HOPKINS HIGH SCHOOL 2400 LINDBERGH DRIVE MINNETONKA, MN 55305
RP. the royal page
MAY 31, 2018 VOLUME 36, ISSUE 8 hopkinsrp.org
Senior Week gives students chance to connect to past, prepare for future From parading the halls of their old elementary schools to barbecuing on the football field, the class of 2018 is spending a unique last day at HHS. page 2
INSIDE
Student body elects Student Council leadership for 2018-19 school year In a change of policy, Student Council President and Vice President were directly elected this year. page 5
NEWS 2 FEATURE 4 IN-DEPTH 6 OPINION 8 SPORTS 10 BACKPAGE 12
a DREAM denied As the national conversation turned to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the winter of 2017, the fate of many HHS students was uncertain. Several months later, DACA is rarely discussed, but some students are trying to renew the conversation. in-depth, page 6-7
Pass the torch, or let the flame die out? As senior leaders prepare to graduate, clubs introduce new leaders or question their future Riley Lennon Staff Reporter
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eing a part of a club at HHS can make students feel welcomed and engaged. However, with many clubs losing a lot of members due to seniors graduating, it’s time to look for new leaders.
Since the seniors will be graduating and won’t return, many clubs need to find new students as well as new leaders. Jane Nelson, senior, is a cofounder of Kiva Club here at HHS, and has already chosen someone to take her place. “Kiva Club is mostly seniors, but we have a couple of people that are gonna take it over next year,” Nelson said. Celeste De La Cruz, sophomore, is going to take over leadership next year and attempt to keep the club afloat. “I definitely hope it continues,” Nelson said. “We have a checking account with the school because we had to put money through the school to get it to Kiva. The idea was that
if the money were to dissolve it would be donated to them, since the operating cost of Kiva is based on donations.” Kiva is an international nonprofit organization that uses micro financing to help alleviate poverty. Users spend $25 or more to crowd-fund loans in order to help people for a number of reasons, whether to
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year as well. “We have them chosen,” Shapiro said, “but we haven’t announced it yet, so it’s still a secret!” The goal of HHS Responds is to create a safe space for minorities and anyone else who wants to get involved to talk about various social topics. Anywhere between 15 and
Especially considering the political climate is very rough right now, I think that people are more interested in getting involved [in HHS Responds]. Miranda Shapiro, senior
help them grow a business, buy a goat, pay significant medical costs, or anything else. After a certain number of months, the money is returned to the donator. Another club, HHS Responds, co-founded and led by Miranda Shapiro, senior, has chosen a few leaders for next
30 students show up to each weekly meeting, and about 60% of them are seniors. Shapiro has high hopes that HHS Responds will continue to be a club throughout the years. “I think the interest has gone up, and we’re recruiting sophomores. The leaders that we have chosen for next year are
photo: provided via Hopkins NHS Twitter
2017-2018 HHS National Honor Society (NHS) president Claire Nash, senior, speaks to the members of the 2018-2019 NHS at their induction ceremony on May 14. NHS' unique membership and leadership structure ensures continued membership every year.
going to start off the year with some good activities that we’re already planning,” Shapiro said. “Especially considering that the political climate is very rough right now, I think that people are more interested in getting
involved.” Road Biking Club, another student-led club at HHS, isn’t planning on staying for the 2018-19 school year. “It’ll probably die out,” said Evan Pelerine, senior, who co-
leads the club. “We don’t have a ton of students, and only one of them isn’t a senior. If he can keep it alive, that’d be great, but I doubt it will stay as a club.”
MAY 31, 2018
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The one-week early release is nice because it helps students make up work. Max Birch, senior
Senior Week gives students chance to connect to past, prepare for future Neil DeVries Smith Staff Reporter
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eniors were notified during a class meeting on May 3 that they will receive extra days off at the end of this school year. The exciting news was met with cheers and applause from students. The seniors will receive the last four days ( June 4-7) off of school, along with the Friday ( June 1) dedicated to the Senior Breakfast and awards. Seniors will then take buses to their elementary schools with their caps and gowns to partake in a parade and celebration. Most other schools in the Metro area give their seniors days off during the end of the school year. Edina High School seniors get out two weeks before the other students as a part of their May term program. At Southwest High School seniors have their last day of finals on May 30 and don’t have to go to the last two weeks or more of school. “It’s amazing for the administration to do something like this the last few weeks of school. After AP tests end, seniors aren’t left with much to do,” said Bruce Russell Jr., senior. Some students appreciate the extra week of summer to connect with friends before they lose contact while school isn’t in
session. “Now that I am already accepted into college, school is disengaging, and I’m glad that the administration recognizes that. I will have an internship during the summer and I will be gone for most of it so I’m thankful to have an extra week to spend with my friends before I leave,” said Anthony Campagnola, senior. This has been in the works for months and was first announced to teachers. Rumors developed through the student body in the weeks leading up to the announcement about if it was true and how it would be done if it was. Although nearly every senior is happy that they get extra time off at the end of the year, some wish that there had been more transparency with the matter. Navit Nachmias, senior, wishes that students could have planned around having the last week off of school. “I have orientation at the University of Tennessee and the dates that were available fell on graduation and the second week of summer, which I’m out of town for, then the last date was two weeks before school,” Nachmias said. “I chose that date, and I had to cut orientation short because it was going to be in the middle of finals. So I’m missing out on two days of getting to know my college.”
Part of the festivities will include seniors visiting the elementary schools where they started their Hopkins educational careers. Those who did not attend elementary school in the Hopkins district will be randomly assigned to schools, but can request to switch if a different school suits them better. Many HHS students were thrilled when they heard this news and can’t wait to go back where it all started. Jake Rosenblum, senior, is particularly excited as his little brother still attends Meadowbrook Elementary School, where he also attended. “I think it’s a cool thing to do; see all my old teachers that are still there, and see all the kids that are the future of Hopkins. It’s a good immersive idea and I get to see my brother at school, which is my favorite part. It’d be great to get to spend a bit more time with him at school but I get to hang out with him and his friends, and I know it’ll be an experience he and I will remember,” said Rosenblum. While it may seem simple to just send seniors home early, problems have arisen in classes that are composed of both seniors and underclassmen, such as Health Science or Personal Finance. In Health Science, for example, seniors are expected to
infographic: Ali Winter
make up the rest of the assignments in the final unit. Mr. Karl Schroeder, Health, teaches a class where 25 percent of students are seniors. Schroeder said he feels comfortable giving seniors a final early, but
also knows he’ll have to figure out what to do with juniors and sophomores after the seniors leave. Nevertheless, seniors seem to not mind the extra work and are excited to see their high
school career come full circle. “I went to Glen Lake, and I am super excited to go back to where it all started. It’s a great way to end all of our high school careers,” said Claire Nash, senior.
