February 2018 Issue

the

RUBICON

The evolution

the student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue - Saint Paul, MN 55105 Volume 45. Issue 5. February 6, 2018

N A M O W Y T S A N

#METOO

P U S ’ TIME . t n e m e ov of a m IN THIS ISSUE: 2-3 NEWS • 4-6 EDITORIAL/OPINIONS • 7 SCI/TECH • 8-9 IN DEPTH • 10-11 FEATURE • 12-13 A&E • 14-15 SPORTS • 16 BACK COVER

Cover Design: Jonah Harrison

the

RUBICON

The evolution

the student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue - Saint Paul, MN 55105 Volume 45. Issue 5. February 6, 2018

N

NASTY WOMA

#METOO TIME’S UP of a movement.

2

ABOUT THE COVER Read about the evolution of the Women’s Rights movement in the United States on In-Depth pg 8-9 Nasty Woman photo:Ruth Fremson Time’s Up photo: Fair use image from NBC.com

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IN THIS ISSUE: 2-3 NEWS • 4-6 EDITORIAL/OPINIONS • 7 SCI/TECH • 8-9 IN DEPTH • 10-11 FEATURE • 12-13 A&E • 14-15 SPORTS • 16 BACK COVER

SADD hosts annual drunk goggle course

On Jan. 25 during X-period, the student group SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) hosted the third annual drunk goggle obstacle course in the Briggs Gymnasium and invited students to see the danger in driving with impaired vision.

Read the full story at RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Emma Sampson OBSTACLE. Senior Harry Stevenson prepares to do a cartwheel.

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

INTERSECTIONALITY. Muslim Students Alliance president Iya Abdulkarim and Vice President Mashal Naqvi asked guest speakers Lori Saroya and Tamara Gray about about advocacy and alliance for hijab-wearing women, and for all marginalized groups.

PHOTO: Isabel Dieperink

Advocates educate students for World Hijab Day JASPER GREEN

The Rubicon Editor

Tamara Gray and Lori Saroya came to speak with students about the significance of wearing a hijab on Jan 25.

Both women discussed how the hijab has affected their day to day lives, and also stressed the importance of intersectionality.

Lori Saroya is the founder of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations, Minnesota (CAIR-MN), a leading civil rights and advocacy organization that assists Muslims and other racial, religious and ethnic minorities facing discrimination.

“For me, it’s about identity.

I grew up in southern Iowa in a really small town where my family was the only Muslim family. [When I didn’t wear the hijab] it was easy to blend in because of my name and my appearance. It bothered me because I felt like I was pretending to be somebody who I wasn’t. That’s the core of why I wear the hijab in civil rights work is because I truly believe that it’s about identity and about having the freedom

to be who you are as an individual, express yourself, and be true to who you are,” Saroya said.

Saroya finds that working for a civil rights organization is an effective way to help people of all communities and faiths.

“The biggest thing for me is that we’re all in it together. If I’m standing up for the rights of American Muslims, if I’m fighting for the right to wear the hijab at school and work, to not get bullied, then I have to do that for every other community as well, whether it’s for the African American community, the Jewish community, or the LGBT community. It’s the intersectionality that we’re all in this together. Either we all have our civil rights or none of us have them,” Saroya said.

Tamara Gray is an Islamic scholar, professional educator,

and community activist.

She holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum Theory and Instruction, multiple ijazas in Islamic sacred texts and subject matter.

“I became a Muslim woman in January, 1985.

I don’t think I knew it then, but I experienced a loss of privilege. We didn’t talk about privilege back then, and I don’t think I necessarily understood what it meant to be a white woman in the United States and how much privilege I actually had. When I became Muslim I suddenly came up against walls and attitudes that I had never experienced or imagined existed, [because I was] in the bubble of liberalism where we all love each other and accept each other and everyone has the right to live how they want to live,” Gray said.

“I really think that women need to step up our game of

supporting each other [...] to decide who has fulfilled the requirements of what it means to be a social activist or a woman worthy of walking at The Women’s March for example. I think that that has to change because it comes back to the fact that we are all human beings and we need to meet each other where we are and uplift one another to a higher level,” Gray said.

“The

biggest thing

for me is that we’re all in it together.”

— LORI SAROYA

World Hijab Day is an annual event was founded by Nazma Khan in 2013, and it takes place on Feb. 1st 140 countries worldwide. This year will be St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s third time participating in the event. The day encourages women of all religions and backgrounds to have the experience of wearing a hijab and is an

opportunity for non-Muslim women to learn more about what it means to be part of Muslim community. “[Hijab day] raises awareness surrounding both the difficulties and the responsibilities that come with wearing a hijab,” Junior member of the Muslim Student Alliance Hussam Quereishy said.

While some Muslims criticize the event because they see non-Muslims wearing hijabs as a breach in the solidarity of traditional Islamic customs, the Muslim Students Alliance chooses to back the event in order to extend an open channel where people of all religions and lifestyles can communicate.

“Wearing a hijab is just a symbol of modesty, and especially on hijab day we encourage all female identifying students to participate if they want to,” Qureishy said.

On Hijab Day, MSA hands out hijabs and helps people put them on, in addition to providing custom-designed stickers.

STICKER DESIGN: Iya Abdulkarim

CORRECTIONS POLICY

LAST MONTH’S CORRECTIONS

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

SCI-TECH- Mussel was incorrectly spelled as muscle. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT- Stray number 1 in list.

SPORTS- Dance Team photos for playlist are from Spotify.

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Ethan Dincer

Chemical Health Assembly: “Any use is misuse.”

CONNECTIONS. Psychologist Krista Schaefer used a drawing to model the connections that the brain makes when on drugs

EMMA SAMPSON RubicOnline Editor

On Jan. 22 during X-period, psychologist Krista Schaefer spoke to the Upper School community in the Huss auditorium about understanding the effect that addiction can have on the adolescent brain.

While first explaining the

difference between misuse and addiction, Schaefer said any use can open the gate into permanently changing the way the frontal and temporal lobe develop.

While SPA defines any use as misuse, Schaefer chose to present information in a new way.

Read the full story at

Read more about SPA chemical use culture on Sci-Tech pg. 7

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THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

Parent meeting sheds light on gender diversity

RUBICONLINE PHOTO:Mimi Geller ACCEPTANCE. Dr. Todd Savage explained to parents the complexities of gender in relation to students.

MIMI GELLER

Director of RubicOnline

In light of the new Gender Diversity policy that was sent out to families on Jan. 18 by Head of School Bryn Roberts, two parent programs took place these past two days to delve into the topic from both a psychological perspective and a familial stand point. The meeting on Jan. 30 in Driscoll Commons enlightened faculty and parents about gender diversity as a whole, not the

specifics of the policy itself.

The “Guidelines for SPA in support of Gender Diversity” was agreed unanimously by the Board of Trustees and had been in the works since this past summer. Extensive effort was carried through

by Director of Intercultural Life Karen Dye and Upper School Dean of Students Max Delgado.

Roberts introduced the parent meeting by giving context:

“This meeting is about helping all of you understand the realities of gender diversity and our understandings of it. This new policy will help us serve students better. Our students can’t live up to our mission of ‘shaping the minds and hearts of the people who will change the world’ if they don’t feel understood. Our school must be founded on acceptance. This policy will help our students and it grows directly out of our mission,” Roberts said.

Guest speaker Dr. Todd Savage has been collaborating with SPA efforts surrounding gender inclusion guidelines.

He is an Associate Professor of School Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. He has also served as the president of the National Association of School Psychologists.

To begin his presentation, Savage showed parents and faculty a video from the National Center for

Transgender Equality.

This video humanized the scientific and psychoanalytical information he would deliver next.

“Sex is an assignment made to people by others based on biological data. From there, another assignment is made, and that is the assignment of gender. There is growing research to support that there are probably some biological contributions to gender, or what we know as gender to be. But, gender, by and large, is a social construction. A group of people, a culture, a society, a nation, decides what it means to be female and to male. Then they treat that person accordingly. We live in a world that was set up by cisgender people, for cisgender people. We don’t question it,” Savage said.

Read the full story at

Dean of Students to become two separate Dean positions JONAH HARRISON Chief Visual Editor

With current Dean of Students Max Delgado stepping into the Upper School principal position, and the Schilling Center for Math and Science opening in the fall of 2018, changes won’t be new for the Upper School students of St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

In addition to these changes, the administration will be instating a new position into the leadership team: the academic dean. According to Head of School Bryn Roberts, “we envisage the dean as supporting all of the departments, overseeing the curriculum, working with the principal, working on professional development on teaching, helping everyone make the most out of the experience and take full advantage of what is there.”

