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29 FLAGS, COUNTLESS STORIES C-Spread, pg. 6-7 Graduation will feature 29 flags from around the world. Students from 17 of those nations share their experiences at HHS and how they have differed from life back home
Friday, May 30, 2014 Volume 32 Issue 9
www.hopkinsrp.org Chinese students Boys tennis team entered the section ranked 3rd in state wrap up exchange By Nate Pasko
Tennis team falls in sections Sports Editor
Top: Manfred Barrios, senior, serves the tennis ball during a match against Wayzata. Bottom Left: Ali King, Head Coach, Jackson Diedrich and Kenny Novak, seniors, discuss their game plan during a break at the Wayzata match. Bottom Right: Curran Martin and Max Rosen juniors, collaborate during the Wayzata match. The varsity tennis team finished the season 8-2. Photos by Roxy Krietzman
By Joe Greene Front Page Editor
The HHS boys varsity tennis team was ranked third in the state heading into its first section tournament match on May 19. “I’m not sure exactly how long it has been since an HHS team was ranked that high [in the state], but it was the deepest team I have coached in a while,” said Ms. Ali King, head coach. As the top seed in the section tournament, the Royals hoped to become the first team in HHS boys tennis history to make it to the state tournament. However, after defeating St. Louis Park by a score of 5-2 on May 19th, the Royals lost to Edina 4-3 in their second section match on May 21. Though the Royals are disappointed with the way the year ended, they appreciate the success they experienced during the season. “This year, we learned how much hard work it takes to be a winning team,” said Chase Johnson, junior. “Overall, it was a great season.” The Lake Conference is typically one of the strongest TENNIS Cont. on page 11
For Borum, it’s the details that count most By Danielle Fogelson Staff Reporter When Emily Borum, senior, walks down the hallways of HHS, she is surrounded by strangers. Borum has Prosopagnosia, which makes recognizing the faces of her classmates, and even her close friends and family, a difficult feat. “I could go right past someone that I’ve known for years without realizing who they are,” Borum said. Prosopagnosia, or face blindness, is a neurological disorder that affects about one in every 50 people, according to the Center for Face Processing Disorders. Those who have this
disorder can see distinct facial features but are unable to commit a whole face to memory. “My favorite metaphor for [the way I view faces] is hands,” Borum said. “Some people have really unique hands; maybe they broke one of their fingers, so it’s a little crooked. But others are really generic looking, so you wouldn’t be able to tell whose hand it is.” According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, people with Prosopagnosia often employ coping methods “such as relying on voice, clothing, or unique physical attributes, but these are not as effective as recognizing a face.”
Alumni band hits the road Four HHS alumni tour the country, making music and a documentary
Feature, pg. 8
Borum looks for prominent facial features to identify her friends and family. “If I had a friend who has a really unique nose shape, then I would look for someone with a nose that shape. Some people have really unique eyes, or lips, or hair. For the most part, noses are very unique, so they’re the easiest to look for,” Borum said. This isn’t always a foolproof method for Borum. “One of my friends cut her hair, and I didn’t even recognize her,” Borum said. Borum experiences social anxiety as a result of being unable to differentiate between
Emily Borum, senior, centered her AP art concentration on the difficulties of her Propagnosia. She was inspired by Alexandra Hanson, 2013 HHS graduate’s, concentration.
Photo provided by Emily Borum
EXCHANGE Cont. on page 2
BORUM Cont. on page 9
Content on hopkinsrp.org McKenna Gordon, senior, will continue her career as a dancer for the University of Iowa
For Coco Ruijle Kou, Lydia Ruolan Zhang and Amber Jie Fan, sophomores, this year at HHS was a first taste of life in the U.S., and a stark contrast to life in China. With the help of an agency called Nacel Open Door (NOD), the students came to the U.S to improve their English, accelerate their learning, and immerse themselves in American culture. NOD is a non-profit organization based in St. Paul. According to their website, NOD is “dedicated to international understanding and language education.” International students participating in NOD’s Academic Year Program live with a host family and attend American schools. The purpose of the program is for students to have a complete cross-cultural experience. NOD has a variety of different programs designed for international students who want to explore the world. The agency offers academic programs in both public and private schools for students who want to experience a full year in another culture. For those students who are interested in short-term programs, NOD offers tutorials, home stays, and touring programs. Kou, Zhang and Fan opted for NOD’s full year academic program, which brought them to HHS. Although this was their first experience living in America, Kou and Zhang were introduced to American culture through the media. “I was exposed to a great deal of American culture even before I came to America. I remember seeing the movie “Mean Girls” in eighth grade and worrying that high schools were actually that mean in America. I found out quickly when I got here that
Spring play draws crowd Royal Productions put on “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” this spring
Variety, pg. 5
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ProPEL seniors share internships Three seniors experience their dream careers through the ProPEL program Sam Niedorf
Noa Parker
Ethan Friedman
Noa Parker, senior, interns at Gehrman Animal Hospital in order to gain lifelong skills in the feild. Parker has kept a website documenting her experience. Photo provided by Noa Parker
Sam Niedorf, senior, poses for a photo with Mr. John Vollan, sports agent Niedorf has interned with Vollan and Octagon Sports agency.
Noa Parker, senior, recognizes the doors ProPEL has opened for her. Parker plans on studying to become a veterinarian. “ProPEL has provided me with experience that many students don’t gain until college. Because of this class, I now have an advantage above my peers in this very competitive industry,” Parker said. Parker has been interning at Gehrman Animal Hospital in Minnetonka. She feels ProPEL has prepared her for the future because she now has experience that will assist her in looking for internships and jobs when the time comes. “ProPEL has taught me organization, professionalism, time management, and great networking skills,” Parker said. Parker keeps a website where she explains her internship and posts photos and videos. Not only has Parker gained lifelong skills and hands on experience in her dream field of study, but she has also made personal connections. “ProPEL has guided me to my lifelong mentor and an amazing woman whom I will always be in contact with,” Parker said. Parker will attend the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaigne and major in zoology on a pre-vet track.
Sam Niedorf, senior, has been interning at Octagon Sports Agency and is hoping to become a sports agent. He believes that one of the strongest benefits ProPEL has given him is connections. “The biggest thing about becoming a sports agent is having connections, and I feel that I have my foot in the door,” Niedorf said. He would like to major in sports management and minor in business and management, which he says ProPEL has influenced. Like Parker, Niedorf has made personal connections, still keeping in contact with people he met in the interview process. “I interviewed with the assistant athletic director at the University of Minnesota. I didn’t end up interning there, but I still keep in touch with him. Who knows? We might cross paths again,” Niedorf said. Now that ProPEL is almost over, Neidorf recognizes that he has learned the value of hard work and confidence. “I was fortunate enough to have this opportunity and work in a sports agency for four months,” Niedorf said. “I feel very prepared for the future.” Niedorf will attend and play baseball at Hamline University.
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Locker cleanout to replace advisory On Monday, June 2, there will be no advisory. Instead, advisory will be replaced with locker cleanup. There will be time for students to empty and clean out their lockers. After June 2, students will not be able to use their lockers anymore. If a student has anything that needs to be stored, they should go to the main office where their items will be held throughout the school day. After the locker cleanup is finished, students are expected to go to TASC.
HHS ranked 15th in the state HHS received a Silver Medalist award by U.S. News and World Report. HHS was named one of the best schools in Minn. and was rated 15th in the state. The award was given because of high scores on state assessment tests, including college readiness tests, such as Advance Placement tests. This year at HHS, 47 percent of students were enrolled in Advanced Placement classes. In the U.S., HHS received a national ranking of 799 out of 19,400 public schools nationwide. HHS also received a Silver Medalist award by U.S. News and World Report previously in 2010 and 2012.
