developing mind, and even more so to the developing mind that should be focusing on schoolwork. Being left alone with your thoughts for too long with no one equipped to handle mental health available can have the negative side effect of inducing symptoms of mental illness. This could be especially harmful to students with these conditions- leaving them alone to ruminate on their thoughts, feelings, and memories can be incredibly harmful.

It’s incredibly important that SPA cares about the mental health of its students and faculty. However, these measures can feel half-hearted and are often ineffective.

Mental health in a school like SPA is a difficult tightrope to walk, so the best things SPA can do for the mental health of those in its community are adequate resources and listening to people’s concerns.

OPINION THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

When I say school, you say spirit CATHERINE HOOLEY

Sept. 28: Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Minnehaha Academy, 4:30 p.m.

Volleyball vs. St. Odilia, 5:15 p.m.

Sept. 30: Girls Varsity Tennis vs. St. Paul Central, 4:30 p.m.

Volleyball vs.

Kaleidoscope Charter, 7 p.m.

Oct. 1: Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Lakes International Lang.

Academy, 4:30 p.m.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES

Sept. 29: Girls Varsity Tennis vs. Hill-Murray, 4:30 p.m.

THE RUBICON

SMB Wolfpack vs.

Park Center, 7 p.m.

Homecoming, pep rallies, sports games, dressup days; all events that were drastically changed due to the pandemic.

School spirit took a serious blow; the pride and excitement members of the community once had is at a low.

What makes SPA the school it is, is the community that brings students together. Actively being involved in different aspects of the school is one day to bring everyone together. Being too busy, too tired, or not having a mode of transportation are all reasons students use to explain their absence. While these reasons aren’t necessarily invalid, many times they just aren’t true. Yes, someone may be tired, but what’s to say that being surrounded by peers won’t be energizing?

Don’t have a ride? There are plenty of students willing to drive together if someone were to just ask.

Homework is a common excuse, and is often a real concern, is it really fair to prioritize one part of the school experience over another daily? Is it impossible to take an hour out of the routine to get out, see friends, and have some fun?

Whether it’s cheering on classmates at a sports game, helping with a theatre production, or someone bringing their A-game to dress up days for holidays or SPA events; actively supporting the student body and participating in SPA events helps bring up the energy and excitement for the entire school.

Not only does connecting to the community help others, but it benefits each individual.

After all, it is possible to

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PHOTO: Sophie Cullen SCHOOL SPIRIT. Friends sit together in the stands at Lang Field to cheer on Spartan Boys Soccer at a Sept. 10 game against Holy Angels. Make a sign, grab some friends and have fun. make new friends and bring someone outside of their comfort zone in a stress-free and casual way.

It is important to remember that being a student isn’t just about attending class and completing homework. The curriculum can get stressful and tiring after a while, so why not take a break by hanging out with friends and cheering on peers?

Now that COVID is less of a factor in students’ everyday lives,

spectator rules for sports only require a student ID, clubs and committees are able to meet in person again, and homecoming is back on. Students should claim this newly (re)found freedom.

Go to that football game, or that tennis match, or that club meeting, and bring some friends. Share your school spirit with someone who might need it, because, after a period of isolation, everyone can

benefit from cheering fans in the bleachers, or crazy outfits, or competing in an X Period event.

Prioritize school spirit, and most importantly, have fun with it.

Full game schedules for all sports can be found on RubicOnline and the spa.edu Athletics page, and announcements for club events can be found in the student newsletter.

Take advantage of these opportunities, and cheer on some fellow Spartans.

Balancing schedules is key to maintaining mental health HAZEL WALTENBAUGH

CONSISTENCY, STRUCTURE AND

THE RUBICON

The quarter ends in two weeks, and schedules have filled up quickly.

Managing schoolwork on top of extracurriculars, relationships, mental health, and any other commitments or obligations can be difficult.

Being mindful of priorities, personal goals, and well-being is crucial for efficiency and success.

Maintaining a busy schedule is important and often necessary during the school year to stay timely and efficient. It forces productivity, learning outside the comfort zone, and it allows your brain to stay engaged throughout the

ORGANIZATION CAN REDUCE STRESS LEVELS.

Hazel Waltenbaugh

RUBICON PHOTO: Hazel Waltenbaugh Waltenbaugh uses a calendar app to manage her schedule and stay on track. day. However, scheduled breaks throughout the day can be just as important.

Teenagers, and young adults especially, need a certain amount of unscheduled time a day.

Many find it difficult to take breaks in the midst of busy school days as it might cut into homework time or sleep, which may hint at over scheduling. But our brains are like our bodies, they

need time to rest. Breaks increase productivity, creativity, and ability to focus. If you feel over-scheduled, taking time to think about personal priorities might help eliminate some extraneous tasks.

Managing stress levels is also a huge factor in time management.

While some stress is necessary for optimal brain performance and overall growth, too much stress can lead to depression

levels: getting efficient amounts of sleep, finding time to exercise and eat meals, developing an efficient work routine, etc.

Without routines, it can be hard to find efficiency or be able to complete all the tasks at hand.

Finding a productive and efficient workflow strategy will look different for everyone. If you feel unmotivated or too stressed, taking time to revisit priorities and change how you spend your time is crucial.

and anxiety, both of which can hinder efficiency and happiness.

Too much stress can also spread onto the relationships around us, creating an overall negative environment.

Another important factor in time management is maintaining healthy habits and routines.

Co n s i s - read more about mental tency, structure, and or- health each week on the ganization can improve Good for You blog health and reduce stress

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

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OPINION THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

Community building should be a strong student focus

REBUILDING. Don’t let COVID-19 keep emotionally distancing campus. Rebuilding a school community needs to beg a number one priority.

HENRY BURKHARDT RUBICONLINE

After almost two years of hybrid classes, online learning, and uncertainty, students are finally back in school on a normal schedule.

Because the last thing anyone needs right now

ILLUSTRATION: Henry Burkhardt

is another COVID-19 school-related opinion, lets deviate from the usual and keep things concise.