IN BRIEF Senior Recognition, Scholarship Night celebrates seniors’ accomplishments Andy Pelerine Staff Reporter
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n the night of Wednesday, May 16, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., HHS held the annual Scholarship Night in the Auditorium. This year 35 scholarships were given to 64 students, totaling over $81,000, excluding two full-ride scholarships given to two seniors. Recipients did not know what scholarships they were awarded prior to Scholar-
ship Night. “I really appreciate that HHS takes the time to recognize students who applied for scholarships and students that have maintained such a prestigious GPA throughout the years,” said Avery MartensGoldman, senior. This year, 10 more students were recognized than last year, making it one of the most generous scholarship nights in recent years. Part of this may have been due to the combination of
Scholarship Night and Senior Recognition Night, which is an event to celebrate students who earned a 3.95 GPA or over. This year HHS decided to combine the two nights because most of the students were attending both nights. “This year will be the same as past years, but it will be combined with Senior Recognition night. This is different from years past,” said Ms. Linda Yesnes, Administrative Coordinator.
photo: Andy Pelerine
All scholarship recipients gather onstage after the completion of the Senior Scholarship Night ceremony. Over $81,000 was awarded in total.
AP classes culminate in exams, projects, memes to end rigorous curriculum Eve Clarkson and Sam Buttress Staff Reporters
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fter Cloee Ritenour, junior, and her AP World History classmates completed AP testing, the class was still bustling. “We worked on the Festival of Nations where we researched and showcase one particular country. The idea is that once they are completed, the HHS community will be able to learn about countries from all over the world,” Ritenour said. Unlike AP World students, whose class continues into Term 4, some students finish their AP course at the end of first semester, which leaves a wide gap before the test. This means that they are responsible for reviewing course material. “I took AP Environmental Science first semester, and I did not have the test until almost four months after. It was a little difficult, but once I started reviewing all the material, the ma-
jority of the content was easy to relearn and the stuff that wasn’t is what I studied,” said Alyssa Klover, senior. One of the most appealing aspects about the AP system to many students is the fact that they can potentially earn college credit while still in high school and in result can save a lot of time and energy. However, not all students decide to take the AP test that would enable them to earn college credit. Conrad Gausmann, sophomore, took AP US History, but decided to opt out of the exam. “Even though there was potential to earn college credit, there was still a fee to take the test and I did not feel confident that I would pass so I did not think it would be worth it,” Gausmann said. Regardless of how well you do on the test, there is a possibility that any student who takes the test could have their score suspended without even being
graded. The culprit: memes. In a social media-driven age, memes are a common way people make jokes out of stressful situations, and AP testing is no exception. However, as NPR reported, the College Board does have the right to cancel a test if a student reveals exam content, even in a seemingly harmless act such as memes. Regardless, AP exam memes flood social media after every test. “For four hours, you are stuck in a room without food, water, human interaction and are bombarded with questions. I did not make any memes, but I can see why AP testing memes are so popular because they are a way for students to vent and express their stress,” said Reyan Ugas, sophomore. Ultimately, students will not be completely done with AP testing until July when their scores are released.
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MAY 31, 2018
Hopkins really does need to start focusing on recycling and thinking about the environment more.
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news
Sarah Fogel, junior
Environmental concerns arise following development of new turf fields Olivia Cohen Staff Reporter
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ith turf now covering the majority of HHS outdoor athletic facilities, eyebrows have been raised about how these fields will impact our environment and the community’s carbon footprint. “Turf pellets are alternative ‘fills’ created by old tires and placed into our fields for a greater sports efficiency,” said Mike Harris, Science. “These pellets also happen to contain heavy metals and leads that can be harmful to our water supply.” HHS and Minnetonka High School are two Metro area schools that have the largest carbon footprints in the state, due to having some of the newest and largest athletic facilities that use turf and artificial resources that clash with our community’s natural resources. Athletic facilities using turf
isn’t a new concept, but these small, rubber pellets are controversial because they can make their way into the body and cause dysfunction among cells and human tissue, due to the contamination of carcinogens. “On hot days like the ones we will be experiencing this summer, the volatility of the ions within the rubber will start to produce a smell,” said Harris. “And if you can smell a substance like that, it probably means that it is not long term.” In 2016, a large outcry of parents in the Edina School District erupted, due to the turf ’s corruption of carcinogens that lay within the artificial fields. According to the Star Tribune, the health risks of these pellets emerged after NBC News and ESPN reported soccer players from Washington state developing cancer due to them playing on the alleged poisonous fields. The anatomy of HHS stadium’s turf is designed to have
water run-off the field, taking the unbound and loose turf into the drains, located between the field and the track. “Minnesota obviously has a larger water supply, so if enough of these heavy and harmful metals from our turf fields get into our systems there could be repercussions, especially since we have so much turf at our school,” Harris said. These pollutants are easily identifiable. On the HHS campus alone, wetlands are already being impacted. The chains of ponds west of the NJH parking lot are currently filled with runoff of turf pellets, litter and old playground equipment. In addition to the unbound turf pellets inferring with the community’s natural ecology, the turf fields meddle with essential decomposition of the fields. “With turf fields, decomposers are unable to breakdown substances that would otherwise
be broken down with natural resources that grass has to offer,” said Harris. “Take a piece of gum for example. If someone were to spit their gum onto grass, it would break down, slowly but it would eventually [break down]; with turf fields it wouldn’t be able to decompose at all.” Despite turf having negative impacts on the environment, turf also contains positive influences as well. The district will use significantly less water for turf, than they did for grass fields. In addition, the district’s money and chemical use to fertilize the fields will go down, resulting in lower maintenance and overall costs. The turf fields can also benefit the district due to other groups in the community renting the fields out, giving Hopkins a profit. Patrick Poquette, supervisor of building and grounds in the Hopkins district, commented on the build of athletic turf
fields and how the drainage systems work, regarding them. “There are two types of resilient infill within HHS’ new synthetic turf fields,” said Poquette, over email. “There is Ecofill that is a patented product that is manufactured with a combination of plastic, rubber and clay. The other infill is recycled rubber, that had been thoroughly cleaned, prior to being shipped to the school. Both products are embedded into the turf fibers, causing very little migration caused by athletes or rainfall.” The design system of the turf fields has multiple layers. The order from top to bottom consists of rubber, silica sand, fine aggregate, coarse drainage rock and sand. This system works as a filtration system for storm weather. In addition to the filter system of the artificial grass, there is a network of drainage pipes located at the bottom of the last sand layer. This network allows
the draining of excess water off the fields and collect loose turf with it, and slowly allows the unbound water to flow into the city sewage system. “Since Hopkins got rid of all of the grass fields, the Nordic team was forced to move practice locations,” said Lily Provenzano, junior. “We had to take a bus or carpool over to practice locations off campus.” The act of bussing athletes over to West uses unnecessary resources that impact the environment. The issue of extra transportation of students offcampus is related to the fall sports season, when the Lindbergh turf fields were unable for use.
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photo: Sam Eklund
One of the new turf fields near Lindbergh Center. While the fields provide more playing space for the baseball and softball teams, the turf also can pose significant environmental impacts.
