February 2023 Regina Report

The Regina Report

February 2023

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: MS. FRIKKEN

By Athena Rosati & Sophia Switalski '25 It’s her first year as the athletic director, but not her first at Regina! Miss Frikken attended Regina, graduated in 2009, and has worked as a teacher since 2018.

Education and teaching children has been her dream since she was inspired by Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World, although she briefly considered a life in space as an astronaut. Between her times at Regina she attended Albion College where she participated in Greek life and was on the women’s basketball team. She highly recommends Greek life and spoke fondly of Alpha Chi Omega, where she is head of the admissions board. After hours, Miss Frikken likes to unwind with her favorite hobby: reading. She has many favorite books, but the two she recommended for teenage girls are It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover and Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, both of which are in the process of becoming movies!

Speaking of movies, she has many favorites as well. Just a few are Sabrina, (the 1957 version) Breakfast at Tiffany’s, West Side Story, (2021) and Glory Road. You can find loads of Miss Frikken’s favorite things on her Bookstagram @frikkenbeatifulbooks which she highly encourages you to follow!

The advice she most wanted to share was to branch out and make friends with as many people as possible because there is so much to learn from one another, and you want to look back on the person you were as kind and friendly. And finally, when asked to title her Regina experience she came up with Regina is My Positive. Miss Frikken is a firm believer in finding the positive in every situation and the last five years, Regina has always been her positive. We are all so happy to have Miss Frikken in her new position, and can’t wait to see what else she has in store for Regina Athletics!

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NEW FACES AT REGINA: INTRODUCING MR. SABO

By Mia Gentry ‘24 There’s a new addition to Regina’s science department- Mr. Sabo! Mr. Sabo teaches AP biology, STEM environmental science, forensic science, and anatomy & physiology.

If you’re not lucky enough to have Mr. Sabo this year, stop by and see him and his classroom’s skeleton (commonly referred to as Steve) for a kind smile and an awesome tie collection! Before teaching at Regina, Mr. Sabo previously taught in Roseville Schools for nearly twenty years, spending five years teaching eighth graders before moving into the high school. Mr. Sabo decided to teach because he, like many other educators, hoped and believed that he could make a difference in the lives and education of his students, and he has! He said that he wanted the opportunity to give these kids an “Aha!” moment. Furthermore, he chose to teach science because “Science explains the natural world around us, and ❲he❳ was always fascinated by it as a kid.” His most memorable scientific inspiration as a child was seeing a spider eat a fly!

Although he appreciates all of the sciences, he especially loved teaching astronomy and “loves the workings of weather and climate.” When discussing astronomy, Mr. Sabo said that he believes we will one day find life elsewhere in the universe! Outside of school, Mr. Sabo loves to spend time with his family the most; he has three children and two grandchildren! Also, he likes to golf and play both board games and video games. When asked what advice he would give to students, Mr Sabo said, “Don’t be afraid of your own shadow. Don’t allow your fears to hold you back, and don’t be afraid to try new things.” Welcome to the Regina family, Mr. Sabo!

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RIDING THE KAI-DE On January 7th, Regina upperclassmen set fo(u)rth on their journey of connection and self-evaluation

By Lizzy Cwiklinski ‘23 To ring in the new year after such an exhilarating start to the 2022-2023 school year, Regina seniors and a handful of juniors head out on the road to the Colombiere Retreat & Conference Center in Clarkston to commence the highly anticipated Kairos retreat. Moderated by Miss Frikken, Kairos is the fourth of its kind. Its purpose is to bond and understand our peers on a more vulnerable level, while recognizing our relationships with ourselves throughout a three-day period. The retreat delved into an array of emotions many, like myself, were not prepared to experience.