Rebuilding a school community needs to beg a number one priority among students, especially upperclassmen.

For reasons that are all too apparent to the student body, school hasn’t been normal since Fall 2019. The seniors are the only students in the building who have experienced a full year of totally normal school life.

This realization points

towards another fact: the seniors and juniors are also the only students in the building with experience on what normal high school here looks like.

While it’s not fair to say any one grade has a unique responsibility to build community, it’s no stretch to suppose that the upperclassmen play a significant role in creating a strong school community.

Connection between grades was extremely difficult in 20-21. The little interactions, like hallway conversations and sharing meals, that go miles toward building community were almost nonexistent. While it’s hard to truly describe the social dynamic of an entire high school, the upper school community is starting the 21-22 year less interconnected as it has been in pre-pandemic times.

While seniors and juniors may not have the motivation to branch out of their circles to younger students... and younger

students may not have the motivation to reach out to upperclassmen, it is vital that we set aside any discomfort and reluctance.

THE UPPER SCHOOL IS NOT AS INTERCONNECTED AS IT HAS BEEN IN PRE-PANDEMIC TIMES. Henry Burkhardt

Please note: this is not a critique of the actions of students. In fact, the energy around the upper school this fall (so far) has been exciting and friendly and warm. I’ve heard the sentiment repeated often—from students and faculty—that it seems like everyone is happy to be back.

As students, we need to hold on to this ener-

gy and continue to put in the work to create a strong community.

While this can take many forms, there are concrete actions motivated students can take to work towards this community: 1. Our elected students in leadership can make an effort to bring back and add events that built the school community, not just during Homecoming but throughout the year.

2. All students can start by taking the unbelievably simple step of saying hi to people in the halls and starting conversations with people in different grades that they do not yet know.

The action may seem minuscule, but a strong community is always built in small steps. Let’s keep the good energy flowing and intentionally work together to build an upper school community to be proud of.

Political discussions in the classroom provide students insight MILKII TIGRO THE RUBICON

Politics plays an important role in society because it affects our daily lives. Almost everything is politics-related: daily conversations with peers about personal choices, viewpoints of policies, people, and culture. It’s nearly impossible to escape it even if people want nothing to do with it. As younger generations are growing and evolving, so are people’s political opinions. Because of first amendment rights, people express different political opinions very often. This is why it’s essential to learn how to have civil political discourse in classrooms.

School is one place that is a part of our daily lives and it is the one place where we communicate with people the most. School and politics are a part of our daily lives which would ultimately make political discussions useful to have in most classrooms like history and English because it helps students feel

HAVING POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS IN CLASSROOMS... CAN BE USEFUL IF IT IS UTILIZED IN THE RIGHT WAYS. Milkii Tigro more connected and engaged to the real world.

We often see things happening in the real world through social media such as elections or news about a country. It’s easy to get invested in it and to talk about it with friends and family members. But it’s difficult to feel connected and to process what’s going on in the real world because people are more caught up in their daily routine.

Politics professor Steven A. Peterson used the “spillover effect” theory that confirms the statement that the workplace is related to politics.

According to this theory, participation in the workplace makes people more comfortable, more interested in larger ideas, and more skilled in political conversations. There-

fore, political discussions allow people to express themselves freely while combating socio-political issues.

However, some people may believe that having political discourse in an educational setting may not be useful and may cause harm in the class environment because it can cause conflict between students and people may feel offended.

It’s easy for people to feel attacked while sharing their opinions because a lot of people may disagree with it and it can result in a divide between political beliefs.

Conflicts are very common and it is hard to avoid but a way to avoid less harm and offending people would be to avoid using offensive language and verbally attacking

ILLUSTRATION: Salah Abdulkarim The three keys elements to a meaningful classroom conversation about politics are: listening, acknowledging, and remaining respectful.

an individual or group.

Having the intent of resolving a disagreement by listening, criticizing, and learning from each other can make political discussions more helpful and effective. To have a more effective discussion

in class is to not shy away from talking about serious topics that are currently affecting the world and making sure everyone has a voice.

Having political discussions in classrooms such as English and his-

tory can be useful if it is utilized in the right ways.

Students should feel encouraged to express their insight and ideas.

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GOOD QUESTION THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE...

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What do you love about performing in theater productions?

EVERY(MAN) - 2018

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I love tech week... staying after school with my friends and having shared dinners, getting into costumes and makeup, working as a team on problems and feeling that sense of our own little community being on the verge of something greater than ourselves.”

-Annika Brelsford, 12

What goes into a theater production?

HOBBS LILLYGREEN THE RUBICON

A play takes everybody’s commitment to the vision to work; each individual role is critical to the final product. For US plays, a step-bystep schedule is necessary to get to a successful final curtain.

STEP 1: THE SCRIPT

But first, the play needs to be decided upon. “The fall play is called Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elise,” Severson said. “It’s based on the 2004 series of novels of the same name by Dave Berry, and it looks at how Peter Pan became Peter Pan.” STEP 2: TECHNICALS

Contacting all the necessary people, like lighting designers and makeup artists, happens next. “Even before casting, I’ve been meeting with set designers. Sarah Herman is our technical director and scenic designer for both middle and upper school and she’s been with us since the fall of 2011,” Severson said.

Although there is the risk of not getting the role, auditioning is exciting. Junior Mimi Huelster said, “The audition part of the process is pretty nerve wracking, but it’s still exciting. It’s nice to see everyone together and perform with others while we wait for the much more stressful part of actually putting the show together to start.”

MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT - 2019

“

Learning how to embody the character you are going to play is a mixture of help from others and work done by yourself.

-Parisa Ghavami, 11

STEP 3: CASTING

Casting is important too. Auditions took place Sept. 21-22. Severson said he auditioned “...probably a week or two earlier than I normally would” because it’s been 18 months since students engaged in in person rehearsals or performed live. “We haven’t really done that since one acts of 2020,” Severson said.