Summer school registration Registration for sor summer school classes in now open. Summer school is scheduled between June 16-July 10 and will consist of 15 day long programs, running Monday through Thursday. The classes will be at HHS. Summer school is provided in order for students to complete school credits necessary to fulfill graduation requirements. Registration forms for summer school classes can be found either online or at the guidance counselor’s office. All registration is due by May 30 and should be given to Mr. Scott Neiman in room W118.
Briefs by Cybill Biehlmann
Photo provided by Sam Niedorf
Ethan Friedman, senior, and Sen. Al Franken work together in the youth department. Through ProPEL, Friedman saw the inner workings of a political campaign. Photo provided by Ethan Friedman
Ethan Friedman, senior, is interested in a political science career. His positive experience in ProPEL has validated his interest. “ProPEL has been an opportunity for me to explore my options and dreams in the real world before I get thrown into it,” Friedman said. Friedman interned with Sen. Al Franken and worked in the youth department. “Seeing the inside of a political campaign for five months has been super helpful in understanding the field, both as a career option and an educated citizen,” Friedman said. To Friedman, ProPEL offers a chance to get ahead. Looking for a career in the world of politics, he hopes to get a head start against peers also pursuing that kind of career. Through ProPEL, Friedman has gained professional skills and a new mindset. “I’ve learned the importance of persistence, I’ve become a better communicator, and I’ve learned how fulfilling it is to work on something you truly believe in,” Friedman said. “I definitely feel more prepared for the future.” In the fall, Friedman will attend the University of WisconsinMadison.
Chinese students wrap up their exchange year EXCHANGE Continued from page 1 there weren’t a lot of “Regina Georges” around the hallways,” Zhang said. The media also gave Kou a taste of life at an American high school. The impression was more upbeat than “Mean Girls.” “‘High School Musical’ was the American movie I loved seeing the most. I’ll never forget seeing all the kids sing ‘We’re all in this together.’ They looked so happy and were having so much fun. That movie definitely made me excited to come here,” Kou said. Amber Jie Fan was initially nervous about life in America, but relaxed when she finally arrived. “When I got off the plane, my worries sort of went away. I immediately noticed how nice people were to me,” Fan said. Fan, Kou, and Zhang noticed a palpable contrast between their schools back in China and HHS. Although life at HHS does not reflect what the media portrayed, there were specific differences that the students noticed.
For Fan, the multiple opportunities that HHS offered in order to find her passions and talents was key. “Here in America, I have more time to develop my interests. In China, classroom studies are very textbook-based. At Hopkins, there are classrooms like that too, however, there are classrooms that are completely different from what I’ve seen,” Fan said. “It was a big surprise that students don’t have to wear uniforms in schools like we do in China, which was really exciting because I prefer wearing my own outfits everyday,” Zhang said. Kou found it exciting to move from classroom to classroom throughout the day, which is different than Chinese schools. “In China, different teachers come to us and we stay in the same classroom. I think moving from class to class makes school days so much more interesting,” Kou said. Fan noted that student interaction is very positive, not only for the individual student but for the school community as a whole.
“Here, with a lot of students moving around at the same time, people from different grades seem to know each other,” Fan said. Zhang also saw a difference in the way teachers relate to students. She recalled an interesting moment in her Pre-Calculus class when she noticed that her teacher made a mistake while doing a math problem. “I pointed it out to him in front of the class, and he actually admitted later to me that he was wrong. In China, a teacher would just tell you to be quiet if you corrected them,” Zhang said. For Zhang and Kou, homecoming was a memorable American experience, where they felt united with the entire HHS student body. “Homecoming made me feel like I was part of a big family here,” Zhang said. Kou agreed that homecoming was an experience that she won’t forget. “I loved seeing homecoming because I had never seen school spirit like that before. In China, we don’t have that kind of culture,” Kou said.
All three students plan on staying in the United States through high school and visiting their families in China during the summer. Next year, they will all have different host families and will be attending different schools. Kou and Fan will be staying in Minnesota and attending Benilde St. Margaret’s, while Zhang will be attending a high school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Zhang, Kou, and Fan don’t want their journeys to end in America. They hope to travel the world, as well as pursue careers. “I’m really interested in possibly becoming a psychologist or an environmentalist when I get older. I really like studying human behavior,” Kou said. Fan would love a career in graphic design, while Zhang may pursue the teaching profession. “Teachers have an amazing ability to help students in enormous ways. Seeing how helpful they have been to me in China and here makes me think I may want to be a teacher when I grow up,” Zhang said.
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Growth, decline, fluctuation of a district By Claire Benton Staff Reporter In the 1999-2000 school year, one year before Lucas Meier, senior, entered kindergarten, the Hopkins Public School District reached its peak enrollment. More than eight-thousand five-hundred students were enrolled throughout the district. Meier has always lived within the boundaries of the Hopkins District but has not always attended Hopkins schools. Since the year Meier began his education, the Hopkins school district has seemed to follow his lead, by the time he re-enrolled in HHS for his senior year, the district had lost 1,690 students. That means an average loss of roughly one-hundred twenty students per year, for the past 14 years. “Something that’s happening with enrollment for schools all across the countr and in the Western suburbs, is that we have a big declining enrollment because there’s just not as many kids,” said Mr. Sid Voss, Director of Educational Technology, Media Services, and Information Systems. The current sophomore class has 144 fewer students than last year’s senior class. Voss attributed this fluctuation of district sizes to the varying sizes of generations as they pass through school. “The groups of kids coming through school now and starting to leave [high school] are the children of the baby boomers. Their kids are now finishing school, so we have fewer [students] all the way across,” Voss said. In five years, the aver-
age high school grade size at Hopkins has declined by over fifty students, resulting in the current average size of 595 students. Dr. Nik Lightfoot, assistant superintendent, attributes the shrinking numbers to birth rates as Voss did, as well as a concept he called “aging in place.” “More people are staying in their homes for longer rather than a turnover introducing new individuals into the district that potentially would bring in younger children, school age children,” Lightfoot said. Hopkins also loses students because of open enrollment. Open enrollment is a process in which parents can opt to send their children to a public school district other than the district they live in. It used to be a rare occurrence. Now, however, more than onethousand students in grades K-12 who should be attending the Hopkins district are opting to attend a school outside the Hopkins district. “We’re dealing with a more mobile society and a more mobile population, so there is a lot more movement in and movement out of population in general,” Lightfoot said. According to Voss, of the students who open enroll out, Hopkins loses the most to the Minnetonka District. Where Meier lives, he is much closer to the schools of the Minnetonka District than those of Hopkins. The majority of high schoolers in his neighborhood attend Hopkins, but not all. “In some cases, [reasons to open enrol] may be that [a school] is closer, that it’s more convenient for a parent,” Voss said. “Some high school kids,
they are looking for different options that may meet specific needs. So, a specialty school like the Mainstreet School is a great option for some.” Meier, attended the Hopkins District until ninth grade, when he switched to Minnetonka High School. Like some others who have open enrolled out of Hopkins, Meier believed that Minnetonka was a better district, and past family experiences related to drugs at HHS made him wary of attending the school. Meier had thought the different demographics at Minnetonka would mean a different environment, but, once he open enrolled there, he discovered that HHS was not the only Lake Conference high school where kids use drugs. During the second term of his senior year, Meier transferred back to HHS. “From the start I didn’t like [Minnetonka High School],” Meier said. Although many are leaving the district, Hopkins District currently enrolls slightly more students in from other public school districts. The Hopkins and Robbinsdale district borders divide the city of Golden Valley, so many Robbinsdale residents open enroll into Hopkins. “We get a few [students] from Minneapolis, a few out of the Eden Prairie district, a few out of Wayzata, but primarily from Robbinsdale,” Voss said. “It’s an appreciable number of several hundred kids that come from the Robbinsdale School District.” Hilloway, a section of the larger neighborhood, Sherwood Forest, has seen quite a few students open enroll into the Hopkins District due to its location. Despite being less
than two miles from HHS, residents of Hilloway are within the limits of the Wayzata Public School District, where the high school is more than 10 miles away. Jillaine DeYoung, senior, is one of those Wayzata district students. DeYoung open enrolled into Hopkins in kindergarten, and she attended L. H. Tanglen Elementary. She spent her first years of education at Tanglen, until she decided to switch to Wayzata Middle School East for sixth grade. “I was going to go over [to Wayzata] because their junior high is closer to my house; the bus stop is closer. I thought the sports would be better there,” DeYoung said. However, after one year at Wayzata Middle School East, DeYoung came back to Hopkins. “Wayzata High School is probably 20 minutes away from my house, so [enrolling in Hopkins] has made everything a lot easier,” DeYoung said. In an age of social media and instant access to information, the public image of any school district is becoming increasingly important. Hopkins’ District Communications and Public Relations Coordinator, Jolene Goldade, helps recruit families into the district through social media, internet, and mail services, amongst other methods. “We’re doing a lot of things to encourage families to give Hopkins a first look, making sure they’re touring the buildings and getting information about the district, because we have a lot to offer,” Goldade said. The general growing and shrinking of the district, however, is not unanticipated.