Although the announcement and the decision is new, there has been talk about administrative restructuring for many years. The administration understood that the amount

of work that gets done by the leadership team is enormous, but the use of an extra person would be extremely helpful.

“We

were

concerned that we were not getting everything done that we needed to get done.”

— HEAD OF SCHOOL BRYN ROBERTS

“Even had Chris Hughes not been going off to become a school head, we were going to make some changes because we realized that while they were extraordinary at what they did, Chris Hughes, Max Delgado, and Judy Cummins before Hughes, it was an extraordinary amount of work for two people, and we were concerned that we were not getting everything done that we needed to get done,” Roberts said.

The Academic Dean will act as almost an Assistant Principal, in that they will work closely with Delgado to work on school curriculum.

“Everybody knows that what drives life at the Upper School is the academic program, and we know that this is what draws people here. The goal [with the new position] is to make sure that everybody has the things that they need, so that we are still passionate about the traditional liberal arts but we are also very innovative,” Roberts said.

With the addition of the Schilling Center for Math and Science, new technology will be put into place, and as a result, the school will need to stay up to date and in touch with the changes that come.

“We know that when the Shilling Center for Math and Science opens, we know that we aren’t building a bigger school and that this is going to be an incredible facility for the Upper School, and that is going to be creating new opportunities and demands,” Roberts said.

Academic Dean: acts as an Assisstant Principal in addition to working with the Principal on the school curriculum and with professional development on teaching.

With this new position being added also comes the search for applicants, spanning from right at SPA to across the country.

“The searches will be starting promptly, and Cindy Richter oversees these, and we are going to be posting the jobs and receiving applications within the week is my guess. As to whether it will be internal or external: we don’t know. There may well be applicants from inside the school, but we are going to look broadly,” Roberts said.

The new Academic Dean and the new Dean of Students will take their positions in fall of 2018.

PICTURESQUE. The dance was held in the Skyline room of the Walker Art Center.

Winter Dance excites with new venue MELISSA NIE

The Rubicon Editor

As the temperature dropped even lower, excitement for the Upper School winter dance rose. Known as the Valentine’s dance in previous years, a new venue and an earlier date have reshaped the dance into its current form.

Student Activities Committee Co-Presidents seniors Ned Laird-Raylor and Turab Naqvi explained the reasoning behind the changes.

“Last year, we settled on the Midpointe Event Center and that worked well, but what didn’t was how hot it was and the non-dance oriented activities,” Laird-Raylor said.

This year, the dance was held at the Walker Art Center in the Skyline Room. There was a dance floor in addition to catered food and tables at the back of the room.

Due to the numerous weddings that occur on Valentine’s Day, the dance was held on Jan. 27th. As such, it was more of a winter wonderland dance than a Valentine’s dance.

The Walker provided a better place for students to dance at, including better heating and general atmosphere.

“The new venue has the aesthetic that we want and it caters toward everything that we’ve lacked in past years,” Naqvi said.

SAC tried to cater towards students who preferred not dancing too. “I know some people can feel uncomfortable about it. We really wanted to make sure there were things to do that were not isolating when you weren’t dancing,” Laird-Raylor said.

The Minneapolis Skyline views and the Walker’s modern atmosphere were unique to past year’s venues.

4

E ditorial

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS OF COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

1. STAY ENGAGED. Staying engaged means “remaining morally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially involved in the dialogue.”

2. EXPERIENCE DISCOMFORT. Editorial Cartoon: Melissa Nie ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. SPA needs to address what’s been missing from its curriculum: meaningful discussions about race.

We need to change how SPA talks about race EDITORIAL

The Rubicon Staff

Beginning with a post titled “Conservative Lives Matter,” the opinion board this past December exploded with comments and in-depth responses, most concerning the insensitive title, and provoked discussions beyond the board. In one English class, students talking about the post noted that this was the first time they’d talked about race with their peers at school. After Winter Break, the board had been cleared and discussion died. Being able to so easily forget and end this discussion is indicative of a larger problem at SPA: white students don’t know how to talk about race. There are two defining reasons for this.

FIRST, SPA is an extremely white school.

According to the school’s website, only 25 percent of students are students of color. White students, by the nature of their race, are unequipped to talk about racism. Furthermore, SPA’s low diversity rate ensures that white students can have minimal contact with students of color, and therefore can learn and talk even less about what it means to be a person of color. At a majority white school, this skill should be especially important to develop.

SPA’s culture of striving towards achievement and knowledge while balking at ignorance minimizes talk about race. White students

who have grown up removed from discussions about race and who, as a result, may be terrified of saying something offensive, simply don’t talk. The internet tactic of “canceling” people (shunning and unsubscribing to internet celebrities so they lose their online community), who say something offensive often makes white students fearful that saying the wrong thing will lead to them being “canceled” by their friends and peers. (To clarify: saying something offensive is not okay. Mistakenly saying something offensive on one occasion and then learning from that mistake to prevent it in the future is okay.)

SECOND, the school administration does not provide an environment for white people to learn how to talk about race. After assemblies discussing race, such as the MLK assembly, there is no scheduled time to talk with peers, and the conversation is rarely carried over into classrooms. This fosters an environment where assemblies come across as lectures instead of an effort to provoke discussion between students and their peers.

Classroom discussions about race are also minimal and prevent white students from learning how to talk about race in an academic setting. The English Department has only one class that focuses on race (Asian Literature). While classes such as American Literature have diverse authors, the class itself focuses on discussion of

White

students

need to accept the fact that they will be uncomfortable and make mistakes.

symbols and themes, rather than frank analysis of how race ties into the text. The History Department has many more options for discussions about race (History of Refugees, US History, History of Race, Israel and Palestine), but the very nature of talking about history distances the issue and places racism in the past, allowing students to remove themselves from their responsibility, rather than addressing it as a very real problem of the present.

HERE’S WHAT TO DO. The

administration needs to establish a structural change in the curriculum to provide a space for students to talk about race. There needs to be a structured, discussionbased extension of every assembly that every student attends. Furthermore, the administration should add discussions that directly address race to grade retreats and the Wellness course. This way, students can learn to talk about race with their peers in a non-academic and more personal setting.

The English Department also needs to offer more

electives that can talk about race and integrate discussion into its regular classes.

Starting with Journeys in Literature in 9th grade, teachers should make room for discussion about how race influences the text alongside the already extensive discussion surrounding gender. Through this process, teachers can establish minimal expectations for what conversations about race look like early on in students’ high school experiences. In American Literature, teachers can build on the diverse authors to talk more in-depth about how race influenced the authors’ lives and therefore the text.

Students also have a significant role to play.

White students need to accept the fact that they will be uncomfortable, make mistakes, and occasionally say things that are offensive.

However, white students must learn from those mistakes, and learn to not repeat them.

This goes both ways. Everyone needs to respect the fact that white students are (hopefully) trying their best to learn how to talk about race.

Teachers, administration, and students are all contributing to the current state of how we talk about race. To support a better system, these three groups need to work together. The world is incredibly more diverse than SPA, and SPA graduates need to be prepared for discussions about race that will inevitably happen outside the walls of this school.

Acknowledge that discomfort is inevitable, especially in dialogue about race. It is not talking about these issues that create divisiveness. The divisiveness already exists in the society and in our schools.

It is through dialogue, even when uncomfortable, that the healing and change begin.

3. SPEAK YOUR TRUTH. Be open about thoughts and feelings and don’t just say what you think others want to hear.

4. EXPECT AND ACCEPT NONCLOSURE. “Hang out in uncertainty” and don’t rush to quick solutions, especially in relation to racial understanding, which requires ongoing dialogue.

Taken from Pacific Educational Group’s COURAGEOUS CONVERSATION.

O pinions 5

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

One year into the Trump SPA presidency THINKS...

Where are we now?

“President Trump has retracted American participation [in] the Paris climate accords.

That alone is completely ridiculous.”

-9th grader Isaac Carlson “All he has done is oppress minorities, undo the good work the Obama administration spent 8 years on, and put the us in a direct threat of nuclear war with his big mouth.”

-Sophomore Pia Schultz “He has done a lot of good things and is doing a good job trying to bring more jobs and money to the people and economy, along with getting rid of the stupid things that Obama and other people put in place.”

-Junior Riley Tietel “He has proven himself to be lacking the skills, responsibility, and personality to be a good president,” -Sophomore Maddy Breton

How would you describe your political beliefs?

4.6% 6.2%

Did President Trump exceed, meet, or fall short of your expectations?