Senior Per Johnson said that seeing the list is a highlight of the process: “Everyone is nervous when Severson posts the cast list, and therefore it is amusing to watch as he posts the cast list.”

STEP 4: REHEARSAL

It’s also important to Severson to make sure the cast gets enough time to work together, in case a schedule change -- like a return to hybrid or distance -- becomes necessary.

Adapting theater for safety protocols isn’t new for Severson: since the spring 2020 musical that rehearsed dance numbers but never performed, to streaming a fall play, separate one act recordings, and shifting to a cabaret for spring musical last year, Severson has had to be creative about what it means to put on a production.

Sophomore Oliver Zhu, who is new to US Theater said, “It feels like a big family when everyone is working together and doing their part to bring its potential to fruition.”

STEP 5: SET, COSTUMES & MAKEUP

ALIENS VS. CHEERLEADERS - 2020

“

I love the thrill of performing and the anxiety I get while waiting for the list to be announced. I also love the community that it brings and gives me.

-Sevy Hayes, 12

Junior Soren Miller, a set designer and builder enjoys his role. “I enjoy the set building because it makes the whole process feel more hands on.”

Junior Morgan Riley agrees: I enjoy set building because I can participate while not being the center of people’s attention for a bit; I still act, but it’s nice to have a break out of the spotlight.”

STEP 6: TECH WEEK

Actress Rachel Swenson has been in theater for many years, her interest starting in middle school. Now a junior, she’s preparing for her next production. Tech week, the week leading up to opening night of a play, means long hours in a big push to perfect the run of the show. It is a time to work out any final kinks and mistakes; it’s the time to memorize the last lines. “Stress is super high, and nights run long. Everybody scrambles around. It’s like a hectic storm, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Swenson said.

“Practice makes perfect,” a saying so applicable to the productions held at the school. In between the final play and the casting, actors and actresses have to memorize their lines and perfect their movements.

Tech week is the final week before the play takes place and its the remaining time for actors and actresses to memorize their lines. “Tech week is my favorite part of a theater production because, even though everything is chaotic and stressful, it feels like the week when all the magic happens. What used to be just words on a page becomes a real show and everything we worked on for the past month or so becomes something we can finally share,” senior Annika Brelsford said.

UNDER MILK WOOD - 2021

“

The best part of the process for me is always the performances. The feeling of having done so much hard work to produce a show and getting to perform in front of an audience is absolutely amazing.”

-Sal Burkhardt, 12

STEP 7: PERFORMANCE

Finally, the production is stage ready. Over the course of the many weeks classmates get to learn from each other, perfect their acting, and get closer as a community.

Junior Parisa Ghavami said, “I love connecting with my cast mates because it makes the theatre experience more fun and it makes me feel as though we are one big tight-knit community. Learning how to embody the character you are going to play is a mixture of help from others and work done by yourself.”

Peter and the Starcatcher takes the Huss Stage Nov. 19-20 at 7 p.m.

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IN DE

THE RUBICON - S

ILLUSTRATION: Mimi Huelster THEY DON’T SEE WHAT I SEE. Outer appearance and inner feelings don’t always match. Isolation can be a significant factor, as can online presence. Relationships often play the biggest role in who we are and how we feel.

INSECURITIES: AN EPIDEMIC AFFECTING TEENAGERS Battling Insecurities 1. Revise self-talk 2. Don’t compare self to other 3. Prioritize what is important 4. Validate insecurities 5. Practice good self care 6. Be kind to yourself 7. Use positive affirmations 8. Be open with school counselor 9. Talk to a trusted adult 10. Distance yourself trouble 11. Nurture your body 12. Seek counseling, if needed

HAZEL WALTENBAUGH be probable that a child in this family then acTHE RUBICON quires feelings of unInsecurities are the worthiness or self-doubt lack of confidence around when they don’t (or think the ways one looks and they don’t) reach those the behaviors one ex- standards. Relationships hibits. Insecurities sneak often play a big role in themselves into our lives who we are, and how we in many different ways feel. regardless of one’s self-esI THINK teem. They cause a lack PEOPLE of confidence, feelings of self-doubt, unworthiness, ARE JUST and inadequacy. They AFRAID TO MAKE can turn fears into soMISTAKES. cial anxiety, and cause an overall feeling of unhap- junior piness. Insecurities look Finn Sullivan different for everyone, but where do they come from?

People learn how they should behave from childhood experiences.

Family dynamics and reHigh standards proliflationships often dictate erate as perfectionism: the habits ingrained in never accepting anything us. A common example short of the standards. is academic pressure. Feelings of constant disImagine growing up in appointment (internal a family that holds high or external) or self-evalustandards for academic ation can lead to mental achievements. It would health disorders such as

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depression, anxiety, or eating disorders.

Social anxiety is often coupled with insecurities.

The fear of being judged or evaluated by peers makes many people nervous or uncomfortable in social settings.

“I think people are just afraid to make mistakes,” junior Finn Sullivan said.

Social anxiety can also construct fears of not being good enough, pretty enough, likable, worthy, etc. These types of insecurities might come from past relationships, judgy friends, social media, or comparison.

“I feel like insecurities can come from other people like sometimes their own insecurities can project onto you,” junior Lucy Murray said. Oftentimes people’s actions reflect their own insecurities, sort of as a defense mechanism. “I think a lot of people are insecure, they are just good at hiding them,” said Murray.

Blaming, or taking things out on other people is a common way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings.

Finding flaws in other people, for example, is an easy way to hide our own insecurities, which reinforces an ‘it’s your fault not mine’ attitude.

Like any insecurity, the fear of not being good enough can not only have impacts on self-esteem but also on external relationships. Trust issues (for example) can develop into insecurity, which in return can make a toxic connection to relationships, and make one feel insecure when trust is taken away.

Insecurities are common but nonetheless strenuous. They can be difficult to manage and spot within ourselves, and even more difficult to confront.

EPTH

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SEPTEMBER 2021

I VALUE MYSELF, I AM ENOUGH

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15%

44%

of high school girls are attempting to lose weight.

of high school boys are attempting to lose weight.