Demographic information of Hopkins Public School District residents allows projections of schools’ enrollment to be made several years beforehand. “Late nineties, early two thousands: [the district] knew that we would see the largest kind of populations happening at right about [those years]. The demographic information let us know that there [would be] a declining population because there are less numbers of families of childbearing age that are within the boundaries of the Hopkins School District,” Lightfoot said. Despite the district-wide decline, both Meadowbrook Elementary and XinXing Academy have grown in the past five years. Meadowbrook has had the largest kindergarten class for the last three school years. Furthermore, although XinXing is Hopkins’ smallest elementary facility, it has sparked an interest among
numerous families, including many outside the Hopkins District. “[XinXing has] created a hallmark program for immersion in a language that is not available in an immersion school anywhere else in the West Metro,” Lightfoot said. “It has been a very important addition to the programming that we offer because it brings variety.” Both Voss and Goldade mentioned that the interest in XinXing comes not only from Hopkins or the West Metro, but from districts as far as Richfield. “Generally, about half the kids using our XinXing program come from outside our Hopkins School District,” Voss said. Voss added that the district is beginning to project numbers as large as the 1999-2000 school year to start again in 2020, which is only six years away.
Infographic by Kelsi Johnson
Seniors strategize to fund future plans By Addie Lennon Staff Reporter
In order to attend her dream school next year, Addie Thelen, senior, will nanny and work at Old Navy this summer, in addition to having a regular job on campus next fall. “I know Madison is a really good school and I wanted the full experience. I am worried, especially about this summer, because I have to make a lot of money in order to save up for the rest of the years. That is going to suck because I was really looking forward to relaxing for my senior summer,” Thelen said. By now, most seniors who are continuing school have tossed aside their college brochures and now spend their time searching for roommates or thinking about their future major. For some, the financial commitment adds a different kind of stress.
“During school, it’s going to be really hard to balance a social life, school, work, and all of that, but I realized that if I want to be successful, I’m really going to have to go after it,” Thelen said. Although Thelen is giving up some of the freedoms that seniors look forward to after graduating, she believes it will all be worth it. “I visited [Madison] last year, and I really liked it. I applied last minute, and I thought there was no way that I was going to get in, but I did. I just really loved it there, and I had to try,” Thelen said. Drew Morgan, senior, has different plans in mind. Morgan has decided against attending college next year, and instead plans to head directly into the workforce. He is currently deciding between an opportunity to work at a ski resort in Colorado, or staying in Minn. to work at a bakery.
“Education’s not really my thing. I get alright grades; I’ve just never been interested in college,” Morgan said. Morgan will be joining the 34.1 percent of graduates who do not attend college after high school. Of those young adults, 74 percent go directly into the workforce, according to the New York Times. With high unemployment rates, recent college and high school graduates alike struggle to find jobs. Morgan questions whether the cost of college is worthwhile if it is so difficult to get a good job afterwards. “It seems to be the social norm for everyone to go to a four year school, but I don’t think it’s worth it,” Morgan said. “You’re putting a bunch of money in, and you’re getting incredibly stressed out. The bad outweighs the good for me.” Aaron Khaimraj, senior, is choosing to attend college
despite the high cost. After attending Normandale part time through PSEO this year, Khaimraj will have 14 credits towards his general college credits. When he finishes his generals, he plans on transferring to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Several of Khaimraj’s family members also attended Normandale, which has positively influenced his secondary education decisions. “It’s a lot cheaper than going straight to a college like the University of Minnesota. It saves you thousands of dollars, and I feel like I could get the same education either way,” Khaimraj said. Both of Khaimraj’s sisters also attended Normandale. When transferring to the University of Minnesota, he is considering a pre-medical major. Though financial issues may deter a student from their
desired path after high school, there are many different options. From working while in school, to attending community college, or making the choice not to attend college at all, there are a variety of ways that students at HHS and around the country are fulfilling their dreams. Mr. Nate Schoch, school
counselor, believes in showing students all of their options. “It’s important to look at what the students’ interests are, their skill level, their likes and dislikes, and try to guide them based on that, instead of saying, ‘Here are the four year schools; now, look at these. Which one do you like?’” Schoch said.
HHS Graduates’ plans for secondary educaation from 2009-2013. Data provided by the HHS senior surveys. Infographic by Kelsi Johnson and Addie Lennon
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Microagressions: think before you speak
By Callan Showers Feature Editor The language of racism, sexism, and homophobia is changing. We know what these things are. We know how wrong they are. Blatant forms of them are viewed as awful, appalling, and, above all, a thing of the past. However, exchanges happen that leave you wondering,
“Am I crazy, or did he/she just kinda say….” Microaggressions. Everyday, brief exchanges that expose underlying prejudices. Derald Wing Sue, bestselling author of Microaggressions in Everyday Life and Columbia University professor defines microaggressions as “the everyday slights, indignities, put downs, and insults that people of color, women, LGBTQ populations, or those
who are marginalized experience in their day-to-day interactions with people.” Critics say that microaggressions are nit-picky, dramatic reactions to unintentional offenses. While these critics may be proponents of the old rhyme that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” I believe that if a question, phrase, or action leaves a bad feeling in the
room, or even just in the head of the one who was offended, it is our duty to question and challenge it. I believe that words can hurt. Colleges and universities around the country, namely Harvard, Fordham, St. Olaf,
Carleton, Smith, Swarthmore, Oberlin, and many more, have devoted blogs and sites to chronicling these offenses that otherwise go unreported on
their campuses. I believe it is time we start confronting microaggressions at HHS as well. Think. Before you start sentences with ‘No offense,’ or ‘This might sound bad, but,’ ask yourself if they will lead anywhere other than offensiveness and microaggression. Speak up. If you hear someone being slighted for simply being who they are, tell them that they probably don’t know
it, but they’re being offensive. Read microaggression blogs to make yourself aware, then make other people aware, too. Act. If someone tells you something that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, it probably isn’t okay. What is okay is telling them how they made you feel. Also, if you say something that you think came out unintentionally offensive, apologize. Someone will silently thank you.
Sadly, we must pass the torch Social media causes moral plunge By Josh Gallop and Naomi Borowsky Editors in Chief Over the past three years, we have been a part of 29 Royal Page issues. We have taken 10 quarters of newspaper. This means we have spent roughly 450 days (or 39,600 minutes) in room S200. This publication truly has shaped our high school experience. We would like to thank all those who have helped us to grow and learn as journalists throughout this experience. First, we feel so lucky to have had the privilege of reporting on such a diverse and talented stu-
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dent body. Our job as journalists is much easier when the stories you have to tell are so impressive and interesting. Thank you for being willing to share, for being honest, and for engaging with this newspaper. We also thank our administrators, who have trusted us with tremendous freedom to report, along with constant access to interviews. We cannot thank the staff of the Royal Page enough for making this experience so special. The success of the Royal Page would not be possible without the hard work, dedication, and creativity of our writers and photographers.