The year in review

JAN. 20, 2017: Trump is inaugurated as President.

Do you think that President Trump has done a good job as President?

6.2%

7.7% 38.5%

36.9%

40%

12.3%

16.9%

81.5%

26.2%

Very conservative

Moderate

Liberal

23.1% Conservative Very liberal

Exceed

Meet

Fall short

No

Yes

Other

No affiliation

Data based on aggregated results from a poll sent out to students in grades 9-12 with 67 responses.

KAT ST. MARTINNORBURG The Rubicon Editor

Donald Trump assumed office after a controversial presidential election win, numerous scandals, questionable language and Twitter usage, and an impending Russia probe. Now, one year into his presidency, students reflect on his actions and accomplishments as president, or lack thereof.

A poll was sent out to students asking for their opinions on Trump’s first year as president. 81 percent of respondents said that Trump has not done a good job as president.

“He has not kept any of his campaign promises and destroyed our credit around the world,” junior Gabby Harmoning said.

For a few students, Trump’s policy actions are what disappointed them. “President Trump has retracted American participation the Paris climate accords.

That alone is completely ridiculous,” 9th grader Isaac Carlson said.

However, some students disagree: 12 percent of poll respondents believed that President Trump has done a good job in his one year in office.

“The economy and stock market have been booming.

Over 1.5 million jobs have been created,” sophomore William Rathmanner said.

There were also students who gave him some credit for his campaign promises, despite their lack of support for Trump as a candidate.

“I think he has done what he claimed he wanted to do on the campaign trail, but I disagree with his ideas and opinions, which results in me disagreeing with his actions as president. While I don’t think the world is over, I am disappointed,” 9th grader Henry Hoeglund said.

When asked if Trump had exceeded, met, or fell short of their expectations as President, 37 percent responded that he has fallen short.

“He has proven himself to be lacking the skills, responsibility, and personality to be a good president,” sophomore Maddy Breton said.

Twenty-three percent of students responded that Trump exceeded their expectations, although many answered that he was worse than expected.

“He exceeded my expectations for how bad he was going to be,” junior Lucie

INFOGRAPHIC: Lucy Sandeen

In

the end,

students believe that

Trump’s

presidency as a whole has had a negative effect on the country.

Hoeschen said.

For other students, they simply didn’t have any real expectations for Trump as president.

“I had zero expectations for him as president. [I] expected him to be garbage and that’s what we got,” senior Jesper Salverda said. Junior Charley Gannon agreed. “I expected him to do a poor job, therefore I never really had any expectations for him in the first place,” Gannon said.

In the end, students believed that Trump’s presidency as a whole has had a negative effect on the country.

Sophomore Pia Schultz said, “All he has done is oppress minorities, undo the good work the Obama administration spent 8 years on, and put the us in a direct threat of nuclear war with his big mouth.”

JAN. 21, 2017: The Women’s March gathers almost 5 million protesters worldwide.

JAN. 27, 2017: President Trump restricts immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

MARCH 20, 2017: FBI director James Comey announces an investigation into the Trump campaign’s connection to Russia.

MAY 9, 2017: President Trump fires FBI director James Comey.

AUG. 8, 2017: President Trump threatens North Korea with “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”

AUG. 12, 2017: President Trump condemns “hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides” in the white supremacist rally in VA. SEPT. 5, 2017: President Trump announces the end of the DACA program.

DEC. 4, 2017: President Trump reduces the boundaries of two national monuments.

JAN. 20, 2018: The government shuts down after Congress fails to compromise over government funding related to immigration.

JAN. 22, 2018: The government reopens.

JAN. 30, 2018: President Trump delivers his State of the Union Address.

THE RUBICON

St. Paul Academy and Summit School • 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 • rubicon.spa@gmail.com • www.RubicOnline.com • @TheRubiconSPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR COPY EDITOR NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR FEATURE EDITORS IN DEPTH EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ILLUSTRATIONS/INFOGRAPHICS

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STAFF WRITERS

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ADVISER

Kathryn Campbell

6

O pinions

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

COLUMN NO RIGHT ANSWER

Should attention on social media serve as validation?

ISABEL SAAVEDRA-WEIS Columnist / Blogger

When I first got an Instagram, I told myself that it would only be for photos, and it would not take over my life. I preached that I knew that likes and comments did not define me or validate me, and that I was not obsessed with how people perceived me on social media.

Okay, so maybe I lied.

Because OF COURSE I cared about my social media image.

That’s the whole point of having an Instagram! And as much as I repeat to myself that the amount of likes I get does not mean anything about who I am as a person, I still feel that inevitable disappointment when my photo has less likes than usual.

Is that healthy? I mean, the whole point of Instagram is to get noticed. If we didn’t want people to see and like our photos, we would be content with just having them in our photo gallery.

If you look at Instagram as a way to get recognition, than feeling bad about not getting enough likes makes sense.

However, the number of likes on a photo, like grades, or clothes, are a small fraction of what makes a person. Social media, especially for people in my generation, can feel like such a big deal. And while posting a photo can feel like a large decision, since it tells your peers so much about you, it’s really not. Instagram is one social media platform, and your post is only on people’s feeds for about thirty minutes.

The rise of social media is rapid and new, and the new generations are taking it by storm. But generations before us had other ways to share their lives that impacted the social scene in new ways, too.

Revisit why you have social media. Because everyone else has one? Because you want to stay connected with old friends? If your reasons are because you want validation, than being upset about not enough likes is an understandable reaction.

But if you’re just posting to post, no matter the outcome, the likes should not matter.

Clubs must be held accountable to ensure tangible action ANDREW JOHNSON The Rubicon Editor

At the beginning of the school year, the administration made the decision to allow clubs to sponsor field trips in order to cultivate strong volunteer relationships and fulfill service requirements.

In the fall, the People for Environmental Protection (PEP) club took a field trip to help eliminate invasive species at Crosby Park, but almost five months into the school year, the commitment to proactivity has not been fulfilled by the majority of clubs and has diminished the value of clubs to the community as a whole.

Clubs, while giving students a chance to pursue their interests and make friends, need to capitalize on the opportunity to take initiative in their community.

This commitment to proactivity starts with club leaders. Whether it be the president, the vice president, or merely an upperclassman, club veterans have a responsibility to carry on the vision of a club based on their experience learning from previous leadership.

Simply by being a part of a club, these leaders have witnessed the culture clubs strive to maintain, starting with the need to organize events and initiatives to promote and reinforce the mission of their club. By setting an example to new

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THE CURRENT (EVENTS)

Living in a multiverse: where pedophiles and criminals get elected JACK BENSON

The Rubicon Editor

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Nikolaus Elsaesser ACTION. Clubs need to make real progress and organize activities such as PEP’s Crosby Park field trip. Pictured are seniors Flannery Enneking-Norton and Emillia Hoppe.

members, those members will be motivated to carry on the legacy of the club as they replace graduated members in leadership roles. A cycle of accountability and proactivity needs to be instilled, and that cycle is best reinforced when clubs take advantage of opportunities such as field trips.

a cycle of accountability and proactivity needs to be instilled into club leadership.

This cycle poses the obvious question: how can clubs, moving forward, follow through with their initiatives

so that they have a lasting impact on their community?

Instead of announcing the opportunity to schedule field trips to students a few times in the fall, every club should be required to complete an initiative in the larger SPA community once a year, and leaders should report the results of that initiative to students at a full school gathering, such as an assembly, when the initiative is finished. This proposal ensures that club leaders fulfill their responsibility to promote their club and motivates other clubs to follow in their footsteps.

The current system clubs use needs to change, for the betterment of the community and the members themselves.

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America didn’t elect a pedophile for senate, but will they elect Joe Arpaio? Arizona Senator Jeff Flake will not be seeking re-election. Joe Arpaio was the elected sheriff of a county in Arizona for 24 years. He grew a reputation of not only being “hard on immigration,” but also of being extremely brutal. Francisco Chairez, an inmate in one of Arpaio’s prisons, spoke of the cruelty for a story in the Washington Post. He reported that Arpaio had “tent cities,” outdoor prisons where inmates endured horrible conditions.

The temperature in the tents could reach 115 degrees.

Arpaio was convicted of contempt because he failed to stop his subordinates from detaining people for whom no criminal charges could be filed.

However, Donald Trump has used his first pardon to free the man who ran this prison. Now he is seeking the Republican nomination for Senate. It’s unlikely he’ll win—but it was unlikely Trump would win too.