70%

of 15-17 year old girls say they avoid activities because they feel bad about how they look.

# of girls who believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members.

7/10

of middle and high school boys regularly exercise because of insecurity about their muscle mass.

40%

SOURCE: Dosomething.org

WHAT ARE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

Positive Affirmations 1. I am beautiful 2. I am deserving 3. I am worthy 4. I am successful 5. I am confident 6. I get better every day 7. I am loved 8. I choose to be happy 9. I love myself for who I am 10. I am grateful for every day 11. I welcome abundance 12. I believe in myself 13. I wake up motivated 14. I choose peace 15. I deserve to feel joy 16. I radiate love 17. I forgive myself 18. I am hopeful

CATHERINE HOOLEY THE RUBICON

“I will be the best version of myself today…

My faults don’t define me… I appreciate myself for who I am.” These are phrases junior Freya Brokken says to herself daily known as affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements that people repeatedly tell themselves in order to overcome any challenges they may be facing.

Although many may look at this practice from afar and categorize it as pseudoscience, there is in fact scientific evidence to back up the theory that this practice can help individuals. The reward center of your brain is activated when affirmations are practiced, said a study by the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. It isn’t a coincidence or a miracle that these phrases start to hold truth, but rather a person’s own subconscious adjusting.

Affirmations are changing the way some-

one’s brain normally thinks into a more positive mindset. This shift of thoughts takes time to develop and to become effective, but once it is, it can help with many internal blocks a person is facing. “There is evidence that consistent use of positive affirmations actually changes neural pathways in the brain. When we learn to think differently about ourselves we often make positive relational and behavioral changes that result in an upward spiral,” Upper School counselor Susanna Short said.

“It’s not like I think affirmations work magic or anything, but they change the way I perceive myself. I am able to think of myself in a more positive and more accurate way,” said Brokken.

It is important to note that affirmations are used for mental barriers and that they are not magic.

If someone has a broken arm, a couple of positive affirmations a day will not keep the doctor

away. “I don’t really think about the fact that I’m using affirmations, it’s more so just being nice to myself and believing in myself. It helps me manage my thoughts if I’m feeling unsure or insecure about anything,” junior Jack O’Brien said.

“

USING POSITIVE AFFIRMATION IS ONE WAY TO ENCOURAGE SELF COMPASSION AND AWARENESS. Counselor Susanna Short

Besides using these positive phrases to be productive, many people also lean on them to help people deal with their insecurities. “Using positive affirmations is one way to encourage self-compassion and awareness.

You are often replacing

an inner critic with an inner coach. When done intentionally and consistently-it really does work,” said Short.

Learning how to use positive affirmations to benefits oneself can be a very useful skill, but larger issues should still receive the amount of attention they deserve, and should not be brushed away with a sentence.

“Consulting with a therapist or counselor is always a good place to start to make sure that there are not serious underlying or social factors causing or exacerbating the negative self-talk,” Short said.

To make affirmations most effective, Short recommends practicing affirmations that feel sincere and using them 3-5 times daily for a prolonged period of time.

Affirmations are a simple but impactful solution to problems that most people face today and can be very effective if they are given the time to work.

10 New year New faculty FEATURE

THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

My family and I have this tradition where we eat seven-layer bars on the first day of school.

One of the main things that jumped out to me [at SPA] was just the emphasis on the social and emotional learning for students.

That is huge in my classes and how I teach holistic health and wellness.

-- Rebecca Opp, Fitness for Life

I’ve been a French camp counselor, a college writing center specialist, an aural skills TA, an adult ELL classroom assistant, a GED tutor... and more.

--Winona Duren, Science

-- Julia Callander, English

I got into hiking and swimming when I moved here. It’s nice to find some lake or river to just jump into, so I kind of like it for that aspect to just kind of wake yourself up, cool off and rejuvenate a little bit.

-- Rachel Ruddick, German

I love listening to podcasts, I listen to a lot of nonfiction ones. So just seeing, you know, how I can bring some of those things into the classroom, what kind of things people are interested in here.

-- Akie Kutsunai, English

I really just think that outlook on life of ‘I am so solid in myself, that I can have compassion for you. And you’re not … you’re not as self-assured as I am.’ I really like that; I aspire to be that self-assured.

I decided to make the homecoming sword because the current one we have is about 2 feet long and not nearly as cool as this one.

-- Ethan Somes, Math

-- Chris Huebner, Design Lab

FEATURE THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021 I also enjoy a good crossword puzzle, games of moderate complexity, like Catan, easy games, like Spot It, and grandma games, like Cribbage.

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2021-22 starts off with a bunch of new faces

-- Joe Martin, Science

I was on the quiet side, it wasn’t always easy to go and meet people. You have to accept that [language] isn’t perfect, and try to communicate as much as you can.

-- Sandra Nelson, French

“I grew up in Oklahoma… but I don’t have an accent... I’m a pretty terrible Oklahoman.”

-- Zach Sheffert, Math

When asked why she chose SPA, Wigfall said, “I would say that it’s because it’s in Minnesota, and I’m a big Prince fan. My family, my siblings are big Prince fans, so they are super jealous that I am here.

I like comedy. Even if the [bits] are from different countries and languages, I will watch them as long as the content is good and there are subtitles.

-- Chris Godas, Chinese

In high school, I was involved with STEM and made a personal connection with a lot of my science teachers, so maybe I was just hoping to pay that forward, in some respect.

-- Colton Werner, Computer Science

-- Jacqueline Wigfall, English

I’m obsessed with my dog Max, he is a labradoodle and he's a rescue. I also became a crazy plant lady during COVID, so I’m always picking up new plants.

...the most rewarding part of teaching students is “proving to people that they are capable” and working to change their mindsets to embrace new topics.

-- Rosie Rushing, Science

-- McKenna Shaw, Science

READ, WATCH, AND LISTEN TO THEIR INTERACTIVE FEATURES AT THE RUBICON ONLINE

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

Kitchen creative: an outlet for everyone CLAIRE KIM

The experience of using cooking and baking skills to make something that can be enjoyed and shared with others is extremely rewarding, and the creative process of cooking gives students a chance to explore various recipes and dishes.