Although at times we have disagreements and are slightly dysfunctional, this class feels like a family, and we will really miss it. As our last issue comes to a close, we are passing the paper on to some incredibly talented sophomores and juniors. Next year, Callan Showers and Nate Pasko will be taking over our role as editors-in-chief of print, along with Ellie Maag and Bradley Kaplan as editorsin-chief of our website. We are so confident in their abilities to continue leading the Royal Page, and we are excited to see where they take the paper next year.
Things you will probably regret
after graduating from HHS
Should’ve come to class on time more (I wrote this list in detention) Should NOT have provoked a fight when that kid looked at me funny Should’ve eaten lighter breakfasts due to first block locked bathrooms Should NOT have spent all my money on sneakers Should’ve spent less time lifting and more time not lifting Should NOT have offended the ultimate team Should’ve smiled in pictures instead of doing the duck face Should NOT have set off firecrackers in the mall Should’ve written on my sweep passes
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Should NOT have cried as much about losing chicken tenders
By Jacob Moore Staff Reporter On May 6, I was nominated for the infamous Polar Plunge challenge. But unlike most of my friends, I did not partake in it. Not because I was afraid of the cold water, but because I decided partaking in this challenge would be inconsiderate and pointless. Believe it or not, the Polar Plunge challenge is not only a dare, but also a key fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Unfortunately, social media has twisted this unique fundraiser to the point that no one cares what the Polar Plunge is really about anymore. What angers me most is that the Polar Plunge has been morphed into a strategy for attention. I can not wrap my head around people abusing a fundraiser for their own social
media fame. When I was nominated for the Polar Plunge, I was extremely confused as to why I wasn’t required to donate. I always thought the plunge was about charity. My friends explained to me that people are now simply nominating others as a dare and only requiring them to donate if they do not jump. So people are jumping into frigid water to avoid donating... To clear up the confusion, I researched the real purpose of the Polar Plunge. The Polar Plunge is a charity event for the Special Olympics and has been very effective. In this past year, the participants in the Polar Plunge donated $2,807,701 to the Special Olympics. These donations were gained through the original act of polar plunging, with the purpose being to donate and
not just to get 100 Instagram likes. Why did we have to abuse the purpose of the Polar Plunge? Why couldn’t we find a balance between being purposeful and having fun? Instead, we have decided to take the easier route and use the challenge solely as a source for attention. In the future, we must choose to use social media as a tool for not only entertainment and attention, but for change. Think about how #GetGrantOnEllen became a national trend overnight, all because of one HHS student with a crazy idea. We must understand that the world of social media is in our hands. We have the ability to take it any way we choose. Let’s take it in a positive direction.
Glad to have attended Hopkins By Ryland Dorshow Opinion Editor I would be lying if I said I’ve never complained about Hopkins. I know I’m not alone because I hear other Hopkins students complain about their school everyday on a variety of levels. But with less than three weeks left of my 13-year journey through the Hopkins school system, I am realizing that there is not a single school district around that I would have rather grown up in. I strongly believe that this district has prepared me for the real world in ways that other schools simply could not. In comparison to other schools in the area, Hopkins has a diverse population in many ways. It is diverse racially, religiously, and perhaps most of all, socioeconomically. While
there are kids I’m friends with who have very wealthy parents, there are also kids I’m friends with who are much less fortunate (in terms of wealth) and have to find ways to pay for their own college. The beautiful part about it is that these kids are friends with each other despite these differences. Over the past 13 years, I have learned that this place is filled with friendships between students who are different races, different religions, different ethnicities, and who are from different backgrounds all together. You may not think this is a big deal. Even as I sat down to write this, I questioned whether it was worth writing because I feared people would read it and say, “What’s the big deal?” This seems normal to us because we grew up in the Hopkins District so we have been lucky enough to see it
every day. It’s easy to take for granted that you aren’t the only African American, Asian, Latino, or Caucasian in the school. It’s easy to take for granted that you aren’t the only Muslim, Catholic, or Jew. You are never alone at Hopkins. In addition to being accepted, I have learned how to accept. I have learned how to function in a diverse society full of people that are different from me in so many ways. Contrary to many other schools in this area, the population of real world society is not 99 percent upper-class kids. It is also not 99 percent white, or 99 percent black, or 99 percent anything. The real world is full of differences, and thanks to Hopkins, I am prepared for that world.
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Reflecting on HHS talents By Peter Kramer Staff Reporter
Sam Ruff, senior, displays the 2013 magazine. Ruff and Tuthill-Prues changed the name of the magazine this year. Photo by Peter Kramer
At the closing of the year, students often are amazed by how quickly time has passed. For seniors, the end of the year becomes a time to both think about the future and reflect upon the past. Students will be able to look at their senior yearbook and remember the names and faces. Although a yearbook will suffice for this purpose, Reflections Artist Magazine provides a chance to look back at the culture and creative talents at HHS. “‘Reflections’ really serves as a venue for the artistic students of HHS to be published into a magazine. It gives students involved
a chance to showcase their work, while at the same time exposing the rest of the student body to the often hidden talents of their peers,” said Sam Ruff, senior and Co-editor-in-chief of ‘Reflections.’ Reflections Art Magazine is a student-organized publication which features artwork and writings from students. Ttwo AP Media Arts seniors are selected to create the magazine under the advisement of Mr. Robert Fuhr, Media Arts. This year, Ruff and his partner Alex Tuthill-Preus, senior, have taken the reigns. “The magazine has been part of HHS since before I was a teacher here,” Fuhr said. When Fuhr saw the magazine fading into the background, he took action to en-
sure it didn’t become a thing of the past. “I saw [‘Reflections’] bumping around a few different departments. So, I decided to offer it as a project to some more advanced students. I really saw the potential to use the magazine to enhance their creative side,” Fuhr said. Fuhr values the magazine as a way for students to actively promote their work. “I require the students who run it to meet all the deadlines, find the art and writing, and even have to raise the money and get a grant,” Fuhr said. Although the magazine maintains roughly the same format year by year, this particular edition has seen one slight yet recognizable change. “For the previous years it
has been called Reflections Literary Magazine,” Ruff said. “However, this year we switched it to Reflections Artistic Magazine.” Since the magazine has always featured photography, Ruff and Tuthill-Preus felt it made the most sense to change the name. “We didn’t like calling it a literary magazine, so we decided to change it to something more inclusive that better reflected what the magazine is about,” Tuthill-Preus said. Copies of ‘Reflections’ will be sold at a table at lunch over the last two weeks of school. “I hope that when the student body looks at it, they are able to see a reflection of HHS,” Fuhr said.
Tuthill-Preus, senior. displays the 2014 magazine. Ruff and Tuthill-Preus, both completed advanced Media Arts classes. Photo by Peter Kramer
The ‘Musical Comedy Murders of 1940’
Left: Dolan Cassidy, senior, plays Nikki Crandall. This was Cassidy’s fifth HHS production. Second Left: Rose Soumare, 9th grade, and Andy Schoonover, sophomore, interact on stage. Sochmari played Bernice Roth, and Schoonover played Roger Hopewell. Second Right: Audrey Parry, senior, plays Elsa Von Grossenknueten. Parry’s character was the owner of the mansion. Right: Annie Share, senior, acts as Helsa. Helsa was the maid of the mansion.
Photos provided by Jae Bates
Seniors, seniors
What prank
would you pull?