More strange and uncomfortable information came out of the Bannon bonanza, “Fire and Fury”

by Michael Wolff. In it we learned that Bannon told Wolff, “...the president is near enough certifiable and has the mental age of a five year old.”

The multiverse theory states that multiple alternate universes exist. I’m starting to believe that we’re in an alternate realities. It is surreal hearing that Roy Moore got almost 70 percent of the white vote, or to see a headline where my President disparages another country. I’m only a student, but I know that no person should badmouth another person’s home like that, especially the President of the United States. But he did, and it is not an impeachable offense to swear. The best any American citizen can do in this wacko world where pedophiles and criminals can have legitimate senate runs is to vote if you’re of age and if you’re not, to raise awareness to those who can.

VAPING According

to a

survey sent out last year:

Of

20% students believe vaping is safe

CLAIRE HALLAWAY The Rubicon Editor

On the surface, vaping seems harmless and the trend is quickly growing among teenagers before its long term effects have been fully researched. With the push of a button, artificially flavored juice vaporizes to send a rush of pure nicotine through the body.

Users assume that the harmful carcinogens found in cigarettes are not in the e-juice because vaping doesn’t require the same combustion of tobacco that smoking does.

According to a survey sent to the Upper School student body in May 207, 26 percent of students believe that vaping is safer than smoking.

Because of the artificial makeup and lack of regulations, e-juice may turn into a similar gamble that artificial weed and other drugs have.

Fast Fact 70% of students believe vaping is safer than smoking.

Students can easily get hooked into the pattern of vaping throughout the day, and become both psychologically and physically dependant on it.

The lack of research poses a threat to younger users who have many years ahead of them, because there is no way of knowing whether usage will lead to negative impacts on health later in life.

Vaping was originally created to aid heavy cigarette

smokers into a more smooth transition and out of cigarette addiction. But, today it’s range has quickly widened to include users who have never smoked a single cigarette.

This group was attracted to vaping because, according to Vaping360, it appears to avoid the repercussions that come along with smoking cigarettes, such as cancer or heart disease.

Especially for younger users, the nicotine present in vaping fluids is often overlooked. Flavors ranging from cotton candy, fruit, or even rocket popsicle seem less harmful than tobacco products because they don’t have the foul smell or societal turnoff of a lit cigarette. According to the aformentioned student survey, 26 percent of students responded that they would try vaping if it is a good flavor.

According to Be Tobacco Free, nicotine is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, where it will then move to the brain. The brain reacts to the nicotine by releasing adrenaline, which promotes an instant increase in both pleasure and energy.

The feeling of being buzzed goes away quickly, making the user feel more tired and craving the buzz again, which is what leads to addiction.

With vapes, users are now able to choose a desired amount of nicotine in the e-juice.

This can be beneficial to smokers attempting to reduce nicotine use, but can also cause further harm for those who have never smoked a cigarette before. For new users, like adolescents,

S ci -T ech 7

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

gains popularity among teens as knowledge remains cloudy

16% of students have used some type of tobacco or vape product

FLICKR CC PHOTO: Vaping360

vaping provides the option to continually increase the amount of nicotine in the juice for a stronger buzz, increasing chances of addiction.

Local therapist Krista Schaefer, who spoke at the chemical health assembly and specializes in adolescent substance abuse, said that before the prefrontal cortexes of adolescents are fully developed, they unproportionally seek social validation from their peers which makes them especially susceptible to peer pressure in situations where doing illicit substances is perceived as cool.

Social Media has made the societal culture around vaping a form of entertainment.

Since vapes produce various shapes and “tricks,” a whole new path of content was opened up on when

videos of special tricks went viral on YouTube. Instagram accounts (such as @ Vapetricks) emerged with all content focused on videos of vaping; different flavors available, different tricks, different devices, making vaping look more like a form of entertainment and less like drug use, which further normalizes vaping for today’s youth.

Additional reporting by Iya Abdulkarim

26%

Would Learn more aout the health risks on Ellie Nowakoski’s Health blog, Good for You

According to the Public Health Law Center, Minnesota defines an e-cigarette as “any product containing or delivering nicotine, lobelia or any other substance intended for human consumption that can be used by a person to simulate smoking in the delivery of nicotine or any other substance through inhalation of vapor from the product.”

try vaping if

it is a good flavor.

Results are based on a survey sent on May 5, 2017 to the upper school student body with 294 of 412 responding.

An e-cigarette also falls under the umbrella of tobacco products in Minnesota and the use, possession or purchase of an e lectronic delivery device by a person under the age of 18 is prohibited.

New devices are designed to look smaller and produce less vapor, which makes it easier to conceal and carry around the devices nearly anywhere.

8

In De

THE RUBICON •

As sexual assault allegations continue to come to light, movements like

#MeToo &Time’s Up help raise awareness everywhere from the Golden Globes to SPA. November 10,

2017

The Alianza Nacional de Campesinas publishes a letter of solidarity to survivors of sexual assault in Hollywood in Time magazine.

LUCY SANDEEN The Rubicon Editor

October 15,

2017

Alyssa Milano posts a tweet calling for all survivors of sexual assault and harassment to reply to her tweet with “Me Too.” Over the next two days, the hashtag is used over 825,000 times.

T o

January 1,

2018

A group of Hollywood women start the Time’s Up campaign.

What is Time’s Up? Born of the success of the #MeToo movement, Time’s Up was founded in January 2018 by a group of prominent women in Hollywood, including Reese Witherspoon, Tracee Ellis Ross, Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Shonda Rhimes, Kathleen Kennedy, and Nina Shaw. Time’s Up’s website, timesupnow. com, says, “Powered by women, TIME’S UP addresses the systemic inequality and injustice in the workplace that have kept underrepresented groups from reaching their full potential…

The clock has run out on sexual assault, harassment and inequality in the workplace. It’s time to do something about it.” The movement, although recently created, has had a major social impact, most notably on the Golden Globes red carpet on which almost every person present wore black in support of the movement. Additionally, founders and supporters of the movement brought prominent activists as their plus-one on the red carpet. Michelle Williams brought Tarana Burke, founder of #MeToo; Emma Stone brought Billie Jean King, the tennis player and advocate for women in sports and LGBTQ+ rights who Stone portrayed in the movie “Battle of the Sexes;” Amy Poehler brought Saru Jayaraman, an attorney, author, and activist from Los Angeles.

The movement focuses on a legal approach to gender equality.

The website provides statistics of representation and harassment in the workplace, provides resources to get both emotional and legal help, and gives readers ways that they can personally aid the movement.

9

epth

FEBRUARY 2018

2006 Tarana Burke starts the Me Too campaign.

What is the #MeToo movement?

Founded in 2006 by civil rights activist Tarana Burke, the #MeToo movement has raised awareness about the sexual harassment and assault against women that permeates almost every aspect of American society. The movement gained momentum in fall 2017 when Harvey Weinstein, an American film producer and Hollywood giant, was accused of sexual harassment, assault, and rape by 84 women.

By encouraging survivors to tell their story with the hashtag #MeToo, the movement exposed corruption among many powerful men, from actors and film producers to politicians.. Men such as hopeful senator Roy Moore, Senator and former comedian Al Franken, New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush, and actors James Franco, Jeffrey Tamboor, Louis C.K., and Kevin Spacey have been accused of committing acts of sexual predation. As a result, many have been forced to resign and have lost sponsorship and acclaim, effectively ending their careers and bringing their victims justice.

Perhaps most importantly, #MeToo has created a culture of solidarity among women. It has illuminated the rampant abuse of power among men in high positions and has changed the tone with which we address sexual harassment and assault.

Women and men have come out in support of the movement and of individual victims. The movement prompted Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to come out in support of Roy Moore’s accusers, saying, “I believe the women;” women in government positions to capitalize on the movement as a way to change how sexual harassment in the government is approached; prominent actors such as Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd to unite in speaking out against Weinstein; and TIME magazine to name “The Silence Breakers” as its Person of the Year.

October 19,

2016

Donald Trump calls Hillary Clinton a “nasty woman” during the final presidential debate, sparking a movement by the same name and a prominent phrase in the January 2017 Women’s Marches used on signs, in chants, and all over social media.

October 5,

2017

The New York Times publishes a story listing decades of sexual assault and harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

TODAY

The fight for gender equality continues everywhere, including SPA.

ACTIVISM THROUGH ART. Sophomore Anna Snider speaks out against sexual violence in powerful painting. “It’s always been important to me to fight against gender-based violenece,” Snider said.

Sophomore Anna Snider has spoken out against sexual violence through art.

In SPA’s advanced painting class, she created a compilation of many powerful men who have been accused of sexual harassment and assault, arranged into the words #MeToo against a pink watercolor background. Below, the words “WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?” are painted in red.