Though, despite being subjected to the same activities and topic discussions, opinions on its effectiveness differed. Senior Elle Kourtakis shares her overall positive outlook on the retreat. “It’s a great experience to strengthen your relationship with God and get closer with classmates we wouldn’t normally have.” Another factor that plays into Kairos is that the participants are not allowed to possess phones, laptops, watches or any other time telling devices. This crucial component works to revert us onto God’s time rather than outside influence and distractions. Kourtakis further adds on how the disconnect from our devices and the time have made for a much more interactive experience. “I feel like it would have been nice to know the times, but it was nice to focus on the activities without having to worry about the time.” Kourtakis has since implemented what she has learned from the retreat in terms of nurturing her relationship with God. “I would implement my focus by strengthening my relationship with God through praying, making the effort to talk to him, and listening to gospel music.”

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Riding the Kai-de Continued However, not everyone felt the same lasting impact. Senior Sydney Urban, in her own definition, elaborated on what Kairos meant to her. “[It’s] an experience that just scratches the surface of what you really need and not fully handled.” In contrast to Elle’s view on timing, Urban found that being unplugged was not beneficial. “Being removed from the time of day did not benefit me because I'm a human on a schedule and could feel what time it was.” Urban states that the “kai-high” - a term used to describe the elated feeling one undergoes after experiencing Kairos - was short lived. “I did not find it beneficial; it wasn't anything that could truly change me as a person.

Everyone went back to normal.”

Although the weekend of January 7th-January 9th has etched a significant place within its participants, not everyone was left with the same impression. Over 60 girls attended the retreat and each one has their own way of processing their emotions that may not always be reflected through the activities that were presented. Kairos has proven itself to uphold strong values of empowerment, spiritual encounters, and finding refuge in others that will have an impact on its attendees for years to come.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: LORELEI MAHON

By Sydney Darr '25 Lorelei Mahon is a sophomore here at Regina High School. She has been chosen to be interviewed as the student highlight of the month because of her never ending work. She was on the Junior Varsity Basketball team which ended with an undefeated season. Lorelei also is on a travel softball team. Not only is she busy with sports, but she also is Class President. As Class President, she has been preparing a speech and a video for Sophomore Day for her class. As a member of the Student Council, she was at work decorating the halls for spirit week. She is currently reading Verity by Colleen Hoover which is her favorite author. Lorelei is also in all honors and AP classes. As a fellow classmate of Lorelei, I see how hard working and fun she is to be in class.

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SADDLELITES SAY: NEW YEAR'S EDITION

By Athena Rosati '25

Did you make a New Years Resolution?

Gold= Yes

What is the best DCOM?

White= No

Descendants 10%

Starstruck 5% Zapped 5%

High School Musical 38%

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Teen Beach Movie 42%

MEDIA OF THE MONTH

By Athena Rosati '25

Most Read Book:

Most Listened to Artist:

Most Popular Show:

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DECORATING THE HALLS FOR SPIRIT WEEK- DISNEY CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIES EDITION

By Greta Hellebuyck '24 One of the most exciting and anticipated times of the year at Regina has finally arrived, Catholic Schools and Spirit Week! Every year the Regina Student Council determines the theme for Spirit Week and this year the theme was Disney Channel Original Movies. After much planning, every class was assigned their own Disney Channel Original Movie.

Class DCOMS: Freshman: Cloud 9, Sophomores: 16 Wishes, Juniors: Teen Beach Movie, Seniors: High School Musical 3

On the afternoon of Saturday, January 28th, the school halls were full of Regina students ready to make their class themes a reality. The Freshman were prepared to transform their hallway into a ski mount by using blue fairy lights, fluffy white fabrics to mimic snow slopes, glistening snowflakes, and the hall wouldn’t have been complete without snowboards.. The Sophomores stayed true to a pink theme and used birthday balloons, birthday messages, golden ribbons, cake cutouts, and they even went as far as wrapping water fountains to appear as birthday presents. The Sophomores also created their own Sweet 16 themed photo booth in their hall. The Juniors were on theme with a bikers versus surfers hall. The beach side was covered with beach balls, floral leis, tiki lights, palm trees, and beach towels hanging from the ceiling. The biker portion was filled with motorcycle balloons, checkered flags, bandannas, and black and red hanging stars and paper cutouts.