Participating in final senior traditions By Madeline Martodam Staff Reporter As the year comes to a close, word of senior pranks, senior awards, and senior skip day tend to circulate within the walls of HHS. There are mixed feelings regarding senior skip day. “I think it’s a good idea if the student body can get together and do something together,” said Tommy Miller, strength trainer. Senior skip day has traditionally taken place on the Friday before Memorial Day. HHS does not endorse any senior skip day. Since senior skip day occurs on the same day, howverm teachers are able to work around it. “We do recognize it happens, but we can’t say it’s okay. It’s not okay. By school law, students are supposed to be in school on school days,” said Trenton Lawson, Assistant Principal. Some 2014 seniors partici-
pated in an additional skip day. Nancy Xhunga, senior, did not attend class on May 12. “As a senior, I didn’t have many classes, and I thought if it was low attendance we wouldn’t be doing much,” Xhunga said. For some students, the seven missed hours of school just were not worth the reprocussions. “I couldn’t do senior skip day because True Team state [track meet] was that week and you have to be in class all week in order to participate,” said Xavier Bailey, senior. Not only is senior skip day a tradition at HHS, but there is also the anticipation of a senior prank. The possibility of a senior prank keeps the administration alert in order to keep HHS safe. “I’d rather prevent something from happening that’s going to be bad or detrimental to a student rather than see them go through with it and have to deal with the conse-
quences,” Lawson said. Safety is something the staff finds important and necessary. “Things like throwing paper over the mall, who cares? That’s safe. When they start throwing water on top of it like they did a few years ago and people were slipping and falling, it’s not safe and of course it’s a bigger mess for us to pick up,” said Ira Gurewitz, hall para. Last year, 25 students from Pass High, MO, were unable to walk at graduation as a consequence of participating in the senior prank. Students risk having to deal with reprocussions of pulling a prank. “You can’t just say, ‘oh I was a stupid high school kid’,” Miller said. As the class of 2014 prepares to graduate, administration has one final message. “We want you to enjoy life, prosper, and leave this school knowing that you graduated from one of the top schools in Minn.,” Lawson said.
Soundset By Samantha Ostenso Staff Reporter
Infographic by Madeline Martodam and Kelsi Johnson
Even with a forecast predicting rain and a cool breeze, the Soundset headliners drew an estimated crowd of 28,000 to Canterbury Park on May 25. Of these ,000, several were HHS students. “It’s not very often that Minn. hosts an outdoor music festival with such huge names, so I’m really looking forward to Soundset,” said Justin Tran, senior. Harry Jensen, junior, was looking forward to seeing Nas perform for the 20th anniversary of the Illmatic. The Illmatic, Nas’s debut album, was released in 1994. “Nas is one of the innovators of hip-hop and rap collectives scene, and he is a legend so I’m really excited to be able to see him perform live at Soundset,” Jensen said. Soundset features artists mostly for the musical genres of hip-hop/rap and R&B. Also, the artists range from popular names like Wiz-Khalifa and 2-Chainz to local artists like DJ Sidereal and Mac Irv. Unlike Jensen, Orielle Heilicher, sophomore, was more looking forward to the experience of her first outdoor concert than the actual music. “I’m not really a fan of rap music, but all of my friends are going to Soundset so I thought it would be fun to go just for the experience and to hang out with my friends.” Heilicher said. Soundset is appealing to some HHS students, but others aren’t so enthused about the opportunity. “I like some of the artists that are going, but not enough to pay 60 dollars for a ticket. Also the people that are going [to Soundset] just aren’t the people I hang out with,” said Mikaela Peterson, junior.
Daniel Alvarado, Chile
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The culture in America is very different compared to Chile. You respect your elders more in Chile. Family is very tight knit there.
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Sebastian Strasser, Argentina
I want to carry the Argentinean lines because it means showing who I am, especially since a lot of new people that I meet don’t know where I come from.
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Pablo Alguindigue, Venezuela
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There was a different kind of school system and we were all a family in our class. We never changed our classes, we would always stay in the same spot with the same people. There was also a lot of nature in Belarus. Here there are a lot more cars, and there we took public transportation to socialize.
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Valeria Moreno, Mexico
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Pranav Mirpuri, India April Chung, Korea Mao Lee, Thailand Mai Pao Sue Vue, Thailand Jacky Ekoue, Togo Elvira Andriyets, Ukraine Joshua Dozier, USA
Aliksandra Paliashchuk, Belarus
People at HHS are very accepting of people who are different. I feel it’s important for the student body to not forget that what makes us a great school and a great country is all of our differences and how they are represented.
Carrying the flag means that I made it. It means that all my parents’ sacrifices and hard work succeeded. They did so much for me, and carrying the flag is an honor for them to see and for me to graduate high school.
Not Featured: Nensi Xhunga, Albania Lejla Mujic, Bosnia Tyra Lo, Cambodia Gumati Musa, Djibouti Malika Musa, Dijbouti Fatou Kebbeh, Gambia Alicia Eckl, Germany Lilly Stradner, Germany Sherlie Gregoire, Haiti
COUNTLESS STORI
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Martha Atienzo Perez, Mexico
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I want to carry my country’s flag because there are a lot of Mexican girls who think that they can’t graduate. I want to show them that they can do it, that nothing can stop them from doing what they want to do. I want to show my family that I made it.
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Each year, students are chosen to represent their country in the graduation ceremony by holding their country’s flag. 29 students were chosen to represent their countries this year. In this center spread, the Royal Page has featured 17 of these students’ stories.
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Yusuke Yamada, Japan
Calum Ferguson, United Kingdom
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I’m Japanese, and I’m proud I am Japanese. I also like different country’s cultures and learning about them, but I’m proud I was born in Japan.
My mom was an exchange student when she was younger too. The organization from Germany had a local rep who lived down the street. So it was pretty amazing.
The biggest differences have been the accents and the way people act and talk. Holding the flag shows the culture that I have that some people might not know and it’s a great honor for my country.
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Blandine Uwase, Democratic Republic of Congo
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Jae Bates, South Korea
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I want to carry the Korean flag at graduation because I am adopted, and little things like this are the only connection I have to South Korea anymore.
Afsana Umutoni, Rwanda
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It means a lot to me to carry my flag because this year I watched the opening Olympics in Taiwan. They still use the Chinese Taipei, and they use a different flag so it feels great to see Taiwan’s flag just here [in the school.]
HHS is extremely diverse. So many different cultures are represented here. I don’t have that at my school back home. Everyone there is from Spain. It is awesome to come here and open my mind to other cultures.
A lot of people have this misconception of Rwanda as this place full of war and corruption. It’s actually a very beautiful place with diverse creatures and friendly people. I am carrying the flag at graduation to show that the people I represent can be educated and can succeed.
Caleb Mokaya, Kenya
Nash Wu, Taiwan
David Lopez Gantes, Spain
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It’s been a wonderful time. I thought when I came to [HHS] that everyone would be the same race and I would be the one African walking around, but when I came, it was diverse, and there were all kinds of students.
In Congo, almost every other day there was a war for civil rights. There was no peace at all. We went to school, but some days they would close it because of security reasons. I just want to wish my people luck in everything they do. I am holding the flag in hopes that there will be peace one day. I want to empower other girls in Congo.
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Lily Stradner, Germany
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Dea Devita, Indonesia
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Adapting is difficult. Sometimes people don’t understand how I speak. Some of my close friends make fun of how I pronounce things.
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Ali Abdulhameed, Yemen
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The United States has a better system of education than in my country, but it’s my native country, and I am proud of it. I want to represent it.