“I felt like it was a way to give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem. One of the big reasons I did it was to… shift the blame and shame onto the perpetrators because there’s so much blame put onto the victims,” Snider said.

Snider has always been dedicated to fighting for gender equality. She uses social media as a way to inspire change, which is how she first became aware of the #MeToo movement. While she supports #MeToo, she says there’s still room for improvement.

“It’s always been important to me to fight against gender-based violence…

I think that the way the movement’s going can be problematic, because… it’s for middle-class and upper-class people, so a lot of the people who are actually affected by it don’t have access to it. Also, [there needs to be] more awareness about where [the movement] came from, because it was started by a woman of color and it’s not a white issue,” Snider said.

As for Time’s Up, Snider believes that while the movement has complemented #MeToo, it can still work to be inclusive and intersectional.

And while the Golden Globes campaign was powerful, she thinks that celebrities can do more to protest.

“It’s great that people in Hollywood are speaking out, but it’s still so important that we spread it to people who are affected by it and can’t do anything … [celebrities] have all this privilege. It’s not that hard for them to wear a black dress instead of a red dress—that should be the bare minimum,” Snider said.

Snider hopes that her painting will help spark conversations and bring a sense of unity and safety to the women of SPA. “If one person sees it and feels less alone, that’s the goal. People who are in a spot where they can speak up about it, whether it’s from their own experiences or about the movement in general—that’s how people feel less alone,” Snider said.

F eature 10

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

Powerful Movies

Art can alter the course of someone’s life. In the 21st Century where movies are the most popular form of art, millions of people’s lives are impacted by what they see on the screen. They might be inspired to teach a lesson, offer advice or change a person’s perspective. The way

movies absorb attention enables audiences to get more involved in a story and in turn feel the full emotional impact.

At St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Film Club presents students with the pportunity to visit another world or see their own with a different pair of eyes. Co-presidents and seniors Drew Fawcett and Noa Carlson reflected on movies that had the greatest impact on their lives.

Senior Drew Fawcett talks humanity and loss

Forrest Gump

JACK BENSON

The Rubicon Editor

Fair use image from: Paramount Pictures

Q: A:

Forrest Gump. It introduced to me just how intense and funny, yet also serious a narrative can be in a single film.

Q: A:

What movie made you the happiest or saddest while watching?

Bridge to Terabithia. It made me so sad! It taught me about loss.

How do directors get people to feel strong emotions?

You get the audience to care about someone or something. That’s the key. If the audience doesn’t care, there’s no interest or drive in the movie. If you can make someone care you can make them cry... or laugh.

What do you think makes a movie powerful?

Humanity. Appealing to the humanity of people with characters and plot really reach an audience.

Senior Noa Carlson talks intention and meaning

GREASE

Q: A: Q: A:

What movie has had the biggest impact on your life, and why did it have such a big imapact?

FLICKR CC PHOTO: Classic Films

Q: A: Q: A:

What movie has had the biggest impact on your life, and why did it have such a big impact?

When I was about seven, my parents showed me ‘Grease,’ which was probably one of the first movie musicals I had ever seen, and I fell completely in love with that movie and eventually that genre. [One] movie that has impacted me is ‘The Ten Commandments.’ It made me really appreciate special effects and what good and bad acting looked like. As well, I acquired an enormous appreciation for older films that did not have the special effects that we are used to today, but managed and did what they could to create beautiful and epic films.

What movie made you the happiest or saddest while watching?

[Atonement.] I was pretty sure that my heart was torn out, because it was such an emotional bash of my soul that I couldn’t feel anything anymore.

Q: A: Q: A:

How do directors get people to feel strong emotions?

An intention. By that, I do not mean a preachy message, but rather an intention for the movie to represent something or comment on something in the world, because without it the movie won’t mean much to anyone.

What do you think makes a movie powerful?

A powerful movie is created through an excellent script and story-line, phenomenal acting, great directing, costuming, and set design. It is an effort from all departments to create a powerful and one-of-a-kind movie.

F eature 11

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

Exchanging memories and experiences

1

German student Vera Ladenburger visits Minnesota for a year

1

HARD AT WORK. German exchange student Vera Ladenburger works hard on her homework.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Kat St. Martin-Norburg

GOOD RACE, GOOD TIME. Ladenburger joined the Alpine ski team as soon as she got to Minnesota.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Vera Ladenburger

3 2 KAT ST. MARTINNORBURG The Rubicon Editor

International high school student exchanges offer an opportunity for students from all over the world to experience life in a different culture. St. Paul Academy and Summit School has a history of hosting exchange students. sophomore Vera Ladenburger is this year’s exchange student, but she is no stranger to student exchange trips to America.

“My father did an exchange when he was a student, and

3 he made friends here. Then my brother did an exchange to this school last year,” Ladenburger said.

Ladenburger is from Birkenfeld, a small town in the South of Germany near the French border.

Unlike the American high school system, which has a standard four year curriculum, the German high school system has three different levels of school that begin in grade 5. Each style of school prepares students for different lives, focusing on trades, jobs, or college.

“I’m in grade ten in

Experiencing Gender

4 Germany, and I go to Gymnasium, which is the highest level of schooling in Germany,” Ladenburger said.

This is Ladenburger’s first time living in America and attending an American high school. While she had visited America with her family before, there were still some things that surprised her.

“There are a lot of movies describing high school in America, and I knew it wouldn’t be exactly like that, but we don’t have lockers in Germany, and we do here,” Ladenburger said. “We [also] don’t have sports through

perform in terms of academics.

From a male perspective: Lanz and “A lot of guys are seen Gannon believe school life is very as jocks that are strong and sporty, and it’s like they don’t gender segregated have to be good at academics,” At St. Paul Academy and Gannon said. “More of the MELISSA NIE Summit School, according to time, female-identifying The Rubicon Editor a poll sent out to the student students are expected to be Traditional gender roles body, 55 percent of malebetter at academics because in many societies dictate that identifying respondents that’s their area.” men hold more power over believe that gender impacts Sophomore Aidan Lanz women. As such, notes the men are given more degree of “Socially, we are segregated privileges in terms gender of how they go about by gender, which is especially separation in their day. academic life, apparent at lunch and which affects sometimes in the library.” friendships and the overall — SOPHOMORE AIDAN LANZ community.

“I think their daily life. This is much that socially, we are fairly lower when compared to segregated by gender, which the 87 percent of femaleis especially apparent at lunch identifying respondents who and sometimes in the library,” believe so.

Lanz said. “Classes, while still Junior Charlie Gannon spatially separated, I think are believes that gender roles much more equal in terms of impact the way people participation.”

2

WELCOME. Sophomore Vera Ladenburger vsits Minnesota from Germany for the second semester.

“I like painting class [and] I also do skiing, and I like doing that through school here,” Ladenburger said.

GEAR UP. Ladenburger and ninth grader Julia Scott buckle up before they head out to an Alpine race.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Jenny Sogin

4

school, so after school [in Germany] I usually just do homework and study, because we don’t have any free periods,” Ladenburger said.

But now, Ladenburger has been able to experience a few different aspects unique to American students.

“I like painting class, which isn’t really an academic class but I think it’s fun. I also do skiing, and I like doing that through the school here,” Ladenburger said.

Ladenburger has found her transition to American life fairly easy.

“It hasn’t been as difficult

as I expected it to be,” Ladenburger said. “I started learning English in third grade, so communicating is easy, but some classes are difficult. History is difficult because we talk a lot and read a lot, as well as biology and pre calc because we are doing complicated things in those classes,” Ladenburger said.

At the end of her exchange, Ladenburger hopes to “improve my language, and also [gain] an openness to experiencing new things,” Ladenburger said.

However, there are positive aspects when it comes to gender issues at SPA. Gannon believes that the community is “relatively accepting.”

“It’s obviously not perfect, and I know some people don’t understand or accept that sort of thing,” Gannon said,“but from the conversations that I’ve heard, I’m acquainted with people who are generally accepting about it. A lot of the conversations I’ve heard about gender are really positive and progressive.”

But despite the general positivity, there are still some aspects about life at SPA that are not completely inclusive.

“My friend group is made up of both males and females, so I don’t think I experience much of a divide, except at class meetings and at lunch where I usually sit with other guys,” Lanz said. “I think we have a pressure to spend the majority of time with people of the same gender, so I feel

that that is the area that I have been affected the most.”

To change gendered experiences for the better, Gannon thinks that education is crucial.