Freshman Deling Chen has been cooking on her own for about four or five years. She was first inspired by seeing her family members cooking when she was younger, and her favorite part about it is the sense of accomplishment from mixing ingredients to create a new dish.

Chen said the most challenging part of cooking I THINK THAT THERE IS ALWAYS is being afraid of failing, SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM but “I think that there is EACH DISH OR DESSERT MADE, always something to learn SO NOTHING IS A WASTE OR from each dish or dessert FAILURE. made, so nothing is a waste or failure.”

Freshman Deling Chen Her favorite go-to dish is a banana matcha smoothie, and her fall recommendation is a classic pumpkin pie.

Being surrounded from a young age by family and friends who cook also applies to sophomore Sam Gilats. As a self-described picky eater, Gilats loves to experiment with recipes in order to find something they would willingly eat. They enjoy baking, especially bread and pastries, and their go-to dish to cook is fresh pasta with butter and garlic.

Gilats recommends sautéed vegetables as an easy food for beginners.

“I have a tradition of making apple pie every year for Thanksgiving,” she said, “and I love making any kind of fruit tart.”

Sophomore Lucy Shaffer’s favorite baking projects are often cakes. “I love decorating them and they usually turn out nicely,” she said. Shaffer also enjoys baking treats like lemon bars, shortbread, and cheesecake.

Some of her seasonal recommendations are carrot cake, brownies and blondies, and coffee cake.

Senior Sevy Hayes enjoys experimenting with all kinds of new recipes, which means she doesn’t have a particular favorite type of food to make.

“If I had to pick a favorite recipe it would be cake/cupcakes because I have the most creative freedom,” she said.

Hayes’ go-to recipe is for chocolate chip cookies. In the fall, she defaults to anything with pumpkin or apple in it, but prefers to add the two ingredients on her own. “I usually find a way to make the recipe more unique and personalized,” she said.

Whether it is cooking for oneself or for others, making food is a way to expand creative interests while possibly doing something nice for another person. Although a simple act, cooking can bring people together.

THE RUBICON

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MAKE IT

Copycat Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients:

1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces 1 1/4 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk chocolate chips Instructions at letsdishrecipes.com

Banana Matcha Smoothie Ingredients:

1 cup banana slices, frozen 1 teaspoon matcha powder 1 cup fresh spinach, packed 2 teaspoons flax seed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or more if needed) Instructions at fitfoodiefinds.com

RUBICON PHOTO: Claire Kim Food Service Director Tom Schiller honed his skill in restaurants before coming to SPA. “Being creative and working with upscale food is my comfort zone,” he said.

Schiller brings a fusion of creative menus to campus kitchens as new head chef CLAIRE KIM

Behind the scenes of the daily lines, hungry students, and diverse lunch menus is the Taher staff, including new head chef Tom Schiller.

Schiller is Food Service Director and Chef Manager, which puts him in charge of planning menus and ordering the groceries necessary to make them.

Schiller has been in the cooking industry for more than 35 years. He feels most familiar cooking in a fastpaced restaurant environment: “Being creative and working with upscale food is my comfort zone,” Schiller said.

His experience includes the Lake Elmo Inn and The Onion Grille (Hastings) both of which serve American cuisine and are known for creative menus and drinks.

“The hardest part is keeping up with the foods and trends people like,” Schiller said.

He finds it rewarding and exciting to prepare food for students and staff, especially with his huge collection of recipes. “The kids here eat a lot of fresh and great food you do not get [access to] in public schools,” he said.

Schiller loves cooking all kinds of food, including steaks, seafood, pasta, and more. He also enjoys preparing food in a variety of styles: Cajun, fusion, and Asian cuisine. Some of his go-to recipes are chicken marsala and duck and wild rice risotto.

THE RUBICON

Dancing with the Star(chook)s: return to the ballroom

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IT GIVES ME A SENSE OF EDITOR IN CHIEF FREEDOM Senior Nina Starchook has been dancing for THAT NOTHING nearly 10 years, and af- ELSE IN MY LIFE SALAH ABDULKARIM

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Nina Starchook STAGE READY. Starchook is in her stage dress and makeup right after finishing a show for dance.

ter slightly drifting away from dance during the DOES. pandemic, she is slowly getting back into her old Senior Nina Starchook habits.

Similar to all sports and physical activity, dance was a hard change to make during the virus. was why it was diffi“I had to adjust to cult mentally to limit physical activity with her time dancing at the a mask because of the height of COVID. “The thing that I enmandate, and it was pretjoy most about dancing is ty difficult. I also experithat I can be myself and enced many scheduling I can express myself...I’m issues because my studio, out performing with my Dance with us America, partner and just doing went online for the first my own thing.

It gives bit of COVID,” she said. me a sense of freedom The ability to express herself in a creative and that nothing else in my unique manner is what life does,” Starchook said.

One of her fondest made Starchook passionmemories involving ate about dance which

dance was when she attended a competition in California a few years ago: “Although I don’t compete against many people, one of my biggest accomplishments is when I went to Hollywood to compete. That was really significant for me because it made me feel like I was really doing something important. My grandma and grandpa came to watch and were cheering me on. I did well during that competition and I know I’m also very proud that they were there to see it go down,” Starchook said.

Despite her great love for the art of dancing, Starchook is not exactly sure how she will go about continuing dance after high school.

“I’m not sure if I see myself dancing in the near future because my

studio is here in Minnesota, and I might go to college out of state or just far from the studio,” she said.

This doesn’t fill her with regret, though: “I think it’s important to take healthy breaks. I think I’ll definitely dance later on in my life because I enjoy it and It’s a great hobby,” she said.

Starchook’s appreciation for dance remains despite some factors that have made it challenging for her to continue.