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The Royal Page 2013-2014
Editors in Chief Naomi Borowsky Josh Gallop
‘March, My Darlings’
Four HHS graduates, 2013, tour the country to rediscover local music scenes By Madison Petty Staff Reporter
Front Page Editor Joe Greene
C-Spread Editor Alex Felemovicius
News Editor Brit Stein
Opinion Editor Ryland Dorshow
Feature Editors Phoebe Cohen Callan Showers
Variety Editor Lily Goldfarb
Sports Editors Hillary Donovan Nate Pasko
Photo Editor
Roxanne Krietzman
Business Editors
Kyle Makey Brian Yu
Web Editor in Chief Sam Hromatka
Staff Reporters
Claire Benton Cybill Biehlmann Danielle Fogelson Rachel Hall Kelsi Johnson Bradley Kaplan Peter Kramer Addie Lennon Josh Margolis Madeline Martodam Jacob Moore Erik A. Nelson Samantha Ostenso Madison Petty Lucy Pierro Ben Segelbaum Margo Strifert Lindsey Tradewell Christiaan van Lierop Ingrid Werner Andrew Zhou
Adviser
Mr. Kocur
The editorial represtents the opinion of the newspaper staff. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the administration, the student body or the adviser. Signed viewpoints represent the view of the writer. The Royal Page operates as an open forum student publication, and student editors make editorial decisions regarding content. Advertising information available by mail, fax and phone Annual Subscriptions available for $20.
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The Royal Page encourages letters to the editor. Letters are not guaranteed publication, are subject to editing for content and length, must be signed and meet deadlines. Compliments and suggestions are also welcome.
Sid Gopinath, Aaron White, Reed Fischer, and Thomas Heegaard, 2013 HHS graduates, drove 2,900 miles in seven days to perform and document their experiences of local music scenes from Minn. to Utah. “We were all involved with the local music scene in Hopkins, so we were curious to see what the rest of the United States was like,” Fischer said. “This summer, things lined up for all of us, and we decided to make our idea reality.” It all started when Gopinath saw an online contest challenging students at his school, Duke University, to submit their best adventure ideas. “The [contest] made me think about how my love of music could be combined with an adventure. That’s where the rough outline of this road trip emerged,” Gopinath said. Although they’ve been playing together for years, Gopinath, White, and Fischer created the band “Before Home” specifically for the purpose of this project. Heegaard also agreed to join them to film their experiences, but the fate of the trip depended on one thing: if they could get the funding. After being rejected by several grants from their respective schools, they started to doubt their project would happen. Still, they decided to turn to alternative options for funding, seeking out their professors’ help and creating a Kickstarter page. In only three days, their project was fully funded.
Support from friends and family through Facebook and Twitter helped them reach their $700 goal, but it didn’t stop there. They continued to receive pledges, ultimately raising double what they had originally asked for. “I was really used to thinking of this as an over-idealistic dream project, so I was truly humbled by the number of people who were willing to make this dream a reality,” Gopinath said. “Now, the pressure is really on us to deliver so we can make sure contributing to this project was worthwhile for everybody.” Before Home set out on May 21 and returned on May 28. Later that night, they performed a homecoming show at the Depot Coffee House in Hopkins. Performing at 12 different venues, they were able to explore deeper into each local music scene. They focused on two themes: the power of music to bring different types
of people together and doing what you love compared to doing what you have to do. For answers, they interviewed a variety of people they met while traveling from city to city. “I was once told that enthusiasm must be met with enthusiasm, and I think this project has really showed how true that is,” Gopinath said. “Whether it’s the venue staff, other local artists, our friends, our family, or even the other three mem-
bers of this crew, my enthusiasm has been met with equal or greater enthusiasm on all fronts. I am so grateful for that.” Heegaard’s footage will be compiled into a documentary entitled March, My Darlings, set to be released in the 2014 holiday season. “It’s based off an excerpt from Walt Whitman’s ‘Pioneers! O’ Pioneers,’” Heegaard said. “The poem uses the American West as a bridge
between the past and present, while also suggesting there’s a certain freedom and fulfillment that comes with accepting uncertainty and embracing adventure.” And that’s exactly what Before Home did. “There are an innumerable amount of Americans making music because they love it, not because they’re making millions,” Fischer said. “We want to put the spotlight on them.”
latitude and longitude coordinates are found on the official geocaching website. They can be found at the bottom of the ocean, the top of Mount Everest, and even in the International Space Station. “I’ve cached in 14 different states,” Kappel said. “Any place I travel to, I like to geocache. It’s a sort of commemoration of where I’ve been.” For the majority of caches, geocachers use a GPS to locate the containers. Usually,
they sign the date and their geocaching name in a logbook within the container, and they take the item inside and replace it with an item of their own for others to find. Geocaching is open to all people and groups. “The coolest group of geocaches that I did was through the Minnesota state parks. They had trading cards,” Kappel said. “Over the course of three months, my family and I visited all of the state parks in
Minnesota.” There are many different kinds of geocaches. They range from Puzzle Caches, which hide the coordinates of the container in a puzzle, to EarthCaches, which have participants visit unique geological locations and answer questions. According to the official Geocaching website, there are currently over six million geocachers searching for more than 2.3 million active geocaches worldwide. “The containers themselves often get muggled. They get messed with by people who aren’t geocachers, so people never leave anything of value. It’s more for the sense of discovery,” Kappel said. This sense of discovery applies to his own neighborhood as well. “My very first geocache I found was at a park about four blocks from my house that I had no idea even existed,” Kappel said. Although most of his finds have taken place in the Twin
Cities during the summer, Kappel has successfully geocached in Walt Disney World, and at the Geocaching headquarters in Seattle. He also enjoys the opportunity to geocache with his family. “It’s a great family activity for us. We like being out together, and it’s a good excuse for us to get out of the house and enjoy the fresh air,” Kappel said. Kappel currently has two geocaches hidden of his own, which he filled with personalized pencils. He greatly admires the large community of geocachers he is now a part of. “It relies on a code of honor. If you create a geocache, you’ll keep it up. If you find a geocache, you’ll make sure it’s in good condition, and you won’t destroy it,” Kappel said. “It’s a community.” Kappel began geocaching seven years ago and plans to keep going for as long as he can. “Every geocache is unique. You rarely find the same thing twice,” Kappel said.
Top: The route that Sid Gopinath, Aaron White, Reed Fischer, and Thomas Heegaard drove from May 21 to May 28. On the seven day journey, the four hoped to highlight local music scenes in the highlighted cities. Bottom: (From left to right) White, Fischer, and Gopinath performing in Bozeman, MT on May 26. On their trip, the three played music and Heegaard filmed the experience for a documentary.