“We should try and explain it [so that] people who don’t really get being non-cisgender understand identifying differently on the gender spectrum, what that’s like, and how they can support people like that,” Gannon said.

Lanz believes that students should work to be more inclusive rather than having forced interactions.

“We shouldn’t have to have a mandatory ‘gender blender’ in order for us to sit with and interact with each other.

I think that is SPA’s biggest problem with gender,” Lanz said.

This article is the final installment in a three-part series about how students experience gender. Tell us about your experience.

12

A rts & E ntertainment

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

Winter One Acts promote student leadership

Peter/Wendy offers a fresh, more chilling, child’s story IYA ABDULKARIM

The first and the longest of the five acts, “Peter/Wendy” was directed by Upper School Theater Director Eric Severson.

Written by Jeremy Bloom, “Peter/Wendy” is a darker version of the fairy tale. “[Peter/Wendy] is an

adaptation taken from J. M. Barrie’s ‘Peter and Wendy’ as well as ‘The White Bird.’ It is a play on the Peter and Wendy story but Michael and John do not exist, and it is not your Disney Peter Pan,” Severson said. “[Bloom] has tapped into more of the beauty and lyricism of Barrie’s storytelling,” he added.

Directed by seniors Noa Carlson and Tess Hick, “Sorry, Wrong Number” tells the tale of a realistic game of telephone as written by Lucille Fletcher.

“A woman is trying to get in touch with her husband but by doing so, she overhears a murder being planned,” Carlson said, “She is an invalid so her only way to contact

the outside world is through her phone and it just builds suspense until you find out who gets killed in the end.”

“It’s set in the fifties so the operator connects the wrong number,” Hick added.

Switching characters and timed spotlight adjustments allowed the audience to better understand which characters

Editor-in-Chief

The interactive set included windows and walls covered in happy thoughts written in chalk.

“There is a slightly darker edge to it,” Severson said.

“When you actually think about it, there is a boy that we do not really know how old he is because he never grows up [...] and he shows up at a window to listen to stories and

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Peter Blanchfield

then lures a young woman away to be his mother.”

Severson learned about Peter/Wendy through Maggie Vliestra (‘16) who was in a summer program production of it at Northwestern University and her director was friends with the playwright.

Sorry, Wrong Number builds suspense and bonding were on the phone at any given time.

Carlson’s favorite part of the directing process was selecting activities for the cast.

“We tried to practice projecting and our cast went outside to the soccer field [where] we sat on the benches and they just had to say a line to us so we could hear it,” she

said.

Hick agreed and added, “We had a great cast of almost entirely underclassmen who I don’t otherwise see,” Hick said, “It was really good to hang out with them and take a leadership role.”

No Exit fulfills directors’ long-held anticipation

While the other acts explored topics of life, “No Exit” by Jean-Paul Sartre depicted the possibilities of what might come after.

Co-directors and seniors Dianne Caravela and Lillian Pettigrew have been anticipating this act for the past nine months. “It is our baby, and we are giving birth

to it,” Pettigrew said. “[The plot] it is three people stuck in a room together and they realize that this is hell to spend eternity with each other,” Pettigrew said. “They’ve all done horrible things in their lifetimes to end up there and there are some really fun cycles of lust and violence.”

“It has a lot of power

dynamics, whether that be violence or sex or class, [and characters] scrabble to have anything to hold over the other people that they possibly can,” Caravela said.

Pettigrew explained that one of her favorite parts happened early in the process.

“One part that stands out for me was in auditions, watching

other people bring these words to life for the first time and the excitement of ‘oh my god this might actually work,’” she said.

“They cared about the show as much as we did which was so cool,” Caravela added.

Under the direction of seniors Ellie Findell and Mira Zelle, Noel Coward’s “Hay Fever” was a fast paced and energetic show.

“It takes place in England [and] is about a weird, dysfunctional family and a dinner,” she said.

“There is love, games, and

love games,” Zelle said.

The set included a couch from the senior lounge, which characters rearranged themselves on during a brief switch accompanied by mii theme music, selected by Zelle.

“I knew I wanted to direct [in my] freshman year,” Zelle said.

“It is actually a full length play but I cut it down because it’s one of my favorites [...] and I already had the script,” Zelle said.

The co-directors have each enjoyed different parts of directing this show.

“I like our cast a lot,” Findell said, “our cast is really funny

and most of them are freshman [and] they get along really well.”

“They are really energetic and our community is really cute,” she added.

who share a place in common, Terry Gabbard’s “Our Place” was directed by senior Maya Shrestha.

“It is four separate stories that take place on a dock, a spot that holds a special meaning to each set of characters,”

range from comedy to tragedy.”

The dock was comprised of raised platforms and a canoe.

The different characters of each brought props to more accurately tell their story including fishing rods,

Furthermore, different light projected on the back of the stage allowed each story to develop a distinctive mood.

“My favorite part of directing has been getting to develop my own ideas and see them played out on the stage,” Shrestha

“I had a fantastic cast that did great job of bringing my ideas to life and I’m extremely proud of all of them,” she added.

Hay Fever exemplifies family on and off stage

Our Place letsShrestha Shrestha bring her ideas tosaid. life Telling the tales of people said, “The stories a CD player, and a quilt.

Reprinted with permission from John Severson

A rts & E ntertainment13 THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

ARTIST PROFILE OF THE MONTH: GAVIN KIMMEL Kimmel finds positive life influences through dance

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Gavin Kimmel SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY. Dancing gives 9th grader Gavin Kimmel a space to share his passion , “I need to dance in a way, and the community is so great,” Kimmel said.

CHLOE MORSE The Rubicon Editor

For 9th grader Gavin Kimmel, dancing is more than just an activity; it’s a way of life. Starting in third grade, Kimmel has danced ballet, tap, jazz and modern at Ballare Teatro, working around his school schedule to in order to keep dancing. “[Dancing] affects how I do homework, because I have to think about ‘oh, I have dance tonight from this time to this time, and I have to think about when I’m gonna do my homework and get stuff done,” Kimmel said.

Being an active participant

in theater makes his schedule even more hectic.

“I have to think about my [dance] schedule.

Usually [theater] rehearsals don’t conflict [with dance rehearsals], but if rehearsals do conflict, I’ll be late to dance. But if it’s an important dance thing, I’ll just be late to rehearsal,” Kimmel said.

Though dancing makes it difficult to balance school with a social life, Kimmel has a community of dancers that more than makes up for it.

“I love the community at Ballare Teatro. I have so many friends there, and it’s honestly one of the only things holding me together sometimes.

Oftentimes I look forward to going just so I can talk to people. I think because we spend so much time together, the relationship we’ve built is really strong,” Kimmel said.

As a male dancer, Kimmel has faced no negative stigma, partly as a result of the community he’s in.

“I take it for granted sometimes, but being a male dancer [means] it’s easier to do things and get into things, because there’s not really that many other guys who do it,” Kimmel said.

“Because there’s also a nice group of guys I dance with, stigma that would have existed doesn’t [exist],” he said.

Even when he’s been tempted to quit, Kimmel’s dance community has inspired him to keep going.

“I don’t think I’d ever be able to actually go through with stopping [dancing] for more than a few months at a time. I need to dance in a way, and the community is so great,” Kimmel said.

For Kimmel, dancing contributes three key things to his life: “The whole community value. [Dancing is] a stress reliever most of the time. It’s fun to try new things dancewise, or try new moves,” Kimmel said.

Looking ahead, Kimmel sees

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Ellie Nowakowski ORGANIC CONVENIENCE. New Agra Culture located in Highland Village sells fresh and healthy food for the price of a long wait.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Gavin Kimmel CREATIVE OUTLET. Dancing provides 9th grader Gavin Kimmel with a fun way to relive stress, “I have so many friends there, and it’s honestly one of the only things holding me together sometimes,” Kimmel said.

dancing as playing a central role in his life.

“I definitely think I’m gonna stick with dancing throughout life. It’s not an easy profession to pursue, but there are other professions I can do that work well with it,” Kimmel said.

The Post encourages taking action NITYA THAKKAR RubicOnline Editor

The first amendment is often regarded as the cornerstone of personal freedom, but the quintessential right to free speech, among other liberties, has not always been respected.

“The Post”, directed by Steven Spielberg, follows the monumental supreme court decision to support The Washington Post’s freedom of speech.

The film, largely centered in 1971, chronicles The New York Times decision to publish portions of the Pentagon Papers which detailed classified information of the US’s involvement with

Southeast Asia from World War II to the Vietnam war.

A reporter who followed soldiers during the war leaked these documents to the Times.