The Juniors even decorated the middle of their hall as a restaurant complete with a sign and even a life size cutout of the lead character Brady. Finally, the Seniors went all out for their High School Musical 3: Senior Year theme covering their hallway with basketballs, streamers, music notes, and a red carpet themed backdrop. The seniors were wise to add a hot pink photo booth as an homage to the fabulous Sharpay Evans, the iconic diva from the film. After about three hours of hard work, all of the hallways came together and every student who came together to decorate the halls was seen laughing, smiling with friends, and getting in the mood for a week of fun. Spirit Week decorating is always the perfect time for Regina students to come together and enjoy the presence of one another; plus it helps that the efforts of the Regina student body are fulfilled by the beauty that resonates through the halls.

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REGINA'S SPIRIT WEEK 2023

By Grace Panicciaj '25

Catholic Schools Week 2023 went from January 30 through February 3. To celebrate, the Student Council planned a variety of spirit days for the students to take part in.

On Monday we had College Day, Regina’s students were able to wear a college shirt with their skirts and saddles. The students, faculty, and staff also gathered together for mass to kick off Catholic Schools Week.

On Tuesday the students were able to meet their doppelgängers with Twinning Tuesday. The hallways were full of pairs of people that were dressed the same as each other. Due to their outstanding participation and their creativity, the junior class was awarded 100 points.

On Wednesday we channeled out our inner parents with Soccer Mom versus Barbecue Dad Day. Today students got really creative, while some people brought snacks to share with the team, others looked ready to grill up some hotdogs and hamburgers. Once again nobody could beat the junior class and they won another 100 points.

On Thursday brought in their cowboy hats and boots or their tennis rackets and golf clubs to participate in Country vs Country Club Day.The freshman were able to win 50 points for their grade, but, t no one’s surprise, the juniors also won and were also awarded 50 points.

Finally it was Friday, this was theme day. On Friday students were able to dress according to their class themes or wear their Spirit Week T-Shirt. To conclude Spirit Week we hosted our annual Spirit Games. In the end the juniors won first place, the sophomores won second, the seniors one third, and the freshman won fourth place Regina Report I 8

Let the Games begin!

By Abby Brooks, ALex Rihacek, & Julia Dukaj '23 This year, the Student Council broke the beloved tradition of rigging the Spirit Games for seniors to win. But, to be fair, the juniors entered the games on Friday with a huge lead. The sophomores trailed behind in second, and the freshmen were in third.

This left the seniors in a solid fourth place…

The first event was an obstacle course, where the sophomores won against the freshman in the first round. But an upset occurred in the second round, when the win was taken away from junior Elizabeth Hepler, for popping a balloon with her foot rather than her butt. A rematch occurred that ended in a win from the seniors. This moved the seniors into the final round, where they ultimately lost against the sophomores.

Following that excitement were several rounds of trivia on topics ranging from teachers and Regina itself, a quick round of Bubble Soccer, and then onto a spirited game of Guess that Tune Disney Edition. The juniors may have been victorious in Teacher Trivia and Bubble Soccer but the Seniors kept them on their toes with wins at Regina Trivia and Guess that Tune.

Then it was time for musical chairs, the highlight of the Spirit Games. While there weren’t any fights this year, the juniors were, once again, snubbed by rule-breaking... The would-be winner, Angelina Moraccini, had pulled the single remaining chair towards her once the music stopped. And because of this, the sophomores won. Afterwards, in the teacher’s round of musical chairs, Ms. Frikken showed her strength and scored a win for the seniors.

And last but not least, the 4 grades competed in a game of tug-of-war. In a shocking turn of events, the freshmen beat the sophomores not once, but twice! Then, the senior tug-of-war team, composed mainly of the powderpuff team’s offensive line-women, easily took down the juniors.