She’s working to get back into the swing of things and carry what she has learned with her throughout the rest of her life.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

Exploring Como Park: a cheap and entertaining option

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SPA Playlist: Music to listen to now ORION KIM

THE RUBICON

ORION KIM

THE RUBICON

Just east of Minneapolis and at the heart of Saint Paul lies Como Regional Park. The park has a wide variety of free activities to explore for the day. One can spend the day strolling through the park, swimming in the pool, jogging around the lake, or hanging around the zoo and conservatory.

There is no admission fee, but a recommended donation of just five dollars which goes directly to keeping the building in good shape, the Como Zoo experience is full of life. There are countless activities to take part in. Simply walk through the glass front doors and there are gift shops, souvenirs of all sorts, and many animal related gadgets. The Garden Safari Gift Shop is a little boutique with miniature plants, books, stuffed animals, animal themed twisty straws and much more.

Along with gifts, the zoo has many food stands scattered around the park, appealing to anyone’s appetite, as well as the Zobota Café. The menu consists of soups, sandwiches, pasta, salads, drinks and more. There is also a large picnic area with a beautiful view for outdoor seating when the restaurant is at full capacity.

During the summer season, which stretches until Oct. 1, there are many displays. A large cat exhibit with tigers and lions, the Polar Bear Odyssey exhibit, the African Hoofed exhibit, the primates exhibit, the birds exhibit, and the pollinators exhibit. All of these experiences bring something new to the table and are a sight to see.

Another activity that is also free and in the same building is the plant conservatory. The current summer flower exhibit extends until october. There are beautiful varieties of flowers and plants. According to the Como Zoo and Conservatory, “The Summer Flower Show features a harmonious color palette of purple, magenta, lavender, and red summer annuals.

‘Cajun Blue’ hibiscus, fuchsia, petunias, and verbena are among the flowers featured in the longest running flower show of the year.”

Outside of the conservatory, there is a Japanese Garden that features many unique organisms such as the Bonsai, Water Lilies, and Catfish, all providing a new comforting atmosphere.

The Como Zoo and Conservatory is an excellent way to spend free time. There is so much to see and at such a small price. For more information about prices, activities, and hours, visit comozooconservatory.org.

RUBICON PHOTOS: Orion Kim HANGING AROUND. Two orangutans are caught messing around in their exhibit. The Como exhibits vary heavily based on which animals they were built to hold so that the animals are well adapted to their surroundings.

A Japanese White Pine is featured in the Japanese Garden outside of the conservatory. This pine is very low maintenance and is notoriously slow growing, but also extremely strong.

Como Regional Park is an attraction where every kid in Minnesota has been to. Although most havent gone in years, it still hold a special place in their heart reminding them of when they used to visit as children.

Many will be suprised to see that the park itself and the famous attractions haven’t changed much at all.

Main Attractions: • Ribbit Zibbit- A frog conservation exhibit that includes a variety of frogs with plants in their environment (including poisonous frogs) • Pollinators Exhibit- Features 2,500 live bees from all around the world and pollinator plants Times: • Spring/Summer hours (April – September 6): Sunday – Saturday -10am – 6pm • September 7 – September 30 – Monday – Thursday 10AM – 4PM, and Friday – Sunday 10AM – 6PM • Fall/Winter hours (October – March): 10am – 4pm Admission: • The only admission fee is a voluntary donation of $4 from adults and $2 for children Consider revisiting Como Park in the near future with family, it will be a beautiful and nostalgic experience.

The Como property is very well taken care of even without an admission fee. A mix of state and private dollars fund the zoo, some of which come from the donation center inside of the building.

Como Park provides a rare and much needed outlet into nature. Ranging from tropical to local conditions, the experience is irreplacable.

The giraffe exhibit is just one of many that customers can enjoy in the outdoor area. From giraffes to wolves to zebras to gorillas, there is a wide selection of species at this zoo.

Music is an extraordinary phenomenon scientifically explained as vibrating molecules, but it has the power to bring out intense emotions in people. In an article by the Dana Foundation, Dr. Robert Zatorre breaks down the importance of music: “Human beings seem to have innate musicality. That is, the capacity to understand and derive pleasure from complex musical patterns appears to be culturally universal. It is music’s power to communicate emotions, moods, or affective mental states that seems beneficial to our quality of life,” he said.

With just an electronic device and a pair of headphones, one can listen to music practically anywhere, which is what so many students enjoy doing through their day.

Freshman Liam Sullivan likes to listen to a large variety of music. “I like listening to music because it’s both calming and fun,” he said.

From classical to folk, and pop to rap, sophomore Henry Choi loves to immerse himself in as many different genres as possible. “I think culture is represented by music; you can learn so much from different people,” he said.

Sophomore Eliza Farley said she “likes listening to music when I’m doing other things like homework and chores to make it more interesting.”

Junior Rio Cox also enjoys rap. Cox likes listening to rap because “[he] can just vibe out to it.” Cox listens to music whenever he can: in the hallways, while doing homework, he pretty much always has his airpods in.

Senior Mia Hofmann also opts to listen to a large range of music genres, including hip hop and rock.

Whether to relax or to brighten things up a bit, these five students find comfort in music that they shared to create this an SPA Playlist.

listen to each students’ top 5 songs at The Rubicon Spotify and at:

RUBICON online

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THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

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SPORTS

SEASON SNAPSHOT: A TO Z

L

Even with crowd limits, full seasons mean an abundance of Spartan game play

L

Cross country hits the ground running with new coach

IBID PHOTO: Leona Barocas PACE YOURSELF. Freshmen Inga Wing and Helen Townley sprint to the finish line in a 2-mile race. Sophomore Ford Reedy said, “My favorite part of being on the team is everybody on it.”

ANNIE BAI

THE RUBICON

Spartan Cross Country has been enjoying their practices this year, COVID guidelines have become looser and they have a new coach, Gary Pary.

The captains are junior Becca Richman, senior Justin Troth, junior Ceci Watson, and senior Naci Konar Steenberg.

The combined Cross Country team has about 25 members.