However, the US Attorney General claimed the Times violated the Espionage Act by leaking information that could put thousands of soldiers in Vietnam in danger, and prohibited the Times from publishing further papers.

The Washington Post made the decision to track down the source of the leak and publish the remaining papers, despite knowing that they were putting their own credibility and safety at risk by going against the US government and President Nixon.

While the movie largely

centers around the Pentagon Papers case, it also tells the story of Katherine Graham (played by Meryl Streep) who was the publisher of The Post during this time. Throughout the movie, Streep does an excellent job of portraying Graham as an ambitious woman who is often overlooked and disregarded because of her sex. While the movie takes place over a few weeks, the face paced nature of this exciting case makes the time fly by incredibly fast. The acting draws in the viewers, encouraging them to fight for their first amendment rights and stand against the government with The Post and Times.

Agra Culture offers fresh, conveniently fast food

Agra Culture, an organic, vegetarian and vegan focused restaurant opened another location in Highland Village, just minutes from the Saint Paul Academy and Summit School campus.

The restaurant combines the convenience of fast food with the freshness and health of farm to table restaurants.

Ample flavor is added to the organic and unprocessed meals and sides, for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Sandwiches, bowls, plates, and salads range from $9-15, a reasonable price for what the restaurant offers.

The menu options, the freshness of the food, and tasty and unique flavors greatly outweigh the long wait time for food, making Agra Culture a hit.

For students looking for something healthier, but also convenient like fast food, Agra Culture is the perfect place. If you choose to go to Agra Culture, read the menu online beforehand. When it is your turn to order, almost immediately after walking through the door, you will know all that the menu has to offer.

Fair use image: 20th Century Fox

Read more on

Swim Team uses benefits of music to lead them to undefeated season

ANDREW JOHNSON The Rubicon Editor

S ports 14

Music is heavily ingrained in the culture of the boys swim and dive team. Whether it be during grueling practices or after a hard-fought meet on the bus ride home, the team uses specific songs to PHOTO VIA SPOTIFY further their camaraderie and team chemistry.

According to senior captain Breandan Gibbons, “Music is the key to success in the sport of swimming and our team is no different. Music is the lifeblood of this team, we blare it non-stop during practice.”

Over the course of the season, the team has crafted an 102 song playlist titled “Swim Boyzzz” that they listen

to everyday, and they have selectively chosen ten songs that embody their unique team spirit the most, which Gibbons calls the “Big Ten.” The playlist boasts a wide variety of genres, from hiphop to french R&B. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify @TheRubiconSPA, and read the full story at:

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

The Great Outdoors

Indritz learned to walk on snow early CLAIRE HALLAWAY The Rubicon Editor

Originally starting out as a tradition and a convenient way to move across large areas of unplowed snow, sophomore Paige Indritz picked up snowshoeing for the unique perspective that it brings to the outdoors.

“I like being outside and it lets you go a lot more places as opposed to when you’re wearing your boots,” Indritz said.

“I also like being outside because I like to see all the wildlife and stuff in the snow and I like seeing all the animal tracks, that’s my favorite part,” she added.

Indritz has snowshoed in a variety of areas and doesn’t limit her tracks to just one.

“I usually [snowshoe] up North and sometimes I’ll just do it on the weekends here, but I usually do it up North near Canada by the border. I’ll do it in winter,

Past and present love of outdoor activities gets these Spartans outside

“I started snowshoeing when I was really little “I just really because when we go to our like being outside cabin up north, the driveway is not plowed in the winter, so and it’s really we’d have to snowshoe all our relaxing, usually stuff in and then drag it on sleds. So I started doing that more relaxing when I was really little and it’s than skiing when a tradition to do that and also just kind of a necessity when there’s no trail we go up north,” Indritz said. to go on.”

Snowshoeing provides Indritz with a relaxing yet — SOPHOMORE PAIGE active way to enjoy the INDRITZ outdoors and spend time with friends or family.

Snowshoeing allows for a actually I usually go up over more open area of exploration Presidents day weekend, I’ll go snowshoeing and skiing up as well allowing time to really take in surroundings. north,” Indritz said.

“I really like seeing how “Snowshoeing is really the woods are different in difficult because you keep the winter compared to the tripping over yourself,” Indritz summer, I think you get to said, “you have to like walk see more because of the snow. with your feet really wide So you get to see the animal apart and sometimes they tracks and stuff that you [fall] off.”

Indritz learned to snowshoe wouldn’t see in the summer,” Indritz said. “Usually when at a young age.

Fast Facts

Per Snowshoe Magazine...

• Only 10 percent of snowshoers are ages 6-12.

• The majority of snowshoers (68%) are ages 13-34.

• Only 2% of snowshoers are over 54 years of age • 54% of snowshoers are male, while 46% of snowshoers are female • 18% of snowshoers in the country hail from North Central states

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Paige Indritz BUNDLED UP. Sophomore Paige Indritz uses snowshoes at a young age. “I really like seeing how the woods are different in the winter compared to the summer,” Indritz said.

my brother and I go out, we’ll go out for a few hours, depending on where we go.

We’ll bring some snacks and just hang out.”

Waltenbaugh renews passion for pond hockey CLAIRE HALLAWAY The Rubicon Editor

Growing up surrounded by a huge hockey environment and living just a short distance from one of the greatest ice skating spots in Minneapolis makes for a huge passion for pond hockey for residents.

Freshman Milo Waltenbaugh started playing pond hockey at Lake of the Isles at a young age and started up again to practice for the high school season.

“I started when I was three and I stopped playing when I was eight. And then I just got back into it this year,” Waltenbaugh said. “I grew up watching the wild play on TV, so that made me want to start playing hockey. So I just went out to the rinks during winter

and I practiced as much as possible.”

Waltenbaugh enjoys the competitive and aggressive environment that pond hockey brings him. “[My favorite part] is hitting kids,” Waltenbaugh said. “I’ve learned some nasty dangles.”

Waltenbaugh tries to go down to play as much as possible, although this is challenging especially with schoolwork and keeping up with a busy school season. “[I play] about every weekend if I can, but it’s more like three to four times a month or around that,” Waltenbaugh said.

The pond hockey environment makes for a great community filled with skaters of varying levels who are all equally wild about their playing.

“Playing pick-up with

“[I

play] about

every weekend if i

can, but it’s more like three to four times a month.”

— 9TH GRADER MILO WALTENBAUGH

random people is really fun because there’s a variety of skill level, some people can be really good, some are really bad. And it’s good practice for the school season,” Waltenbaugh said.

“There are a couple regulars that I see down at the rink a lot, and it’s always a good time when we’re playing.”

Waltenbaugh has learned to adjust to the different surface that pond hockey brings in comparison to the indoor rink and loves the

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Claire Hallaway HOME. The Lake of the Isles public ice rink has been used by freshman Minneapolis resident Milo Waltenbaugh for years.

feeling of playing outside. “[Pond hockey is different because] it’s outdoor, the ice is always really choppy so it’s kind of a challenge to skate and

stuff so it’s just a whole different experience. Being outdoors is great so I would say pond hockey is more fun,” Waltenbaugh said.

Kilborn returns to ice as only remaining senior on young hockey team

ANDREW JOHNSON The Rubicon Editor

Senior Peter Kilborn began playing hockey at just four years old, and he has returned to the ice for one last season. During his first run as a goalie, he didn’t enjoy the fact that his coach was mean to him. However, when the Saint Paul Academy and

Summit School hockey team expressed a need for a backup goalie this season he decided to step in.

“The hockey team needed a backup goalie, so I decided I’ll play because it’s my senior year, so I don’t really have much to do,” Kilborn said.

Read the full story at:

INSTAGRAM PHOTO: @3737pk SAVED. Senior goalie defends a shot on goal in a game against The Blake School.

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THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

Gymnastics team focuses on improvement

COLUMN JAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

Student Sections are for fun, not for rules and regulations JAKE ADAMS

The Rubicon Editor

PHOTO: Kathryn Campbell BALANCE. A gymnast for the Cretin-Derham Hall and St. Paul Academy gymnastics team attempts a tuck jump during a meet at Cretin-Derham Hall. “It was weird at first, but then it got better,” freshman gymnast Fiona Rucker said.

LUCY SANDEEN The Rubicon Editor

The girls gymnastics team, joint with Cretin Derham Hall high school, consists of six athletes and two SPA upper schoolers: ninth graders Fiona Rucker and Katya Sjaastad.

Gymnastics is scored by the

sum of a team’s points, based off individual gymnasts’ performances. Because of this, the tiny team faces a difficult challenge.