To end off the fun on a positive note, there was a dance off between 4 teachers, one from each grade: Mr. Mayer for the freshmen, Mr. Sabo for the sophomores, Mrs. Sankiewicz for the juniors, and Mr. Totten for the seniors. All whipped out their spontaneous moves, and at one point there seemed to be a dance off between Mrs. Sankiewicz and Mr. Totten! The Spirit Games then ended with the Juniors anticipating their 7peat for next year, bonding in a huddle.

Beat Marian, Bulldogs!

All in all, the Spirit Games were a spectacular event that truly showed the camaraderie within each grade. Congratulations to the juniors on their win!

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THE WINTER BLUES

By Mia Gentry ‘24 During winter months when there’s more schoolwork and less sunlight, it’s hard to find ways to stay positive and take care of your mental health. Many people experience what is commonly known as seasonal depression. Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is very common and affects around 3 million people in the United States. Although seasonal depression affects many during the spring and summer months, most people experience symptoms during the winter.

Some of the symptoms for winter-pattern SAD include social withdrawal, overeating, weight gain, oversleeping (hypersomnia), and other symptoms of depression. Furthermore, SAD affects those living farther north (like us in Michigan) more often than those with longer hours of sunlight; also, symptoms occur more often in women than men. Even more so, those with preexisting mental health conditions are at a higher risk for experiencing seasonal depression.

This means that we must stay vigilant about signs and symptoms of SAD and stop brushing off our concerns as “winter blues.” One of our amazing counselors, Mr. Burson, recommends the following to combat symptoms of seasonal depression: regular exercise (which can be something as simple as a half hour of walking each day), balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, relaxing activities, positive and grateful thinking, and connection to others. For someone experiencing SAD, these suggestions may seem overwhelming; however, small steps toward healthy thinking can seriously improve a person’s mindset.

Start small by finding something to look forward to, such as yoga, meditation, journaling, a book, a new show, an upcoming event, a sport, time with friends and family, or any positive thing- big or small- that may bring you even a small amount of joy. Another wonderful member of the counseling department, Ms. Smith, reminds us to not only stay connected to our loved ones, but also reach out for professional help through a primary care physician and/or a mental health counselor. Also, she recommends spending time outside, if possible, because a Vitamin D deficiency also contributes to SAD. There is help and treatment. To anyone who may be struggling, please reach out to the counseling department and/or a trained professional for more support. Remember that you are not alone, and being honest about how you are feeling is the first step to improving your mental health!

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STUDENT WRITING SPOTLIGHT

By Jamieson Dean ‘23

“Four months until spring break.” The text flashes across my screen as a reminder of how time flies. It soars past each of us like a bird. Slowly ticking away, second by second, the minute, the hour. Time, my own worst enemy.

Four months ago, I dreamt of the things that graduation brought. Moving out, basketball, college, a found family of my own. But, I forgot about the time that I was living in.

The present is a gift. The same gift that I left under Christmas time, nameless.

The gift that you return to the store because you look over its immediate value to you. The present only lasts for a certain amount of time. Time is seen as a concept, but it is the concept that you allow it to be. At this point in time, I pass over my best friend's smile, thinking about what’s for lunch, missing the punchline of the bad joke, and thinking about who my prom date is going to be. I miss the fifty-five minute lunch of freshman year. I miss powderpuff, being a part of such a beautiful and amusing tradition. Most importantly, I miss the present. I miss the things that happen around me as time skips by, like kids playing hopscotch on a warm summer day.

As time passes I think about how to hold onto moments forever, so I take videos and pictures of the moments instead of living in them. Time, there isn’t enough of it. Graduation is in five months. The present is right here. The present is what we forget. The gift of time that we take for granted, returning it to the store. When in reality, there is so much going on and not enough time. The future will have its time but now, is the present. Use time as a gift, soaking it up for what it is and the beauty it holds. Four months until spring break. It can wait another day.

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STUDENT WRITING SPOTLIGHT

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