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MAY 31, 2018
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the royal page It all went by too fast; a new chapter in my life is ending, but another is just beginning. Kyle Chiriboga, senior
HHS bids farewell to seven retiring teachers Ari Geller Staff Reporter
Rose Ahmann, Business Ms. Rose Ahmann, Business Education, started her teaching career at Belle Plaine High School where she taught 9th grade English as a long term sub. She came to HHS from LeSueur-Henderson High School in 1998. “This is my 20th year, and I have taught up to 11 different classes. I have memories of different kids and also mock trials were always really fun. I may be back for a couple classes next year,” Ahmann said.
photos: Isaac Richert and Hopkins Staff Directory
David Williams, Language Arts
Patricia Swenson, Special Education
Mr. David Williams, Language Arts, has taught many courses including Perspectives in American Literature, Shakespeare, Faces of Conflict, Short Story, and Technical Writing. “I did my student teaching at the end of 1983, and this will be the end of my 35th year,” Williams said. In his time here, Williams has also been involved as a GSA advisor, baseball coach, football announcer, dean of students, AVID teacher, registrar and theater artistic director
Ms. Patricia Swenson, Special Education, went to the University of Missouri-Kansas City and got her degree in Special Education and Learning Disabilities. “I have been teaching at HHS for 28 years. I have a lot of really good memories of both students and staff. There is really no other district I would rather be in or would have wanted to spend the last 28 years at,” Swenson said.
Natalia CostaRoberts, Special Education
Ms. Natalia CostaRoberts, Special Education, got her degree in English, French and Portuguese at the University of Massachusetts. She also got her licensure in Learning Disabilities at the University of Minnesota. “I’ve been teaching at HHS since 1996. Prior to that, I taught at the U of MN and IU as a graduate instructor while doing my graduate work. I have memories of teaming with colleagues and learning from expert mentors about how to engage students and how to grow as a teacher,” Costa-Roberts said.
Bobbi Pointer, Nurse
Susan Rode, Language Arts
Patty Ormson, FACS
In 2009, Ms. Bobbi Pointer, Nurse, was awarded school nurse of the year. “I’ve been here about 16 years. I’m retiring from the school, but not from working. I have worked in an emergency department for years, and I am going to continue doing that,” Pointer said. Pointer plans to travel with her free time after she retires. “I have two kids in Denver, and I hope to get to be able to see them more often,” Pointer said.
When Ms. Susan Rode, Language Arts, started teaching at Hopkins, she began at Hopkins North Junior High. In 2000, she made the transition to HHS. “I’ve taught for 25 years and one of the coolest things that happens over and over again is that students that you bud heads the most with, end up being the relationships that you treasure the most which is kind of cool how that works out,” Rode said.
Ms. Patty Ormson Has taught in the Hopkins Schools for 13 years. As part of her retirement celebration for the district, Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed noted. “Patty hopes she has made a positive difference in the lives of students – that she has made them feel welcomed, loved, and appreciated. She is ending her career on a high note, as she will receive the BestPrep Teacher of Excellence Award on May 24.”
Chris Whritenour, Physical Education Ms. Chris Whritenour, Physical Education, has taught many classes in her time teaching at HHS. “I have taught in Hopkins for 26 years. My first six years were at North Jr High, the last 20 years have been at Hopkins High School. Part of my job has also included teaching online Physical Education,” Whritenour said. Whritenour also taught lifeguard training class. “When students completed the class, they were Red Cross certified and could get lifeguarding jobs,” Whritenour said.
IN BRIEF Going green, winning gold
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nvirothon had two teams of students make it to state, and one of those teams made it to nationals. Envirothon is a club that meets every Wednesday, and is advised by Mr. John Sammler, Science. The club learns about the natural components of Minnesota. Envirothon consists of six topics: current events, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, soil, and current events. HHS faced off against multiple other schools at regionals, which took place at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska on April 30. Two of the three senior high teams placed at state. The state Envirothon com-
petition involves teams of five students who must take exams and give an oral presentation. Seniors Isaac Daitzchman, Jasper Johnson, Anna Von Duyke, Sarah Clay, and Sylvie Gitler, took first place. Followed by, Willow Scherwinski, Armand Martinez, Hugo Van Nieuwenhove, Abbie Mandler, and Maddie Holicky, seniors who placed second. They continued their win streak on May 21 at state, and will compete once more at Nationals this summer.
Senior Party provides celebration after graduation
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fter the seniors toss their caps into the air and say their goodbyes, they’ll have the opportunity to live it up one last time. The senior party will take place on June 7, immediately following the graduation ceremony. Seniors will quickly change out of their robes be-
The state champion Envirothon team of Sylvie Gitler, Anna von Duyke, Sarah Clay, Isaac Daitzchman, and Jasper Johnson, seniors.
fore they’re put on a bus and shipped off to a disclosed location, where they’ll spend the night with their classmates. All that’s known is that the theme is ‘Route 66’; everything else is a surprise. The party costs $65, but scholarships are offered to students who may need them.
JUNE 7
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arious HHS choirs will perform their final concert on May 31 in the Auditorium. Though previous choir concerts this year have been split into two parts, the finale will be a single concert from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. During the last week of May, students in the choir program
will also be able to audition for the Small Ensemble Show. Those who are accepted can perform alone, with a friend, or in a group. The performance will take place in the Little Theater on June 6 at 7 p.m. and will be the last performance of the year put on by the choir program.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATION SECURE, UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
$65
www.hopkinsseniorparty.com photo: provided by Minnesota State Envirothon
Choir ends year with final concert, Small Ensemble show
Riley Lennon Staff Reporter
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MAY 31, 2018
It’s a nice way to celebrate the last few weeks of high school with your friends.
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Angie Raney, senior
feature
Hopkins and Minnetonka Earth Clubs team up to evaluate, improve climate actions for city of Minnetonka Mia Sparrow Staff Reporter
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arth Club Presidents from Hopkins and Minnetonka have made it their mission to persuade Minnetonka City Council towards a more environmentally sustainable course of action. iMatter, a national youth organization dedicated to ending climate change, is one of the several groups that produced Minnetonka’s most recent environmental report card. One doesn’t have to be educated on the topic to know the D plus grade received can only be harming the city’s inhabitants. “The earth club leaders last year had started a project to improve Hopkins’ sustainability, but city officials weren’t very helpful in providing information. This year, because so many HHS students actually live in Minnetonka, I decided to switch our efforts there,” said Lia Harel, junior. The leaders of Earth Club, Harel and Lucy Avenson, junior,
photo: Mia Sparrow and Ali Winter
Lia Harel, junior, presented in front of the Minnetonka City Council on April 30, along with three other students from Hopkins and Minnetonka. Both schools’ Earth Clubs hope to move the city of Minnetonka towards being more environmentally sustainable.
reached out to the President of Minnetonka High School Earth Club to collaborate on a resolution plan. On April 30, the three students presented their three point plan at the
City Council Chambers. The resolution is aimed at getting Minnetonka to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030,
all while allowing continuation of youth voice throughout the process. “We want to lower the amount of emissions released, but also implement technology
or programs that offset the carbon in the air,” Harel said. On that Monday afternoon, Mr. Sammler, supervisor of HHS Earth Club, along with students from Hopkins, Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park alike, took their seats in the council chambers. Avenson rose to the microphone first, reminding the council of the urgency and importance in addressing climate change. Payton Frostad, Minnetonka senior, and aforementioned Minnetonka Earth Club President, handed the city council and mayor each their own copy of the report card and resolution, along with the recently implemented one in neighboring St. Louis Park. Frostad initially recognized Minnetonka’s positive efforts, such as it’s curbside recycling program and native prairie species restoration. She then went on to call for a raising of the D plus grade. Harel finished the presentation off, specifying the commitments the group hopes Min-
netonka will agree to. “We must reduce our collective carbon footprint, and to do so, we must act collectively. We are more than ready to start working with Minnetonka to make our home a better one,” Harel said. Minnetonka mayor, Brad Wiersum, explained that no decision or promise could be made in the moment, but told the girls they would be back in touch after “consultations with staff.” All members praised the students for their efforts and concerns. Tim Bergstedt, councilman, smiled throughout the presentation and reaffirmed the girls’ “great job” several times. “I am married to a career wildland firefighter, and climate change is real. I knew, even before I met him, that fire behavior was less radical then than it is today. So thank you very much for what you are doing and don’t give up the fight. It’s going to be a lifelong battle,” said Deb Calvert, councilwoman.