Photo provided by Marlee Krietzman
664 Geocaches down for Kappel
By Andrew Zhou Staff Reporter
Under the name “amkappel,” Mr. Matt Kappel, Science, has searched the Twin Cities and beyond to discover 664 carefully hidden treasures - geocaches. “It’s a high-tech treasure hunt,” Kappel said. Geocaching is an activity where participants hide and uncover containers, called geocaches, all over the globe. Their
“The coolest group of geocaches that I did were through the Minnesota state parks. They had trading cards. Over the course of three months, my family and I visited all of the state parks in Minnesota.” -Mr. Matt Kappel, Science
Photo by Andrew Zhou
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Burke puts her ‘Emotions in Motion,’ honors father By Rachel Hall Staff Reporter This summer, Julia Burke, senior, will honor her father’s memory in, what she believes is, the perfect way. During her freshman year, Burke’s father committed suicide. “It really changed my life and changed my perspective on everything,” Burke said. Burke will be holding a 5k run/walk at Lake of the Isles on July 13 called Emotions in Motion. The run was to be held originally at Theodore Wirth Park, but was switched as soon as there was an opening at the Lake of the Isles. “My dad always lived by the lakes,” Burke said. “He was a free-spirit and a lake person. I got [the race] moved as soon as a spot opened up, which they said was a one in a million chance. He was also a marathon runner so we thought this would be a nice way to remember him.” Burke’s reasoning behind starting the run is simple: she wants to take her own experiences and use them to raise awareness. “[When my dad died], it took over my life. I was a different person for a year, it just completely changed me,” Burke said. Cynthia Nelson, Burke’s mother, acknowledges the importance of the work Burke is doing. “I’m so proud of Julia for organizing the Emotion in Motion 5k in memory of her dad. Suicide and depression affects the lives of so many people of all ages. Julia is committed to raising awareness of suicide and hopefully can make a difference in lives of those who suffer from depression and the families that love and care about them,” Nelson said. Before the race turned into an event including a resource fair, music, food, and a silent auction, the run was merely an idea Burke had in mind. “Originally, I started a
Facebook group, and I said I’m interested in starting a 5k, who would want to help me? Before I knew it, I had a hundred people requesting to join the group,” Burke said. With Burke organizing the whole run, an organization called Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) is handling the financial aspects as well as helping to raise awareness. “Julia has done most of the work. She is the one getting sponsorships, silent auction items, and participants to come and experience the love this family has for their dad,” said Linda Mars, SAVE event coordinator. SAVE is a suicide awareness organization that works closely with anyone interested in raising money or awareness for suicide. SAVE’s mission is to spread awareness and prevent suicide by increasing education about brain illnesses, depression, warning signs of depression, and behavior. “Once you experience the loss of a suicide, you never want another family going through that kind of pain. Suicide is preventable. We at SAVE work very hard to spread that message,” Mars said. Burke also hopes to spread awareness specifically at HHS. After coming to the Hopkins District in ninth grade, she noticed the way people joked and made comments related to
death and suicide. “The first thing I knew needed to be changed was how loose people are about suicide. It made me realize how little people know,” Burke said. Burke has learned about herself and the importance of suicide awareness while at HHS. “Over the course of being here, I’ve kind of found myself again but [suicide] is definitely one of those things that isn’t talked about much, so to raise any sort of awareness for it is a big deal,” Burke said. Registration for the race was recently opened to the public, and Burke hopes to spread the word and get as many people involved as possible. “It has actually wound up to be much bigger than I thought it would be. Hundreds of people have contacted me saying they want to come in town to get involved. There have been people who have come to me just telling me their story,” Burke said. Just as Burke hoped, the race has already served as a catalyst for the discussion and awareness of suicide. “People are so desensitized to [suicide] at this point that I feel like something needs to be said. To help people who are like me. People who didn’t understand,” Burke said. By organizing the 5k in her father’s memory, Burke is saying something.
For Borum, the details count BORUM. Cont. from page 1 close friends and strangers. “I could see someone with a feature that I usually look for and think that they are a friend of mine when they’re really not,” Borum said. “A lot of times when I meet someone for the first or second, or even third time, I still wonder: ‘Is this really the person that I think it is? Am I sure that I’m talking to who I think I’m talking to?’” Borum decided to represent her Prosopagnosia and the constant uncertainty that comes with it in her AP art concentrations. She was inspired by the concentrations of Alexandra Hanson, 2013 HHS graduate. Hanson focused her concentrations on her Trichotillomania, a disorder in which people have a compulsive urge to pull out their hair. “I thought of doing something similar on my Prosopagnosia, but at the time, I thought it was kind of a personal thing. I didn’t really want everyone to know about it,” Borum said.
Ms. Randi Rood, Art, guides students like Borum as they develop the central concept of their concentrations. “What I always tell students is that the more personal you can make your concentration, the more powerful it is because it’s about their thoughts, ideas, and feelings,” Rood said. Borum eventually decided to focus her concentrations on the facial features she looks for when recognizing her friends. “I tried to represent the fear that comes with not knowing who people are,” Borum said.
“In one of my concentration pieces, I cut [a friend’s face] into pieces, and I took out the piece that had her eyes in it because her eyes are the part that I look for when I try to recognize her.” Rood is impressed by the outcome of Borum’s concentrations. “Her concentrations were such a beautiful way to share part of what her reality is,” Rood said. “It takes a lot of courage as a student and artist to share your inner landscape with the world. I have so much respect for her.”
Top: Borum’s art depicting Carly Maslowski, senior. Borum highlighted the area around Maslowski’s lips because that is the feature she recognizes her by. Bottom: Another piece by Borum featuring Anna Lundin, senior. Borum focused her AP Art Concentrations on her Prosopagnosia, a disease that makes her unable to commit faces to memory.
Photos provided by Emily Borum
Royal of the Month Rae Akinsanya, junior How does it feel to be the May Royal of the Month? “It feels really good. I feel honored to be chosen by the school, and I’m glad that the hard work I do paid off in some way.” What’s your favorite class? “AP Language and Composition. I love Ms. Homberger. She’s a great teacher, and I love writing in that class. It makes be a better writer and helps me in Honors Global Literature.” What class pushed you the hardest? “A tie between AP Language and Composition and AP Calculus. Both of them got progressively harder as it went on, and that motivated me to do more to get the grade that I wanted. Coming in after school or emailing a teacher was always something I did to ensure that I would be at the point that I wanted to be at by the end of the year.” What is your favorite thing about school? “Learning more and being able to take those things whether it’s to debate practice or to be able to work efficiently in band or do other extracurriculars outside of school.”
Julia Burke, senior, pictured with her father when she was a baby. Burke’s father died in 2010, and she organized a 5k at Lake of the Isles in his memory that will take place on July 13, 2014. Photo provided by Julia Burke
What are your plans for the future? “My top school choice is Northeastern University. My plan for now is to figure out what I need to do to get in and have a great senior year so that I can get to Boston in the fall of 2015.”
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Mix of youth, experience propels golf team By Josh Margolis Staff Reporter It has been well documented that the sport of golf can be a frustrating one. For students on the HHS golf team, it can be even more frustrating than normal. Playing golf at the high school level presents a unique set of challenges. Due to the amount of time a golf match takes, students on the team routinely sacrifice time in school to be out on the course. “You end up teaching yourself a lot of the lessons, because you miss so many classes,” said Paul Vogt, senior. Matt Lavanger, senior, agrees that academic sacrifices have to be made. “We miss a lot of fourth block, and for tournaments, we miss full days of school,” Lavanger said. However, being on the golf team does not come without rewards. Two noteworthy wins for the Royals this season have come in Lake conference play
against second-ranked Edina and defending state champion Eden Prairie. In the previous three seasons, Hopkins failed to win even a single conference match. Much of the Royals’ success this season has been due to the emergence of Noah Bragg, junior. “Noah has been spending more time on golf,” said Gary Westman, head coach. “He’s a hockey player, but he worked on golf all summer and devoted a lot more time to his golf game. He’s a natural athlete and has always hit the ball well, but recently he’s spent more time putting the work in.” Vogt, Bragg’s playing partner, has witnessed first-hand the improvements Bragg has made this season. “Noah has put a lot of work into his game,” Vogt said. “It’s paid off for him, and he’s helping our team quite a bit. We couldn’t have won some of the matches we did without him. It’s good to see him stepping up, and he’ll be good next year.” The team is led by Vogt, who
is a scratch golfer. This means that Vogt’s career average is below par. “Paul works harder on his game than anybody and he has for four years,” Westman said. “We will get done with a match, and if he didn’t play particularly well, he’ll go out and hit balls for two hours after the match. “ Westman has been the head coach of Hopkins golf since 2011. Westman, who is a certified PGA professional, has been instrumental in the improvement of the team. “He’s just a really good coach. He knows what he’s talking about,” Lavanger said. “It’s nice to be coached by someone who has played so much competitive golf at a high level. He knows how to help if you’re not playing well.” Vogt credits much of his success to Westman. “Coach Westman has changed my game completely. He’s turned me into the golfer I am today, and I don’t know if I’d be playing at the level of golf I am without him,” Vogt said.