“We haven’t had to wear masks this year at all because we’ve been fully outside,” sophomore Siri Pattison said. “We have also been able to have full in person meets with more schools.”

With this change students are able to connect more with each other and have fun practicing after school.

Cross Country is a great community that is open to anyone and the new coach makes adjustments to fit any skill level, and that includes beginners that have no running experience.

“The new coach is great, he has quickly become well liked and his knowledge of the sport is drastically improving everyone’s abilities and times.” sophomore Ford Reedy said.

Sophomore Carys Hardy added that “I think our team really likes him, shout-out to Gary Pary.

He’s training us really

smart and I think we’re gonna see some good times this year.”

Keep in mind running is something that the body needs time to get used to and it can take many months until it starts getting enjoyable.

This can be hard when the team aims to run 40 miles a week.

“Saturday long runs are great for team building, our last one was eight and a half miles. Those are just relaxing,” Hardy said.

Reedy said, “My favorite part of being on the team is everybody on it.”

Their next meet is Oct. 2 with schools Orono, Blake, and Minnehaha Academy, hosted at Breck.

Spartan boys soccer kick off the season with high hopes MILKII TIGRO THE RUBICON

After the first five games, the boys varsity soccer team has started off with a 3-1-1 record under coach Max Lipset and guidance from captains Leo Larson and Mac Brown.

“Something that is working well is our team’s chemistry and bonding.” Yash Kshirsager said. “We’ve gained a lot of new players this year and the bond that we have as a team is really strong and it allows us to have more trust and con-

fidence with each other on the field.”

One of the new soccer players this season is Ezra Straub who plays center mid.

Joining a sport can be challenging because it can be hard to adjust to the pattern and routine of the team. “Our team has gotten a lot of new varsity players including myself, and it takes time to get used to the speed of the high school level,” Straub said.

Because there are a lot of new players and changes to the season, players have been taking

some time adjusting to the structure of the season and working together to build a better team dynamic.

Something that has been challenging has been reacting to change as it’s taking a bit for us to adapt to small changes like the different surfaces of the field, or the different styles of play that other opponents have. But it’s something that we’re improving on and we’ll continue to work on that” Kshirsagar said.

BVS’s next game is at Providence Academy on Sept. 30.

RUBICON PHOTO: Hazel Waltenbaugh HUDDLE UP. The BVS starters huddle up for a traditional chant before their game against Minnehaha. “The captains usually give a pre-game motivational speech as a way to hype us up before the match,” forward Cooper Bollinger Danielson said.

SPORTS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

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Spartan girls soccer fight to keep near flawless record MILKII TIGRO THE RUBICON

IBID PHOTO: Leona Barocas STANDING TOGETHER. GVS hold hands as the national anthem plays.

Girls Varsity Soccer is currently first in state under coach Paul Armstrong and captains Mia Hofmann, Naomi Straub, and Heidi Deuel.

“This has definitely been my most successful high school soccer season,” senior Mia Hofmann said.

“My personal goal is to stay positive and continue to play with intensity as we get into higher stakes games, and my team’s goal is to go to state and get a trophy, but also to have fun while we do so,” she added.

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THIS HAS DEFINITELY BEEN MY MOST SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL SEASON. Captain Mia Hofmann

It is clear that the team has been focusing on how to become better players, they are also focusing on their team dynamic and working on ways to play better together.

“We have really started to bond as a team, and are getting used to play-

ing with each other. We have been able to work really hard even when we are losing, which I think is really important,” Sawyer Bollinger-Danielson said.

No matter the ups and downs of the season, girls varsity has been able to combat any challenges that get in their way because of their strong bond and dedication to each other.

Their next game is at home against Lakes International Language Academy on Oct. 1.

SPARKS dive into full season EVE SAMPSELL-JONES

Few high school sports can offer an experience quite like a swim team can.

For starters, it’s the only sport that doesn’t take place on solid ground.

Swimmers don their goggles, caps, and racing suits and gracefully throw themselves into the water of the pool, divided into lanes to allow for competition.

The limbs fly and the water splashes everywhere. Competitors perform strokes, flip-turns, and dives with no room for mistake. Swim team is a specific experience and a staple of SPA’s high school sports. This year, the SPARKS swim and dive team are coached by Stephen Satnick, and lead by captains Divya Bhargava and Katherine Welsh.

“COVID significantly impacted the season last year, when we had reduced-capacity practices and virtual meets.” senior Marie Schumacher said of the interrupted flow of the team. Our coach got COVID right after the season ended, but no one on the team tested positive.”

“We were fortunate to still have a season last year, but it was very different from past years. We swam meets at our pool instead of at Humboldt with another team, which made it difficult to get motivated,” junior Linnea Cooley said, expressing similar sentiments.

“This year, we’re still getting used to beTHE RUBICON

ing able to have a more normal season, but I feel like the team community is a lot stronger now that we have full practices and get to take a bus together to meet.”

Now, SPARKS is starting to readjust to pre-pandemic team norms. They practice four to six times a week at Highland Park, the school whose swim team is combined with SPA’s to create the team. The team warms up and then dives into practice, swimming in lanes alongside people at similar speeds or who do the same strokes competitively.

SPARKS has meets on Thursdays, where they compete against one other team in their league.

“We’re finally getting into some harder practice sets now, and we’ve had two meets.” Schumacher said. “We had some difficulties finding a coach- our head coach is actually the diving coachbut the coach from my freshman year agreed to come back as an assistant, and she has been great.”

“It’s nice to be able to have real meets again instead of the online alternative and to have everyone at the same practice.” Cooley said. “I’m optimistic that I’ll be able to drop some time in my events over the course of this season, and I think that we have a lot of incredible swimmers this year.”

Though the pandemic has changed many things surrounding school sports,

IBID PHOTO: Leona Barocas INTENSITY. Junior Elena Sjaastad gives a pep talk during a meet against Como Park at Humboldt on Sept. 2. one thing it has not changed is team spirit. SPARKS is no exception to this.