Student body elects new Student Council leadership for 2018-19 school year Willow Scherwinski Staff Reporter
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school wide election took place on Friday, April 27 to elect Student Council officials for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. This is the first year that voting was open to the entire sophomore and junior classes. Students were able to cast a vote between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Friday of election week, whereas in past years the voting has taken place strictly within student council. “Opening it up to the student body allows students to be more invested in student council and increases our presence within the school, which I think will be very positive things,” said 2017-2018 Student Council President Hannah Goldfarb, senior. Though campaigning is central to the fall election, which elects new representatives from all grades, this is the first year that it was a part of the spring election. It started the Monday of election week and continued
up until the election. Campaigning is a required part of being a candidate in the election. Displayed throughout the school were office approved posters made by each of the candidates. Stickers were also passed out to students and used to gain support. The only strictly prohibited form of campaigning was giving out food. There are three more positions that were up for election this spring: Public Relations/ Communications Chair, Secretary, and Event Planning Chair. These were voted on by current Student Council members. Each of these positions are only one-year terms. One of the main positions up for election where voting is open to students was the President of Student Council. This role comes with a significant amount of responsibility to help the student body thrive. As outlined in the HHS Student Council Constitution, the President shall preside over Student Council, act as a direct line of communication between Student Council
and the advisors, plan each student Council meetings, and lead weekly meetings in accordance with the schedule. Though the workload of the Student Council President is considerable, Goldfarb valued her time as President. “My experience as President of Student Council has been overwhelmingly positive. I think a lot of that has to do with the great group of people. We’ve been able to accomplish a lot more this year than we ever have in the past,” Goldfarb said. The other position on the schoolwide ballot was Vice President of Student Council. Similar to the duties of the President, there is a lot for the VP to do. According to the HHS Student Council Constitution, the Vice President serves as a substitute in the case of the President’s absence, works with the student body to gather suggestions for events, and maintains meeting and event attendance. On Wednesday, May 2 the results were announced over the speaker throughout the school. Sagit Nachmias, junior, was elected President of Student Council for the upcoming
school year. “I’m really excited to be president because I think that I can take a more head on approach and help the group stay on top of things and hold people accountable so we will be very productive,” Nachmias said. She will be supported by Sally Reed, junior, who was elected Vice President of Student Council. “I feel very honored to have been elected for the vice president position and am so excited to continue to progress the Hopkins High School com-
munity and unity as a student body,” Reed said. The other positions that were up for election were voted on within Student Council and members were elected for next year. Payton Meuwissen, junior, will be the Event Planning Chair, Erin Weiss, junior, will be the Public Relations/ Communications chair and Joe Ramlet, sophomore, will be the Secretary. The younger members of Student Council are also pleased with the results of the election and hopeful for what next year will bring.
“The two people that were elected were women, nice young ladies, and I think it is a great thing to have women in power. I think it will be a great year, better than this year,” said Faith Agboola, sophomore. Nachmias’ main goal for Student Council in the 20182019 school year is to be productive over all else.
infographic: Mia Sparrow John Otieno, senior
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As the national conversation turned to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2017, the fate of many HHS students was uncertain. Several months later, DACA is rarely disc few students are trying to renew the conversation. Hannah Goldfarb and Maya Kupritz Managing Editor and Feature Editor
ONE STUDENTʼS JOURNEY
a public school, the future depends deeply on having citizenship status. Gonzalez and her parents nside of the walls of started researching a program HHS, students from called Deferred Action for all ethnicities and races Childhood Arrivals (DACA) come together to receive their after Gonzalez realized she education. Hopkins students would be unable to pursue her speak more than 38 different postsecondary dreams. She languages, and 30 percent of soon discovered DACA could students identify as non-white. offer a pathway to the future she While walking through the had imagined. halls or sitting in a class, one “Now that I’m in high can’t be positive of someone’s school and older, I have plans to story. For some, this story does go to college, study, and get a master’s degree. [My parents and I] heard of this program called DACA, and were interested. We did more research and found out what it Morelia Sanchez Gonzalez, was and its benefits sophomore that I would get from being in the program and how I Without being a citizen not begin in Hopkins, or Minn., could enroll,” Gonzalez said. or holding a green card, life in or even the United States. DACA is an extension of HHS celebrates these di- America can be challenging to the immigration policy created verse perspectives. Outside of navigate. Although it is posunder President Barack Obama. school, however, identity can sible to receive an education at
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become complicated and stressful. For students in the United States illegally, this is especially true. Morelia Sanchez Gonzalez, sophomore, came to the United States with her parents when she was two years old. Because she wasn’t born in the country, unlike her two younger siblings, she isn’t a citizen. “My parents came to the U.S. from Mexico with no green card, nothing. So did I,” Gonzalez said.
I was worried and I was upset, but I think my mom was more upset than I was. She really wanted me to go to college and do big things in life and become someone.
First announced on June 15, 2012, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting applications to the program three months later on August 15, 2012. An individual is eligible for DACA if they are over 15 and under 31, deemed not a threat to public safety, and will contribute to society in some meaningful way, from employment to education. For many HHS students enrolled in the DACA program such as Gonzalez, their qualifying contribution is their pursuit of a high school diploma. Applying for the program is a very long process often involving legal advice and an extensive application process. According to citizenpath.org, after filling out the DACA application, it can take up to approximately 5-9 months, but it can be shorter for some and longer for others. As of June 2016, USCIS had received 844,931 initial applications for DACA status,
of which 88 percent were approved, 7 percent were denied, and 5 percent were pending review. Roughly 6,300 of the nationwide DACA participants are from Minn. Recently, Gonzalez became one of the 6,300. “I got accepted into the program just a few weeks ago, so I’m very happy because now I can finally get my permit, I can start working, and I will be able to study and go to college,” Gonzalez said. Recently, as the nationwide debate surrounding immigration has turned to DACA, the facts surrounding what the program does and doesn’t encompass has become muddled. Remarks by President Donald Trump calling for the discontinuation of the program have only contributed to ambiguity. Gonzalez was particularly concerned with the future of the program, as she hadn’t yet been accepted. When she received news that she was admitted, she was immediately relieved. “Honestly, I freaked out. I
was l it,’ be accep and woul two Gonz and I mom was. S to co life a P ger a into partic able tuses T tectio doesn event it pro welfa these the f dom tion i
DACA AT HH
I
n fall of 2017, And vera, senior, receiv she was admitted. Not to the DAC gram, as Gonzales was, b Representative Keith Congressional Student sory Council (CSAC). T CSAC, Olvera and the the select group had to a topic to advise the c men on. As President Trum to end DACA reve through Twitter receiv tionwide attention, Olv ognized an opportunity ner a deeper understan immigration debates t out the United States, velop a deeper connectio community. “The group chose to ics that involved educat I wanted to do someth
morelia sanc hez gonzalez, sophomore
MAY 31, 2018
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n i e d
in-depth
the winter of cussed, but a
like, ‘I’m never going to get ecause at that time I wasn’t pted into the program yet was still in the process. I ldn’t have even gotten those years being in DACA,” zalez said. “I was worried I was upset, but I think my m was more upset than I She really wanted me to go ollege and do big things in and become someone.” Presently, USCIS is no lonadmitting new individuals the program. However, ciaptns like Gonzalez are to renew their DACA stas. Though DACA offers proon from deportation, it n’t equate to a pathway to tual citizenship, nor does ovide eligibility for federal are or student aid. Despite e shortcomings, however, feeling of safety and freefrom the fear of deportais enough in itself.