“He’s inspired me to take my game to the next level and to focus solely on the game. When I see him on the course, he always helps me to calm down and get through tough situations.” Next school year, Vogt will be taking his talents to Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. Even with the departure of
Vogt next season, the future of the Royals is full of youth. With only three current seniors out of 14 students on the team, Vogt suggests a bright future lies ahead for Hopkins golf. “The program is definitely looking up. I’ve been on the team since eighth grade, and every single year we’ve gotten bet-
ter,” Vogt said. “This is the best team I’ve ever been on. Since we’re only graduating three kids, I think the team has a good chance of being good next season, and I think we’ll be a contender in the next few years.” As of press time on Wednesday, May 28, the section 6AAA tournament was in progress.
of lacrosse that the HHS girls varsity lacrosse team works on during a typical practice. This season, the Royals have a record of three wins and nine losses. Mr. Jon Smart, head coach, believes that the team is struggling because they have
played many difficult opponents. “When you play in our conference and you play a lot of teams that are ranked in the top five in the state, you are playing kids who are going to play for Division I schools in college,”
Smart said. “At times, you are going to struggle.” Sophia Showalter, senior captain, believes that the seniors are important contributors to the team. There are nine seniors on the team. “The seniors are really help-
ful because they have experience with how practices run, with our plays, and what sort of defenses we are doing,” Showalter said. Samantha Schultz, junior, agrees that she has learned many things about how to play the game from her senior teammates. “I like it when they are hardworking. They tell us to do drills, and they do them with us. That shows their good leadership qualities because they are just as big a part of the team as we are,” Schultz said. However, Smart believes that the team’s lack of success, especially on defense, is due to a lack of experience. The team has allowed 133 goals this season. “We are young on defense. That’s a challenge when you have seniors versus sophomores and juniors,” Smart said. Schultz believes that the team does not lose hope when the opponent scores the first goal. “It gets you down at first, but you just have to remember that you always play as if you are down a goal. Once you actually are down by one, you push harder so you can show your opponent that HHS isn’t the
underdog and that HHS will persevere,” Schultz said. Even though these have not been the results coaches and players expected from the season, Smart believes that the team is committed to giving a full effort until the end of the game. “I think the one thing this group has is the resiliency to be aggressive and stay competitive. That’s the hallmark of kids who want to be committed to the sport. They will continue to work hard all the way until the final horn,” Smart said. After each game, the team takes time to reflect on their results. “We have a long discussion after every game about what went well and what we will need to work on and improve. After that, we try to practice with our next opponent in mind,” Showalter said. No matter how the season ends, Showalter has one expectation of her teammates. “I want our team to always work hard, to always have a good attitude during practice, and to always have a winning mentality no matter what the score may be,” Showalter said.
Paul Vogt, senior, takes an approach shot in a match against Eden Prairie at Bearpath Country Club on May 15. Hopkins lost the match after previously defeating Eden Prairie at Oak Ridge Country Club on April 30.
Photo by Josh Margolis
Girls lacrosse continues efforts despite difficult season By Erik A. Nelson Staff Reporter
The atmosphere of the practice field is relaxed, yet focused. Players complete shooting drills, passing drills, and defensive routines. These are the aspects
Top: Shortie Sheran, senior, prepares to catch a pass in a game against Holy Family on April 10. The varsity team finished the regular season with a record of 3-9. Left: Sophia Showalter, senior, attempts a shot on goal. Showalter is one of nine seniors on the varsity team this season.
Photos provided by Roxanne Krietzman
Boys varsity tennis team falls to Edina in second section match Boys tennis continued from pg. 1 conferences in the state and has the most singles players ranked in the top ten in the state. The Royals cemented their status as the top seed in the Lake with wins over traditional conference powers Wayzata (the top-ranked team in the state at the time), Edina, and Eden Prairie. The victory over Wayzata on May 6 was especially
gratifying to many players. “The victory over Wayzata was our best win of the regular season,” Johnson said. “A lot of our players won in straight sets, which was impressive because Wayzata was the best team in the state at the time.” The team finished the regular season with eight wins and two losses. Players attribute this success to a number of factors. “The main difference [between this season and past seasons] was that we won
close matches with very good teams that usually went the other way in previous years,” said Manfred Barrios, senior. As the sixth-ranked singles player in the state and the second-ranked singles player in the section, Barrios has individual goals for the remainder of his season. “I would like to win the state singles title,” Barrios said. The section singles tournament began on Tuesday, May 27. Jackson Diedrich, senior,
believes that the relationship between the team’s seniors and younger players made the difference between this season and past seasons. “A big factor was the leadership of our experienced seniors and the success of our strong group of younger players,” Diedrich said. Curran Martin, junior, agrees that the team’s newfound success was mainly due to the strong play of the senior core. “I think we had a higher-
quality team [than in past seasons] because our best players were the seniors who had multiple seasons on varsity to gain experience and develop their skills,” Martin said. “They were at their best this year, and that gave us a lot of confidence entering each match.” King hopes that this year’s successes will motivate the younger players to work hard in the off-season. “I want the younger players to understand how important it
is to play during the off-season if we want to continue to have successful seasons,” King said. While the younger players will be able to carry these successes into future years, this season marked the end of the seniors’ time as HHS tennis players. Therefore, the seniors found the accomplishments of this season to be especially meaningful. “It was really cool to go out better than we came in,”Diedrich said. “It was a very special team.”
RPFriday, May 30, 2014
the
12 sports
2013-2014 HHS athletics recap Fall cross country
volleyball
Joe Klecker (11) and Jack Henschel (10) made it to the boy’s state race, and Elizabeth Klecker (9) made it to the girl’s state race.
With a regular season record of 19-6, the girls ended the season in section quarter finals against Edina.
soccer
The girl’s soccer team won against Wayzata for the first time in 19 years, and the boys ended the regular season with a record of 6-8-1.
girls tennis
Five swimmers and one diver made it to the state meet. Rae Bullinger (12) is the only swimmer from HHS that will swim in college.
Winter The team had 76 boys on the varsity roster. Colin Lau (12) is the only swimmer from HHS that will continue to swim in college.
alpine
With 27 people on the boys and girls team combined, over half of the skiiers were in junior high.
gymnastics
The boys hockey team won two conference games for the first time in four years and the girls team ended the season with a record of 21-5.
The nordic team had two girls participate in the state race. The girls placed second in the sections race, and the boys placed sixth at sections.
dance team
The team placed fourth in sections, missing the state meet by one place. Avery Normandin, senior
Spring
track
The boys team placed fifth at True Team State and the girls team won the Hopkins True Team Invite meet.
golf
The girls team beat St. Louis Park, but never won a conference match.
Four events made it to the state meet. One team event was .05 points from placing. One team event, one trio, and one duo competed at state. The team ended thier regular season with a record of 11-7. They placed second in sections.
Jessica Broaden, senior The boys golf team, boys tennis team, and girls lacrosse team are not featured on this page because of the articles on page 11.
baseball
The boys ended the regular season with a record of 7-10. Three seniors will continue to play baseball in college.
basketball Amir Coffey (10) made a 60’ shot to send the team to the championship game. The boys basketball team placed second in state. The girls team ended in section semi finals with a record of 22-3. Noble Fahnbulleh, senior
synchro
softball
wrestling
The team beat Edina in a The team finished the regular conference meet for the first season with a record of 4-6. Evan Sattler (10) was the only wrestler to time in three years. make it to the state tournament.
nordic
hockey
Terrance Bowers, senior
Sierra Zellmer, senior
Jack Henschel, sophomore
boys swim and dive
The team finished with a regular season record of 2-6. Seven seniors will continue to play football in college.
Two seventh grade girls made the varsity team. The girls missed moving onto state when Lauren Feagler (11) tore her ACL in her match.
girls swim and dive
football
lacrosse The boys team finished the regular season with a record of 2-11. Will Gamble, senior Photos by Roxanne Krietzman and Maddie Malat