“We haven’t won anything yet,” Rucker said.

Instead, the team focuses on individual improvement and performance. Rucker is

new to the sport, while Sjaastad has been a gymnast for five years, and the two strive for personal achievement and enriching the team dynamic.

The joint team between the two schools originally seemed stilted but has gotten closer through the season.

“It was weird at first, but

then it got better,” Rucker said.

While the small team makes winning meets difficult, it makes for a team that’s united through experience.

“We’re a close team because we’re so small… we’re very supportive and energetic,” Rucker said.

Teams create lifelong memories on off-campus JASPER GREEN

The Rubicon Editor

Team trips allow student athletes to grow closer as a group through practices, meals, and periods of leisure over several days while making lasting memories in the process. This year, several teams went on trips over winter break. Fencing traveled to Appleton, Wisconsin for a tournament, he Alpine Skiing team took an annual retreat to Giants Ridge in Biwabik, and the Nordic Skiing team trained at Maplelag in Callaway, Minnesota.

“We all fenced in a tournament in Appleton, and there were eight of us from SPA who went. We enjoyed our time there, even though we didn’t get any medals. The most fun part of team trips is when we get to goof off on the bus rides,” junior fencer William Swanson said.

The Alpine Skiing team hit the slopes on their trip to Giants Ridge and made

“The

most fun

part of team trips is when we get to goof off on bus rides.”

— JUNIOR FENCER WILL SWANSON

memories while tromping around in the snow.

“Team trips are a great way for the team to get to know each other because we are all such different people but we get to hang out because of the trip. My favorite part is when we get to hang out in the villas,” junior Alpine skier Sammy Ries said.

During the two and a half days of their trip over winter break, the Nordic Skiing team explored trails, played in the snow, and bonded while they stayed in cabins.

“We have gone to a few different places for our winter break ski trips like Giants

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Jasper Green SAY CHEESE. The Nordic team poses after their training at Maplelag Resort in Callaway, Minnesota.

Ridge two years ago and to ABR ski trails last year, but this year was special because the skiing paths were more narrow so there was more of a in the woods feel to it. Also, the log cabins were very cozy to be in,” senior captain Dina Moradian said.

“The bus was really cold on the way to Mesabi.

We couldn’t see out of the

windows because they were frozen over, and the TV didn’t work, so we couldn’t watch Mama Mia. We all had to put on our layers and coats and huddle for warmth. It was not fun in the moment, but we told lots of stories and now it’s a fun memory to think of,” Moradian said.

Monday morning, a student who participates in a sport will tell their peers that they have a game on Thursday and they want as many people there as possible to cheer on the home team. Students prepare for the game, but when they get there, they sit in the bleachers quietly and occasionally cheer when we score. Occasional chants are started, but not everyone joins in. Students are being shushed for trying to start chants. While these chants are usually used to support our friends playing in the game, students are still scared to join in on some chants because they fear it will have ramifications with the administration.

That shouldn’t be a thought on student’s minds when they are at games.

The MSHSL makes an announcement before every game to “respect the players, the coaches, and the officials” and that request is reasonable, but they aren’t asking students to be silent. In recent years, our student have been silenced when we are trying to start chants, whether it was putting us on probation after a U-S-A chant at the United hockey game or taking one of our drumsticks from the famous GVS drum. It is ridiculous to silence students who are trying to have a fun time supporting their friends.

I’m not saying students should go to game and start vulgar chants and attack the other team, I’m saying that students should attend games, have fun cheering for your friends, and don’t be afraid to join in a chant.

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B ack C over

THE RUBICON • FEBRUARY 2018

fashion makes a comeback s

0 8 ‘

Every decade witnesses the emergence of a new clothing trend. The 2000s emerged from the grunge of the 90s with extremely low-waisted jeans, tracksuits, chunky highlights, crop tops, and denim jackets. While those days of dresses over jeans are now long in the past, a new era of fashion has emerged—or at least has been brought back from the past.

The bright, flashy, expressionistic period known as the 80s has become a trending look.

“I wouldn’t say I wear [80s fashion] a lot, but I would say there’s a lot of stuff that’s coming back like scrunchies, and those denim skirts. Velvet [and] chokers,” senior Maya Shrestha said.

JENNY SOGIN

The Rubicon Editor

The new trend can be attributed to a rise in the popularity of the music, movies, and general pop culture of the decade.

“I enjoy the fashion styles of the 80s. I also tend to listen to a lot of 80s music; I feel very inspired by the pop culture of that era, so I try to copy that in my look,” junior Adelia Bergner said.

However, while many style elements of the era are coming back, they have been changed by the style and trends of the current decade. “[80s fashion] is more modernized,” senior Julia Wang said.

Eccentric Pants

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Chloe Morse

Fashion in the 80s was all about eccentrism. Bold colors and prints were often seen on statement tops, to huge pants.

9th grader Gracie Tilney-Kaemmer loves making statements. From her makeup to her clothes, she loves being out of the ordinary.

“I saw [the pants] in a store, and they’re definitely not something that anyone would wear. They’re more of an unusual look. I thought they were really fun, and they make me feel really good when I wear them,” Tilney-Kaemmer said.

While Tilney-Kaemmer doesn’t aim to model her fashion off of the 80s, she still goes for a “different” look. However, because of the bright, bold look of the 80s, she often finds herself emulating looks that were common in that decade.

“Small things like [blue mascara] aren’t unique, but

a lot of people wouldn’t wear it. So, it’s kinda just a thing that I’m doing for myself because it makes me feel good,” Tilney-Kaemer said. “The 80s were a really big time of self-expression, and it’s fun [to wear things like that].”

Headbands The 80s marked a decade where many people were obsessed with fitness.

Known as the “Fitness Craze,” this phenomenon can be attributed to Olivia Newton-John’s music video for her hit “Physical.” The video featured bright neon

colors, lots of spandex, and headbands which became a part of mainstream fashion as a result. 80s headbands were often very bright just like many other fashion staples of the time.

Senior Henry Zietlow can often be found wearing

a headband similar to the popular trend from the past. Zietlow’s motives were more practically motivated than fashion related as he was unaware of this new trend; however, this newfound knowledge only motivates him more to

wear this fashion staple.

“I’ve been growing out my hair so long it’s become a nuisance, so I use [the headband] to keep it out of my eyes,” Zietlow said.

“I think [knowing it’s 80s fashion] makes it a lot cooler.”

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Kelby Wittenberg

Windbreakers

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Jenny Sogin

The bright, blockcolored windbreakers of the 80s is another item of clothing that has become widely popular this year.

In the 80s, it was often seen in movies, but didn’t become very popular until the movie “Grease” came out. One of the main characters, Danny Zuko, wore a windbreaker a lot in the movie, and thus the

jacket became a huge trend.

Additionally, Will Smith was often seen wearing windbreakers on his show “The Fresh Prince of BelAir.” Junior Adelia Bergner is a huge fan of the 80s.

From listening to music to emulating the “look” from that era, Bergner would have fit right into the pop culture of that decade.

Bergner loves to find genuine pieces of clothing from the 80s, so she looks to second-hand stores for cheaper prices and many more memories.

“I thrifted my shirt and my windbreaker,” Bergner said. “Thrift shopping also makes it a lot easier to try out new trends, I’ve found some pretty wacky items at my local Goodwill.

[It’s also easier] to find genuine vintage pieces from previous decades.”

Bergner’s 80s obsession does not just extend to her jacket; she enjoys wearing a lot of other 80s styles.

“I like the fun colors, they make me happy. I can express myself and I kind of stick out, but in a good way,” Bergner said.

Stranger Things inspired While many 80s styles have been making a comeback this year due to a new-found interest in its bright, fun fashion, many looks have been inspired by the widely popular show “Stranger Things.”

In addition to her love of 80s music, Bergner has also fallen in love with the outfits portrayed by the

characters on the popular television show.

“I watched a lot of Youtube look-books where people put together their own Stranger Things inspired outfits, and I tried to mimic those same outfits in the clothing that I wear,” Bergner said.

Not only has the television show inspired a

general influx of 80s fashion into today’s popular culture, but it has also inspired another trend as well, especially in Minnesota. In the second season of the show, which was recently released, one of the main characters (Dustin) can be seen wearing a purple sweatshirt with the logo from the Science Museum

of Minnesota. Throughout the school, many students can be seen sporting these purple sweatshirts. Both Shrestha and Wang own them.

“I decided to wear this sweatshirt because it’s really cool since it’s the Science Museum of Minnesota, but it’s also from a popular tv show,” Shrestha said.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Jenny Sogin