HS
drea Olved news . CA probut in to Ellison’s t AdviThrough e rest of o choose congress-
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affected the Latino community. At the time, DACA was big in the news, and it was my chance to understand the deeper effects it had on society and my community,” Olvera said. After weeks of research, Olvera wasn’t able to give Congressman Ellison a comprehensive plan for immigration overhaul. She was, however, able to convey the greatly overlooked personal perspective to a debate generally detached from humanity. “Imagine coming home one day, to find out your parents have been taken away. Or going back to a country where they speak a language you barely know,” Olvera said. “The people on DACA are doctors, teachers, fireman and some are currently serving in the military. They are American and embody the same democratic values as any other U.S. citizen.”
Though her time on CSAC has ended, Olvera’s passion for educating others surrounding immigration hasn’t. Currently, she is working in partnership with two other HHS students, creating a website that gathers resources for students and families enrolled in DACA. In later March, Olvera participated in a panel dedicated to dispelling myths and informing HHS students about DACA. Gonzalez too participated in the panel, and both found the experience to be rewarding and informative. “The day of the panel, we all wrote down notes so we wouldn’t forget (what we were going to say), but once you’re up there, you kind of forget your notes and you just tell your story...I personally didn’t cry but I was at the verge of tears hearing stories of my classmates,” Gonzalez said.
Mr. Timothy Owen, World Languages, was one of the lead organizers of the panel. As a Spanish teacher, Owen was able to connect with many students in the DACA program due to the shared language. However, the panel wasn’t originally his idea. “Some of my students approached me and expressed that they were deeply concerned that our student body seemed to know very little about DACA,” Owen said. “They felt it was important that students and staff at Hopkins High School realize the extent to which a change in DACA would dramatically impact the lives of students and families in our community.” Though the debate around DACA, and immigration policy in general, is politically charged, the goal of the panel was not to influence students’ political leanings. In an effort to pre-
serve the nonpartisan goals of the event, Owen relied on Mr. Carlos Connell-Torres, K-12 EL Program Coordinator, to give an informative and factual introduction. Students, however, were encouraged to speak candidly about their own experiences in relation to DACA. “In terms of the student panel, I simply asked them to speak from the heart about how DACA and the current
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conversations revolving around it affect the people they care about, and they took it from there,” Owen said. “It takes guts to speak about such personal things, and I am very proud of them. I believe that it is safe to say that everyone in that room left with a deeper appreciation for the human impact of DACA.”
The people on DACA are doctors, teachers, fireman and some are currently serving in the military. They are American and embody the same democratic values as any other U.S. citizen. Andrea Olvera, senior
the royal page
MAY 31, 2018
“ 08 opinion
I almost skipped the dance to just do pictures and dinner with my friends, then do something with people after because of the price.” Sam Hershkovitz, junior
STAFF EDITORIAL Forgotten costs of a night to remember
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rom is looked back on as one of the fondest memories in one’s high school experience. However the large financial burden that it can place on students and their families can sour the sweetness of the dance. According to The Guardian, the average family spends $919 on prom, with parents covering upwards of 73 percent of the total cost. This sizeable amount of money places many difficult decisions upon families, especially lower-income families, as they have to choose between their child’s happiness and more tangible financial responsibilities. We applaud those who de-
cide to go against the norm when it comes to the accepted norms of prom. Society has placed a burden to raise the bar on a single night like prom. This excess of money includes items such as dresses, tuxedos, shoes, dinner, admissions among many other expenditures. Department stores, as well as online stores, offer a wide variety in prices for prom dresses. According to their respective websites, at Macy’s, prom dresses can cost from $59 to $379, while at Nordstrom, dresses can cost from $49 to $798. “I spent $450 on my dress, and will have to spend another $120 on hair and makeup. My
friends are also planning to spend roughly that much on hair and makeup” said Mary Schutte, junior. A lot of these costs stem from modern cultural expectations. The expensive suits and fancy dinners, which are common place, are seen as absolutely necessary for students to do on that night. Nico Shirley, senior, believes that restaurants around prom time attempt to take advantage of younger teens as their is a large volume of groups looking for places to eat. “Originally, we we’re going to a place that charged $50 a person. I thought that was absolutely outrageous to charge that much money,” Shirley
said. “At this time of year, restaurants are just trying to scam kids our age because they know they can.” Shirley wanted to see his group have a good experience and not have their money go to waste. “Things continuously add up throughout the night. I just don’t want to see my friends getting screwed over with their money for no reason,” Shirley said. Some people have tried to ease the burden by attempting to save money on items of clothing, makeup, dinner and other expenses. Angie Raney, senior, saved a significant amount of money by buying a extremely low-cost dress. “I definitely got mine for
the cheapest [out of all my friends],” said Raney. “I bought it for $15.” Some students at HHS have chosen to opt out of prom. Kyra Berggren, senior, feels that people should have fun, but for her personally, it’s not worth all of the expenses. “I don’t think the school needs to do anything to change my decision,” Berggren said. “A lot of other people think prom is fun, so if people want to spend the money to have fun then they should. I just don’t think it’s worth the money.” Our culture has set standards for happiness and memories at prom based entirely off of money spent. This can be reversed by people realizing that price does not determine
enjoyment, the people who you spend it with make the difference.
EDITORIAL BOARD VOTE AGREE DISAGREE
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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS To our readers: What’s in a story? Each and every day of our three years as Royal Page staff members, our jobs have devoted solely to answering that question. We write, edit, design, publish— all to share your stories. We’ve shared your happiness— the excitement that shakes HHS as the Royals’ basketball teams advance through the state tournament every single year. The unity and passion
that Royal Productions puts into their triannual shows. The pride we take in each of our students who have accomplished something, big or small. We’ve shared your pain— the desire to fit in or belong in a community that can be hesitant. The grief and mourning of students at WJH as they lost three members of their community. The anger and frustration of students as they walked out against gun violence following the tragic mass shooting in Parkland, Fla.