The team culture holds strong- it’s close and familial, a dynamic that can be hard to achieve with students from two different schools in the mix. However, the team manages, and they swim forward together.

“My experience on the team has been really positive. It is a large time commitment, but I’m grateful I can do a sport I love with an awesome team.” Schumacher said. “The team is super supportive, and I feel like we get to know each other really well during the season. I

like that I’m able to connect with people in seventh through twelfth grade.”

“The team is very close, and a lot of us consider it like a family. Swimming is an individual sport, so it’s very easy to get in your head and super stressed out, but we put a lot of emphasis on supporting each other and cheering to keep it fun.” Cooley said. “The team is a co-op with SPA and Highland Park… but we’re very much a single team and not just two schools sharing a pool.”

Their next meet is against Harding Oct. 5 at Humboldt High School.

Girls tennis enjoys pre-match bonding MILKII TIGRO THE RUBICON

IBID PHOTO: Leona Barocas HIGH FIVES. Senior Sonia Ross high fives her teammates before a tough match.

Girls Varsity Tennis has been working on team bonding and improving the team dynamic. Now that school is fully back in person, girls tennis have brought back a dress-up week, bond over Kardashian references, and getting coffee.

They played against the MS tennis team Sept.

14, building connections and mentorship.

Girls tennis is coached

by Jono Martin and led by captains Elizabeth

Trevathan and Maggie Fields.

“I love the tennis community because I feel like everyone is so welcoming and we have a tightknit group,” junior Leni Nowakowski said. “One of my highlights of tennis is when we do team bonding activities like getting Starbucks.”

Players have also started developing goals that they’ve wanted to achieve this season.

Junior Alyssa Ebert said, “A personal goal I have is to continue im-

proving at playing doubles since in years past I play mainly single matches,” Ebert said.

Ebert has been enjoying the tennis season so far. She has gotten the opportunity to bond with her team and overcome challenges that she has approached.

“I am enjoying playing against more challenging opponents and the team dynamic is really fun” Ebert said.

Their next meet is at home against Hill-Murray Sept. 29.

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SPORTS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2021

Volleyball team’s family-like bond strengthens start to the season EVE SAMPSELL-JONES THE RUBICON

Shoes squeak on the court. Players call to each other to set and spike.

There’s a loud wail from the clock running out.

The crowd screams and claps as the last play is made. This has been a fantasy since the pandemic began, but with life almost back to normal, the pipe dream of the perfect volleyball game is more than a dream.

Captains Riley Erben, Solvej Eversol, Nina Starchook and Head Coach Mary Engstrom will work to turn around a season that has started with only one win.

“Last season with COVID was definitely rough but we persisted and were able to stay the strong program we always have been.” senior Katherine Bragg said.

“I think in some ways it made us appreciate all the little things we love about volleyball.”

Senior Esther Allen agrees: “If anything COVID has made the team a lot closer. We went through a lot together [like] having to be quarantined… and we definitely make it a priority to make up for the good ties lost while still being cautious of illness.”

Before practice at 4:30 p.m. the volleyball team hangs out. They eat food and do homework. When practice starts, they start with a few warm-ups and then move on to practice skills. And, of course, the volleyball team plays a lot of volleyball.

“The season has been really fun,” Allen said.

Already, she added, “The girls on the team have made this year the best

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WE PERSISTED AND WERE ABLE TO STAY THE STRONG PROGRAM WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. Senior Katherine Bragg

year of volleyball in my career.”

The bonds made between teammates can be described by anyone who’s played high school sports: unbreakable.

“I’ve met a lot of good people and some of my best friends are on the team with me. I definitely look forward to practice,” Allen said.

IBID PHOTO: Leona Barocas TEAM CHEER. The Spartan volleyball team prepares for the home opener against South St. Paul Aug. 31 by getting into a group huddle.

“For me, my team is like a second family. I love talking with the younger girls and connecting with others who aren’t neces-

sarily my best friends or people I hang out with everyday. I enjoy playing a sport I love with such a supportive group of girls.”

Bragg said.

The Spartans play Sept. 30 at home vs. Kaleidoscope Charter .

Wolfpack kicks off season with fan support FALL SPORTS

BY THE NUMBERS

7-0-1

Girls soccer leads the Spartan pack with a near-perfect record.

4-1-1

Boys soccer also has an impressive record, playing against 3A schools and holding their own.

3-0-0

The SMB Wolfpack is racking up points and hopes to continue its winning streak.

4-0-6

ANNIE BAI THE RUBICON IBID PHOTO: Freya Brokken

Girls tennis has played many games and still have many games to play.

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. SMB Wolfpack starts a play in a heated match with North St. Paul Sept. 10 that ended in a 48-20 win for the pack. “I feel like this year we’ve had a lot more time to connect and become a team,” quarterback Connor Overgaard said.

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THERE SEEMS TO BE A BUZZ GOING AROUND THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL. Senior Charlie Johnson

ANNIE BAI

THE RUBICON

After a season cut short by an exposure quarantine, Wolfpack Football is experiencing a more normal year with fewer restrictions. Last year the locker rooms were completely off limits and their pre-season was a lot shorter.

They practice full time and have, more or less, gone back to the 2019 season’s schedule.

“I feel like this year we’ve had a lot more time

to connect and become a team.” QB Connor Overgaard said.

The main thing the team has planned for Homecoming is their football game Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Blake (Hopkins) campus.

“It should be a good game; there seems to be a buzz going around the team that we have the potential to do something special,” captain Charlie Johnson said.

The team is undefeated, starting with a highlight moment: “We won

1-0-3

Girls volleyball hopes to make a comeback and flip their record.

our first game against Fridley 15-12.” LB Joey Stolpestad said. “The best moment so far is beating Fridley.”

Stolpestad said that Fridley “didn’t let up a touchdown last year in seven games.”

Johnson shares the captainship with Judah Thomas. The 12 person coaching staff is led by Head Coach Chris Goodwin.

40

Cross country runners have been running 40 miles a week and run everyday.

60+

number of participants on the SPARKS swim and dive co-op.