We’ve posed questions that can be hard to answer— what does it mean to keep a tradition alive, even when it’s damaging? Why do we have certain systems in place? Why is a rule or policy the way it is? We couldn’t have done any of this without you, the students of HHS. All of these stories, emotions, questions, don’t appear out of thin air— you make them happen. While each article in our print edition and website has one of our own bylines, it’s you who has truly written
staff Michael Korsh Andy Weisman Hannah Goldfarb Sam Eklund Maya Kupritz Luis Felemovicius Lily Smith James Gulden Adam Segal Paul Zeitz
Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Feature Editor Sports Editor Opinion/Variety Editor Multimedia Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor
Jeff Kocur Adviser
those stories. We want to thank you for allowing us to be there along the way. With every interview, every photo or video, your experiences become permanent and widespread. Our community gets to feel what you feel; they get to know what you know. As we leave The Royal Page after 10 quarters, it’s naive of us
to think that time will stop. Sophomores and juniors, you’ll have countless more stories that are still yet to be untold. And seniors, as you venture off to wherever you’ll be next year, you’ll come across new stories and experiences to be told. We want to thank Mr. Jeff Kocur for helping us through every step of the way. We
Michael Korsh, Editor-in-Chief
Staff Reporters Mason Arneson Sam Buttress Alex Bank Logan Barham David Campbell Eve Clarkson Olivia Cohen Alex Condon
Neil DeVries Smith Ben Herstig Jacob Lehman Riley Lennon Ayanna Maddox Andy Pelerine Dena Rosen Willow Scherwinski Adam Segal
want to thank our 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 staff members for putting their blood, sweat, and tears into every issue. Finally, we want to thank you, the students and staff of HHS, for giving us the opportunity to share your stories for three years.
Andy Weisman, Editor-in-Chief
Sam Segelbaum Alex Shriver Mia Sparrow Gianni Tejada Alex Weisberg Ali Winter Abigail Yousha
Editorial Policy The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of the Editorial Board. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body, or the adviser. Viewpoints with a byline represent the view of the writer. The Royal Page operates as an open forum student publication, and student editors make editorial decisions regarding content. Corrections Issue 7, page 7, “It takes a village” Plans were reported to purchase benches in memoriam of the three students who passed away. These plans will not be actualized, as per SAVE advice.
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the royal page
MAY 31, 2018
This week gives me time to hang out with my friends who are going away.
09 opinion
Armand Martinez, senior
debatable: HHS decided to give seniors the last week of school off. Did they make the right decision?
yes. Neil DeVries Smith Staff Reporter
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fter taking seven AP exams throughout sophomore, junior, and senior year I was able to relax this year with a senior release first block. This has been a great piece of news after previous disappointments have put a damper on the school year. The schoolwide relaxation that started at the end of the first semester wasn’t detrimental to me as a student, but just made school a little less fun to come to. The second Pepfest was much less hyped than those before it. I’m not singling out the fact that we didn’t rush the court, but the tone as a whole was not energetic. This was a move by the administration to eliminate the
craziness that followed the first Pepfest of the year. When my friend first told me that they had heard a rumor that seniors would have the last week of school off I thought that he was just talking crazy. When I heard that more and more people seemed to think it could happen, I started to get my hopes up. Finally, when administration confirmed to me that we would end the year early, I was ecstatic. Having the last week off could help the seniors in many ways, for those who are going
off to camp or have a summer job will have an extra week to see their friends before they leave and those who work can start a week early and make an extra week of making money. The last weeks of school for me are usually spent waiting for the final bell of the year. My classes are mostly over and the vibe in the class for students and even teachers is that of wishing to be outside. Productivity is down and restlessness is up. Since I’ve been accepted into college, school has become more about seeing friends and having fun rather than going to class to do work. The school is making the right decision by letting seniors have the last week off of school. I personally will spend the time hanging out with my friends playing basketball and Fortnite. I hope for the seniors next year and the years to come that the school continues this salute to seniors.
Ideology or ideas?
no. Lily Smith Opinion/Variety Editor
Teachers should be able to share political insights and beliefs in the classroom I do not mean that every student must agree with what the Sam Eklund teacher says; they simply should News Editor not feel isolated because of it. It is important for students n the turbulent political climate of the past few who might disagree with my years, some teachers make stance on this to remember that it their mission to keep bias out teachers are people too, and the of the classroom. Others, how- political climate has effects just ever, do not make the same ef- as intense, if not much more, on them than it has on us. fort. An easy example of this can Following the controversy that took place at Edina High be seen in the walkout that took School this past winter involv- place earlier this year in suping its Young Conservatives port of gun control, a liberallyClub (YCC) and freedom of aligned position. Not only did speech as it relates to political many teachers accompany their bias, keeping that bias out of students outside, some chose to the classroom can prove com- wear shirts or clothing in supplicated and challenging when port of the walkout, and encourcovering current political events. aged students to participate. When an issue like this No matter what subject a techer is in, I believe they should comes up that is so important have every right to express their to the lives of students, teachown views and beliefs as long as ers, and anyone at the school, it doesn’t alienate or bully any it is completely appropriate for students in the class. By alienate, teachers to talk openly with stu-
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dents about their thoughts on the issue. A great way for teachers to speak their minds freely about politics is to allow the class to respond to their comments in a safe, respectful environment that ensures each student is able to voice their own opinion. When a teacher can comfortably share their own thoughts and opinions, students will be able to do the same, and could also open students up to being more participatory in other parts of the classroom. Full -class discussions on politics or other current events can lead to more engaging conversations about ongoing events in any class. As long as it happens in an appropriate manner and can be used to educate students in any kind of way, there should be no issue with a teacher sharing their beliefs in class.
photo illustration: Lily Smith
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fter a senior class meeting on May 3, the rumors have been confirmed: seniors are going to be released from the last week of school. Graduation is still going to occur on June 7, but the last day of classes for the seniors will be May 31t. On June 1, the seniors will be visiting their respective elementary schools and celebrating their completion of the year with a party on the football field. HHS is following in the footsteps of Wayzata, Edina, and Eden Prairie High Schools, who have all released their seniors either a week or a day earlier from classes than the other
grades for years. As the once-rumored “senior week” spread to the senior class, there are many different opinions on whether or not they would like the last week off. While many seniors are becoming excited at the potential of starting summer earlier, many are also in opposition to this new schedule adjustment. It is the last week of high school and therefore, there is no reason to release the seniors from school. The final week of school holds many traditions that in-
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clude all seniors. From wearing white on the last day, throwing papers in the mall, taking pictures after school, and more, these traditions would be lost if the seniors weren’t there. This is also the last week seniors will ever be students at HHS and so it isn’t necessary to cut it short. Seniors in the past have never experienced this “senior week,” so it isn’t something that absolutely needs to start now. Although many seniors continuously say that they want to leave high school and go to college or onto whatever they are doing after graduation, in truth they would be sad if they missed out on the last couple days with at the HHS and with their class. It will be nice to have the activies on June 1 to finish off the year and the week off to prepare for graduation and summer plans, but ultimately seniors will be cut short of their high school career.
Things to do before the last day of school
Realize this is the first time you’re reading The Royal Page
Seniors: pretend you’re going to miss these snakes
Juniors: send in your bribes to admissions offices early H.A.G.S. Sevie slam people you don’t
know
Start another t-shirt company Hold your teacher hostage for a better grade Friend request your teachers Finally learn how to read Cherish your time here. It’s a stressful, fun, fast three years.
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sports
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the royal page We’ve dropped a couple of easy games this year in the regular season, but we a are a team that will surprise opponents in the playoffs.” Kyle Chiriboga, senior
Despite late start, teams take the field Gianni Tejada Sports Reporter
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s the time for spring sports approached, athletes and coaches were getting ready to kick off the season. Little did teams know that snow would halt their seasons until the middle of April. Lots of people were out on the fields shoveling and plowing snow in order to get their field ready as soon as possible. The harsh weather caused for many games and events to be cancelled. With all these cancellations, athletic directors are scrambling for scheduling changes. Because so many games have gotten canceled, many sports are going to have to play lots of games in a much shorter span of time. “It impacted every outdoor activity that we have and put us back by 2-3 weeks in each,” said Dan Johnson, athletic director. Jackson James, junior, and the lacrosse team look to move forward from the unfortunate weather and get back on the field to win games. “The past weather really slowed us down. We couldn’t
get outside so we had to practice inside for a while. It wasn’t great but we dealt with it and kept working hard,” James said, “It’s been heating up lately and we get to practice outside now, we’ve started our season and just want to focus on that now.” The HHS men's lacrosse team had their first two games rescheduled for later in the season. Because of the snow, they hadn’t been able to practice outside for the beginning of the season, so they didn’t get the chance to get comfortable back out on their field early. Every spring sport is going to struggle with timing for the rest of the season. Tennis for example, has struggled a lot. “We were still shoveling off the tennis courts last week because there was so much snow and ice on them that just wouldn't melt,” Johnson said. Not only have sporting events needed to be cancelled, some of the games or matches have been rescheduled to some very inconvenient times. “We have to play several games in a week which means far less practice time, recovery
time, etc. We have been forced to play at some odd times, like 1:00pm on a school day, or 9:00am on a Saturday, etc.” Johnson said. Baseball and Softball both took some big hits due to the weather. The Minnesota State High School League has made it so that Athletic Directors can make their games shortened to five innings. “Because of the weather, we have a very reduced schedule, and we will play 4-5 games per week. It will affect our pitching for sure, because of the short time span between games we will need all the pitchers we have,” said Luke Polyak, junior. The HHS Golf team has struggled a lot due to the weather as well. The worst part about it for the golf team is that they really need proper weather to compete. “The weather has shortened our season and we have had to reschedule many of our matches,” said Seth Shricker, junior. “It will be hard to reschedule and fit in all of our matches with sections coming up in less that a month.”
Cole Kristal, junior, defends the net in an away game against the Edina Hornets. Kristal has played a mixture of positions this year including midfield and defense.
There is a recurring issue among all the sports, not being able to practice. “The scheduling is going to affect our season a lot, because now we have tons of matches in a row and not too much practice. That makes it hard to work on things that need improvement,” said Ari Segal, sophomore. Because of the shortened schedules, every team will need to play way more games and practice a lot less. “The weather affects our time we can get practice in, so then it’s hard to work on indi-
vidual things. Starting last week, we will be playing 15 games in the next 19 days. That should show how we have to jam in games,” said Parker Stoddard, junior. Both baseball and softball had to wait about three weeks to get out on the new turf fields. The track team has not suffered as much as the baseball, softball, tennis, etc., teams have because there is a track upstairs in lindbergh that they can use. “Hopefully we’ll get good weather for the rest of our season and none of our meets get cancelled. We had a few meets
provided by: Cole Kristal
cancelled and we are making sure to get as many races in as we can in order to get in our peak form,” said Eli Hoeft, junior. Though the weather had a huge impact on how the spring sports seasons are going to go, over the past few days, there has been great weather. “I think that now that the weather is heating up, it will allow us to catch up on all the matches and practices we missed,” Segal said.
TrackTown MN successful at true team state Gianni Tejada and Mason Arneson Sports Reporters
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Eli Hoeft, junior, runnning the 1600 meter race at the true team state event. Hoeft took seventh in the race. photo: provided by Eli Hoeft
opkins has been a juggernaut in a few different sports over the years, and more recently, the HHS track and field teams have been great. At the true team state meet, they hoped to win their first true team title since 2011. The last time that the boys qualified for the true team event came back in 2015, and the last time the girls entered the field was in 2011. This is the first time both teams have raced in their respective division in seven years. The girls team wound up ninth place and the boys squad did well enough to carve out a spot on the podium with a third place finish. The best runner for the girls last weekend was Alana Contreras, 8th grade, who ended up second in the 200 meter dash with a 25.76 finish. The leading boys runner was Joe Fahnbulleh, junior, who had a first place finish while running a 10.91 in the boys 100 meter dash. Hopkins begins every season looking to add more talent
to make their name in the storied history of TrackTown MN. Whether the athletes have been established members of the team for multiple seasons or are stepping onto the track for the first time, the coaches believe that anybody can make a difference. “We began to prepare to qualify for true team several months before the season began. To qualify, it requires team depth in the sprints, jumps, hurdles, distances and throws,” said head coach Nick Lovas. “Our leadership invites their friends to be a part of our TrackTown MN tradition, and our coaches recruit tirelessly. There are always six to ten kids walking the halls of HHS who would be immediate impact contributors to our team and we want to recruit them.” To be one of those contributors, each member of the team has to prepare through hard work during training and practices. “I don’t do any special preparations, I trust my training, I trust my process. If I ever feel like I need some preparation, I will just go over minor details that I feel need a little bit of improving,” said Joe Fahnbulleh,
junior This opportunity presented to the runners made them hungrier, but also it was in the back of their minds that they would be facing some of the top teams in the state. “I didn’t really feel any added pressure, but knowing that everyone in that meet is so good, it was all kind of nerve-wracking,” said Abby Anderson, sophomore. The Royals spot in the meet was not guaranteed at the start of the season. They had to make it past true team sections in order to vie for the championship. “Each team runs at their sections meet, and the winner of each section goes onto the state meet. We didn’t win the section, but since we got fourth, we were placed into a virtual meet where we could qualify for true team state as a wildcard team, and our time was good enough to get in,” said Anderson. Being that most events in track and field are done with just one person, many would assume that teamwork isn’t a huge factor in the way a team succeeds. But there are more ways than just playing a team sport to being a team. “I feel like the team supported one another, really well,
if throws, sprints, or jumps got done early we would go celebrate with each other. We’re just one big team,” said Fahnbulleh. Every single person that steps onto the track needs to go into each≠ event with a winning mindset. Fahnbulleh is no different. “When I’m preparing mentally I just try to stay cool, stay calm and go into every event with the mindset of, I’m going to win,“ said Fahnbulleh. New athletes come into competitions every year and nerves can be a factor. Hopkins had 20 athletes compete at true team state that attended junior high this year. “The thing that our athletes did best was compete. The majority of them hadn't competed in a State Championship meet. The stage wasn't too big and the spotlight wasn't too bright. They got out and performed with nearly 40 personal record performances” said Lovas. Though Hopkins didn’t do the best possible in this meet, they look to competing the best they can at the state tournament.
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May 31, 2018
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Our team has great chemistry and we have really been able to use that to our advantage.”
sports
Abby Martin, senior
Softball prepares for another run at state Sam Segelbaum and David Campbell Sports Reporters
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he girls softball team has just finished a strong regular season with a few bumps on the way. The girls team finished the regular season with a record of eight wins and 10 losses. They are in third place in the Lake Conference with a conference record of three wins and four losses. The Royals last season won their section and moved onto state. They were looking to come into this season repeating their achievements again. “Our main goal coming into the season was to repeat our accomplishments from last season by winning our sections and going on to state. Although our team was looking very different from last season, I still felt we were a high caliber team,” said Parker Stoddard, junior. “We were going to try our best to start strong and establish ourselves in the Lake Conference and in our section to help our confidence going all the way through the season.” The beginning of the Royals season was filled with struggles but not from their playing but from the weather. Many games were delayed, but they were finally able to get out on the field against Maple Grove. They
Baseball sends off senior class
Natalie DenHartog, senior, throws out a runner in a game against the Armstrong Falcons. The Royals won the game by a score of 9-3.
Royals had a tough time for their first game losing three to nine. The Royals were able to bounce back and take down Wayzata and Irondale at home. The Royals were able to drive in 18 total runs between the two games. After their strong stretch, the Royals struggled falling four games in a row including one conference game versus Eden Prairie. They had a common stretch last season towards the
end yet they were still able to bounce back. “After our four game losing streak, our team realized that we needed to pick up our energy if we wanted to start winning. We knew that we were a team that relies on having high energy and positivity on the team to win, so after we had lost four games in a row our team decided that we would make that our number one thing to work on for the next games,” said Morgan Hawley, junior. “From there
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of victory. The Royals took down the Hornets four to three and the Falcons nine to three. The next two games were split with one win and one loss. The win came against Visitation six to two. The other game came down to the wire against Minnetonka where the Royals fell five to four. The next three games were big for the Royals taking on three different lake conference teams. The Royals first lost to Wayzata in a hard fought game
Royal Season Highlights:
Get a look at a few achievements Royals have made so far this season
AJ Condon Sports Reporter fter a 10-9 regular season finish and a loss in the section finals last year, Tommy Auth, Bobby Wilson and Kyle Chiriboga, seniors, will try and lead the Royals in hopes of surpassing last year’s finish. Before the season even kicked off, the Royals already had a tough obstacle. The Royals got a brand new turf field at the start of the season, but were only able to practice on it once before they saw in-game action. A turf field brings in a whole different element into the game as the hops the ball takes is a lot different on turf than it is on dirt and grass. Auth was able to lead the team with three home runs as the Royals ended the regular season with a 10-9 record. They entered the section tournament ranked as the one seed and will face the winner of Southwest and St. Louis Park
on we were able to start winning some more games and play to the level that we knew we were.” The Royals bounced back with a hard fought win at Orono. However, the fun was short lasted as the team fell to Minnetonka at home by a score of 11 to one. The Royals showed resilience by defeating the Edina Hornets and the Armstrong Falcons at their respective fields, both by close margins
provided by: Parker Stoddard
nine to 10. They were able to grind through two hard fought games winning against Edina and Eden Prairie 13 to 11 and four to two. Their final game was a tough one taking on Champlin Park and losing six to zero at home. Although it was a tough way to end the regular season, the Royals were not going to try to let that stop them. “Our mentality going into sections is to come in and play our game. This game was more important than any other this season. We know how to win games because we have lots of experience and we were ready to take down Minneapolis Washburn,” Stoddard said. The Royals took on Minneapolis Washburn at home for their first section game and took home a huge win in a six to two win. Led by Natalie Denhartog, senior, with a home run. Their next sections game was againt Bloomington Kennedy. The Royals looked unbeatable with a dominating eight to one victory led by Denhartog with 10 strikeouts and Stoddard with three RBIs. The Royals will need to rely on these star players to succeed in the sectional tournament to then make another run at the state title.
provided by: Kyle Chiriboga Kyle Chiriboga, senior, watches a single go down the left field line in a game against Wayzata. The Royals won the game 8-7.
in their first game. After playing baseball since he was four and being on Varsity since his sophomore year, Auth will be finishing up his Hopkins career this year. Next year, he will be taking his talent to Ellsworth Community College in Iowa. Auth isn’t alone in continuing his love for baseball. Benji Hurth, senior, is also playing baseball in college next year. Hurth is committed to Midland University in Nebraska for next year. “I want to leave a good impact on the younger players,” Hurth said. “Being a good teammate goes a long way and working hard in practice and during the off season.”
Kyle, Chris Chiriboga Rafael Lewis and Zach Branson, seniors, will also be playing next year, however they will all still be in Minnesota as they are attending the University of St. Thomas, Macalester College and Hamline University, respectively. With this being Kyle Chiriboga’s last year on the team, he has a mentality that he wants the underclassmen to understand and play with. “I want my guys to know that Hopkins is turning into a baseball high school,” Chiriboga said. “The baseball culture has changed at Hopkins and I want our guys to know they can play like one of the best programs in the state.”
Benji Hurth, senior, wants to end the season on a high note. “We have a great group of guys and are looking to end the season on a section championship,” Hurth Said Abbie Ansel, junior, recalls on a season highlight against St. Louis Park. “My favorite moment of the season was when we defeated park eight to four in a hard fought game,” Ansel said.
Ben Serstock, senior, belives the lacrosse team showed steady improvement. “This season although our record doesn’t show it, we are finding our own success and are continuously improving,” Serstock said. Parker Stoddard, junior, credits the softball team’s mindset to their season. “We just made sure to take it one game at a time with one play at a time,” Stoddard said. Joe Fahnbulleh, junior, believes the team is ready for anything standing in their way. “I don’t feel we need to improve on anything as a team, we just need to push ourselves harder,” Fahnbulleh said. Alyssa Peck, senior, performed three routines at the sectional meet. “It felt good performing well at sections and I hope to finish strong this year,” said Peck.
provided by: Benji Hurth, Abbie Ansel, Ben Serstock, Parker Stoddard, Joe Fahnbulleh, and Alyssa Peck
the royal page
may 31, 2018
12 backpage
KEY 0 STUDENTS 1 STUDENT 2-5 STUDENTS 5-10 STUDENTS 10-20 STUDENTS
20+ STUDENTS based on a survey of 208 seniors
Oh, the places you’ll go!
Members of the class of 2018 share their destinations for next year
from home...... to afar....
“I’m kind of sad, because all my friends and family are here, but I’m also super excited because I’m ready to live on my own and experience new things and live in a big city.” Bryn Kahle, senior Boston University
Michael Korsh Editor-in-Chief
“I think it’ll be an easier transition because I’ll know some people. It’s a fresh start, but at the same time I have some people that I know to help me out.” Atharv Kulkarni, senior University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
to something new..... “I’ve always been really scared of getting in the cycle of college-job-marriagekids-death. I feel like if I don’t take a chance and live my life now while I’m young, then I’ll never be able to in the future.” Sophie Goodman, senior Israeli Defense Force (IDF)
good luck to the class of 2018!